One quote that resonates with us during the pandemic is from Friedrich Nietzsche, "Invisible threads are the strongest ties". One of the best ways to empower and boost the morale of the people is to show support as we continue to fight the virus together.
We chanced upon a campaign that aims to help business owners get back on track. The campaign "Pinas Muna Tayo" is divided into three categories #ShoPinas (business), #TriPinas (travel), and #LasaPinas (food). As one of the thousands of business establishments in the Philippines greatly affected by the pandemic, we strongly support this campaign and I hope that many Filipinos will do too.
In this blog, we will feature practical ways you can help to revive the local economy as inspired by #PinasMunaTayo. Keep reading along if you want to contribute to this worthwhile endeavor and help our community get back on track.
Shop Local
One of the best ways to support the community is by shopping locally. Many of the small-medium enterprises are slowly opening their doors again. If the item you are looking for is readily available in a nearby store, don't hesitate to buy it. Not only while they get back the sales they lost during the lockdown, but it would also benefit the staff who temporarily got unemployed.
You can also check if they have their goods posted online. Most of the owners also resorted to advertising their products through social media. There's even a sticker on Instagram called Support Small Business which is a great way to market and discover products offered by locals.
In Batanes, there is a Facebook public group called Batanes Market Place which aims to "connect buyers and sellers of any product, item or service within the Province of Batanes". This is a great way to purchase products in your area to help your community.
Dine/Take Out at Restaurants or have food delivered
You may have experienced craving a certain food during lockdown but luckily, some restaurants are back in operations. You may opt to visit their physical store for taking out your food. You can choose to dine in restaurants that follow proper sanitation and health protocol.
A great alternative is food delivery, not only will you get your food delivered at the comforts of your home, but you also get to support delivery workers.
Travel Domestic
We know many of you missed traveling, we do miss the feeling of opening our doors to travelers at Nathaniel's Lodge too! Once the traveling is permitted, why not visit a Philippine destination before going overseas? With 81 provinces, there's still a lot to be discovered without flying out of the country. You can definitely start by visiting the northernmost province, Batanes ;)
Tourism is an important sector in the economy because it generates income in the area and provides employment to the locals. Take Batanes for example, when tourism boomed in the province, a door of opportunities opened. The tourism industry isn't the only one who benefitted from this growth but also different sectors of the community who are passively affected like local suppliers and retailers.
Honestly, traveling right now is vague and it is a bit sad to have your upcoming trips canceled. If your travel was affected by the pandemic, why not rebook it once the situation gets better and your schedule permits it? A lot of hotels and travel companies have adjusted their policies regarding rebooking so it is best to make the most out of it so you could still get to your dream destination.
Support workers
A lot of Filipino workers were displaced because of the crisis, let's help them recover and maintain their source of income. While most of the businesses are working in skeletal force or only 50% workforce, boost a staff's morale by giving extra gratuity, hire their services so they can earn more or a little token of appreciation will do. This will empower the workers who bravely face the threats of the virus just to get to their jobs.
Spread the word to raise awareness
Staying at home will surely accumulate hours and hours of being online. Put social media into good use by leaving a review of a local business, or post a recommendation regarding a certain product or service. This way, their offers will be more visible and will reach potential customers.
Stay at home
Probably the best way to revive the economy is by staying inside. It seems counterproductive because we usually do business and other activities outside our homes. But if we only go outside for important errands, implement quarantine and follow health protocols, we decrease the chance of spreading the virus and we contribute to flattening the curve. This will allow us to resume to our normal lives sooner than we expected it to be.
Show your Filipino pride, use the hashtags #PinasMunaTyo #ShoPinas #LasaPinas and #TriPinas when posting on social media. You can also visit their Facebook page to learn more about their advocacy.
Continue supporting local!