NU 7: Serendipity walk - Jennifer Liquete

Ateneo Innovation and Entrepreneurship "New ideas create more and better new products and services; create more wealth."

Location: Tandang Sora (McDo side)

The busy street of Tandang Sora is always filled with commuters (employees and students from nearby schools), jeepney drivers, tricycle drivers and residents from neighboring shanties. Everyday, the commuters and the drivers are tired after their long day at work and school. In addition to their stress, commuters always have to wait for their turn to get a ride while drivers are eager to finish their shift so that they can rest and relax. Residents from neighboring shanties, on the other hand, are either looking for some means to earn money (ex. catch a cab or guide a car from getting out of the parking) or searching for something to interest them.

Since most of the population, if not all, have low disposable income, small businesses with low cost and sells at a low price are the most feasible option.

Business opportunities at Tandang Sora:

-                      Beat the heat with ice scramble, iced candy, popsicles and halo-halo!

What would be a better and cheaper way to cool themselves during a hot day in Manila? For the consumers, these are within their budget and after a long day, it is a cheap treat for them to refresh and relax. For the business, these cool treats are easy to make and have minimal costs. The only alternative for these are McDo's and Jollibee’s sundaes which will cost them twice or thrice more than the ice scramble, iced candy, popsicles, and halo-halo.

-                      Pinoy Cravings: P5 per stick of fishballs, squidballs, isaw, kikiam, kwek-kwek; P10 per stick of hotdog; P10 per cup of gulaman or buko juice

Fishballs, squidballs, isaw, kwek-kwek and hotdogs are among the top Filipino cravings. This type of turo-turo is very irresistible for Filipinos, especially those who are hungry after a tiring day. It is a cheap way to satisfy the hunger and craving of the commuters, drivers and residents from the shanties. Gulaman and buko juice, on the other hand, are Filipino favorites and these are cheap drinks to quench their thirst or if just to freshen them up. These products have a certain characteristic that once you see their carts, you are tempted to buy even just one.

Lastly, aside from being cheaper than the other food establishments (McDo, Jollibee and 7-11), these products are more convenient for the commuters and drivers. Waiting period is only a minute compared to the 5-7 minutes ordering and receiving process in the other food establishments. Convenience is a key factor because this market is always on-the-go. They do not have time to spare because they need to get in line for their ride (for commuters) and to leave when the ride is full (for drivers).

-                      Recreational Activities: Computer shop/gaming station and videoke

There has always been a high demand for computer shops and gaming stations from students. It is their way of escaping reality and having fun. I noticed that in all gaming stations and computer shops, the level of disposable income is not a limitation. Students always have an allocated budget for gaming and this is not yet tapped in Tandang Sora. To operate at a low cost, second-hand computers can be used. Videoke, on the other hand, is one of the most common past-time of adults with low disposable income. A small location with one TV and microphone is already sufficient. Customers will also have an option to dine and drink while in the place. It will have a low price per song and cheap food and drinks that will entice the market to enter the shop.

-                      Small Clinics: x-ray, pediatrics, obstetrics, dental, EENT, minor surgery (ex. Removal of cysts, circumcision, wounds)

Health will always be a concern for everyone, even those without budget. For those in the lower income bracket, it is important that they find an economical clinic because they will not be able to afford the usual high rates. Currently, there aren’t any low-budget clinics in the area even though there is a high traffic of lower C, D and E. This creates a business opportunity for small clinics that will provide common and vital services such as x-ray, pediatrics, obstetrics, dental, EENT and minor surgeries including removal of cysts, circumcisions, and treatment of wounds. To operate at a low cost, the clinic can buy second-hand equipment that are no longer being used by hospitals. For the doctors/consultants/specialists, the business can recruit medical students/interns that are looking for more exposure and experience in the medical field. It will be a mutual benefit because they will gain more experience from these clinics and at the same time, the business will have lower costs because these are not yet high-level specialists or doctors. For safety purposes, one senior can be hired overlook the performance of the medical students/interns. 3