Manila, Philippines - Mariel Astudillo is a typical prepaid subscriber who keeps reloading airtime so that she can use her mobile phone to send and receive text messages.
But unlike the typical subscriber, Astudillo and some 42,000 subscribers of Smart Communications Inc. (Smart) already earn from this simple act of loading airtime and texting under the Load Mo Sarili Mo (LMSM) program.
LMSM is a member-get-member program of Load Mo Sarili Mo Inc. in partnership with Muenchen Inc. and powered by Smart. With Load Mo Sarili Mo, Smart subscribers are able to augment their income by simply using their mobile phone to load airtime for themselves or by sharing load with others.
“Load Mo Sarili Mo members get rebates from their own load and the load of members in their network. The more individuals a person recruits into his or her LMSM network, the bigger their profit,” explained Smart Key Accounts department head Manny Perez.
Astudillo was working in a non-life insurance company before she decided to retire early and become an LMSM member. Astudillo and her husband run a small business where they sell Smart products like SIM Cards and electronic load. It was during an LMSM orientation that they saw the opportunity to earn additional income.
“I believed in Load Mo Sarili Mo right from the start. Cell phone load is a basic commodity. There is no way that the program wouldn’t succeed because we come from a country where majority of mobile phone owners are prepaid subscribers. That’s why I decided to be an LMSM member,” said Astudillo.
Since joining LMSM in late 2009, Astudillo shares that her LMSM network has already grown to some 2,000 individuals. She says that it took work to be able to build that network. “You have to know the program. The challenge sometimes is explaining to prospective LMSM members that the program really works. But when they find out that Smart supports the program, people realize that it is a credible networking program, adds Astudillo.
Astudillo continues to tell friends and acquaintances about LMSM and to invite them to join her network via her mobile phone and via the Internet through e-mail as well as her Facebook account.
“Ang maganda din sa Load Mo Sarili Mo ay kahit nasa bahay ka, pwede kang kumita,” said Astudillo.
Husband and wife team Ogie and Liezel Barbudo have been part of the LMSM program as a stockist center for close to a year now. This means that they have a venue where they hold orientations for LMSM prospective members and sell LMSM kits.
“As a stockist center, we have a monthly quota to sell LMSM kits and load funds. So far, okay naman. Nakaka-quota kami,” said Liezel. “Madaling ipaliwanag kasi nakakabit ang pangalan ng Smart. Alam na nila na hindi sila maloloko.
Load Mo, Sarili Mo is not just for individuals but for groups as well. Last year, Gawad Kalinga employees were registered as members of the LMSM program as part of the GK Access Package program between Smart and Gawad Kalinga.
This year, LMSM is eyeing partnerships with more groups from different sectors to introduce the program to a wider audience.
Interested individuals or groups may learn more about Load Mo Sarili Mo via e-mail loadmosarilimo@gmail.com or landline 332-7159, 513-7862 or 67 or the LMSM website www.loadmosarilimo.com/.