Surfing capital Siargao Island has opened opportunities for hundreds of locals and entrepreneurs. Sari-sari store owner Rhea Perona, who supports her entire family, is one of them.
Rhea started her small business in 2017 and eventually ventured into load retail. “Smart load is in demand among tourists, so I decided to be a Smart retailer,” she said.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Rhea kept her business afloat with load sales, as demand for load increased. “My Smart load retail income has helped me put my daughter through school, buy a new phone for her and appliances for our home,” said the Siargaonon entrepreneur.
Even when Super Typhoon Odette ravaged Siargao, not sparing her store, Rhea remained resilient. The day after the typhoon hit, she immediately opened a makeshift store with only a table and a tarpaulin sheet. Five months later, through sheer grit, hard work and support from her community, Rhea has moved into a newly constructed store.
Rhea hopes to expand her business by selling clothes online. With PLDT’s fiber cable project in Siargao, Rhea is among the hundreds of entrepreneurs who look forward to the network improvement. “A stronger network will enable us to generate more profit and provide us with new livelihood opportunities,” she added.
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