Entrepreneur's Profile: When a caregiver turns to rags for a living

"Balig diyes lang bai!" said a jeepney driver to a rag vendor one hot day. I watched the driver closely as he wiped gently his side mirror and then the steering wheel while waiting for the go signal. I looked outside and guided my eyes towards the rag vendor who stops from one vehicle to another to sell his rags worth one peso each, like butterflies that collect pollen grains from flowers.

Round rags can be seen everywhere, I am sure you've noticed them too. So out of curiosity, I wandered to see for myself where these rags came from and my feet later brought me to J.M. Basa Ext., Sawang Calero Street where I met a jolly and smiling Mrs. Virginita M. Batitay.

Manang Virgie is one of those who patiently sew round rags and sells them for seventy-five centavos each.

Before getting into the rag business, Manang Virgie worked as a caregiver in Kuwait for less than five years. Her husband asked her to stay when she came home last December 26.

She has been in this business for two months and within this short period, she already earned about P9,000.00.

She shared that she has six customers from Colon who orders 300 pieces everyday and two neighbors who orders 100 pieces good for three days. Coming up with more than 300 rags a day isn't easy, even with the help of her neighbor and her family. Which means oftentimes she cannot produce rags that much because aside from having less workers, she owns only one sewing machine.

But she is planning to buy another machine after she receives the retirement fee of her husband who used to work in a construction company.

At the moment you step into her home, you will never fail to notice all the "tinabas" on the floor, at the top of the table, and even on the chair. I was surprised when Manang Virgie said that all these cloth scraps were bought for P20.00 per kilo from clothing companies, one of which is Penshoppe.

"Ang nakalisod lang ug kakapoy ani kay kung ang panapton gahi og dili mabinat ba, magdepende man gud sa quality sa materials," she added. (We sometimes have difficulty with the types of cloth that we get because some materials are stiff and won't stretch.)

If you will think about it, sewing rags will not be enough to send children to school or feed a family but with what we have just learned from Manang Virgie's experience, it could really be of great help for as long as we persist.

"Maayo man siya kay kusog man ang trapo labi na sa mga drivers kay inig human og gamit, ila raman ilabay unya dili pajud mabaho" she shares with a smile of content in her face. (It's a good business because it's saleable especially to the drivers who would just throw it away after one use, moreover it is not perishable."

Patience is truly a virtue, it is an important factor a person will need in sewing rags. Manang Virgie possessed this virtue, which may sooner lead her to greater heights and upcoming opportunities.