Former senator Bam Aquino, who is running for a Senate seat in the May 2025 elections, said that sari-sari store and carinderia owners, as well as market vendors, should be given ayuda or government aid during times of high inflation.
Senatorial bet Bam Aquino holds a dialogue with owners of food stalls and sari-sari stores in Mandaluyong City on Sunday, March 16, 2025. (Bam Aquino Media Bureau)
During a campaign sortie on Sunday, March 16, he spoke to sari-sari stores owners in Mandaluyong City.
“Napakalaki ang epekto ng inflation sa mga maliliit na negosyo gaya ng sari-sari store dahil lumiliit ang inyong kapital at espasyo para kumita at nahihirapan kayong magbenta kapag mahal ang presyo ng bilihin (Inflation has a huge effect on small businesses like sari-sari stores because your capital and income are being diminished and your sales also decrease),” he said.
“Ramdam na ramdam niyo kapag hindi kayo makapagbenta ng produkto nito. Sa mga ganitong sitwasyon, mahalaga na naririyan ang gobyerno para kayo’y bigyan ng agarang tulong, lalo na pagdating sa pinansiyal na ayuda, na ating isusulong kapag tayo’y nakabalik sa Senado (You are severely impacted when your sales drop. In this situation, it’s important for the government to be present to give you immediate help, especially in financial aid, which we will push for if we win),” he added.
The senatorial candidate also underscored the importance of three “Ms”—money, market, and mentorship—in expanding one’s business.
“Kung hindi kaya ng cash ang puhunan, puwede na ring one-up, one-down sa mga distributor basta mayroon tayong espasyo para makapagbenta, kumita at makapagbayad (If you do not have cash for the capital, you can enter into a one-up, one-down arrangement with the distributor so we can have the chance to sell, profit, and pay),” Aquino explained.
Even before he became a senator and authored legislative measures for small businesses owners, he had already been helping small businesses, such as sari-sari stores owners, to grow their sales and feed their families.
While in the Senate, Aquino was responsible for pushing for the Go Negosyo Act, which helps Filipinos start and expand their own businesses.