No Ordinary Child
Name: Marilou “Macoy” Pelaez
Branch: Silay City, Negros Occidental
Project Group: Project Dungganon (May 2002)
Businesses: Crab Retailing and Wholesale Business
Marilou was no ordinary child. As far as she can recall, even at a tender age, she would sell anything that she could get her hands on. Her mother would wake up together with her other siblings to do chores and help sell the fish in the market.
With no means to any kind of transportation, Marilou would walk from their home to the market, braving any kind of weather even if the soles of her rubber slippers have deteriorated causing wounds on her feet. Yet, in spite of these events, Marilou felt that it made her stronger and molded her into what she is now - a woman full of life.
The business insight that Marilou learned through fish vending led her to getting credit from loan sharks when she was ready to start her own business. However, with this mentioned, she saw her money dwindling away faster than she could ever save.
To make matters even more complicated, the marriage with her husband at that time was also headed for another direction. And although she decided to separate from him, Marilou had a certain flair of confidence that would suggest she would survive even without a man by her side.
So with kids in tow, she did everything to support them while praying that something good may come out of it. In 1991, she met a man, named Isabelo Pelaez, who became her second husband.
Working hand in hand, they got into the crab business. Isabelo would go out to sea around 2 a.m. to catch whatever he can while Marilou would sell it in the market for as early as 4 a.m. They would only sleep a few hours then wake up again for the harvest or the selling. This routine went on for a number od years. In spite of that, they never felt that their life was getting any better.
In 2002, she learned of Project Dungganon through a friend. Although she had loans with other entities, Marilou always felt that it was never enough. in the beginning, Marilou’s hesitance to become a member of Project Dungganon was a normal reaction from a woman who has been jaded with life. But the promptings and positive stories made her decide to give it a try. She saw that with Project Dungganon, she could choose her term of payment and have the chance to lessen the interest on the capital.
Using her first loan in the amount of P5,000.00 to purchase a boat, Marilou saw her business grow at a rate she never expected. When she was able to pay off her loan, she went on to acquire four pump boats from the credit she was able to renew and raise it to a higher loan amount with Project Dungganon.
But it wasn’t just acquisitions of boats for her business that was slowly building up in the Pelaez home. The profit that Marilou earned from their business, made it possible to convert and expand their nipa hut home to a concrete type of dwelling to accommodate their six children. With the big space, their family has experienced more comfort and space not just for them but also for their friends.
Marilou understands the blessing that was given to her so she, in turn, in her own small way has given back to the community. When being approached by other small vendors, she doesn’t hesitate to buy from them and sell it herself. However, she never buys from the bigger ones because she knows that they wouldn’t have a problem selling it. Also, she has learned that when people borrow money, you should never expect repayment. The money that you lend is what you can consider as ‘extra money.’ God somehow intended to use that particular spare cash to be given to others, something you can share.
In Project Dungganon, they also prepare several training workshops during the year, in order to expand one’s knowledge and skill. In Marilou’s case, she has learned to do bookkeeping and learned how to watch her business grow which she would use to reinvest in her business, her house, insurance and savings.
These trainings helped Marilou to control spending of money, and how to budget for all their necessities and other extra curricular activities. In 2005, while using this method of budgeting, the Pelaez’s realized that they were beginning to live a more comfortable life.
Marilou can now wake up around 8 a.m. without worrying about who will cook or clean or because she has to work. With a helper on hand, Marilou can rest when she needs to and is now able to attend to other matters that may concern the education of her children or her business. since her work is home-based, she can watch the kids and spend time with them.
Like all mothers, Marilou dreams of seeing all her children graduate from college. She wants them to have a stable job so they wouldn’t have to experience all the obstacles that she went through. She also wants to buy a lot for each child so they could build their own house someday without having to worry where they would reside in the future once they have their own family.
Marilou would still want to expand her business by buying more pump boats. With the competition among the other businessmen, she feels that the only way to be at par or to out rival them is to purchase more boats and know how to market your products.
“When one enters Project Dungganon, you just know that they’re not looking at what you’re wearing or if you’re somebody. They are not judging you. If you want to work, need a loan and you don’t have much, Project Dungganon can surely be the one to go to. With Project Dungganon you have nothing to fear. You can relax and live the life you have always wanted for yourself and your family. Project Dungganon has made me reach dreams even more than what I can imagine,” Marilou would share beaming with pride.
Who would have thought that this child would grow up to be Nominated for Regional-Finalist-Citibank - Maunlad Category - Microentrepreneurship Award and has now established herself as one of the forerunners in the crab industry? Marilou is definitely a woman to reckon with.