(written for the San Miguel Beer Pinagsamahan newsletter)
Marino T. Apa is a walking success story. This former houseboy turned businessman worked for San Miguel Corporation for 20 years as driver-mechanic until he retired in 1995. But his rags-to-riches story did not start there.
It began the day he met his wife and business partner, Antonia. "We became phone pals as a result of a cross-line," he narrated. At that time he worked as a caretaker for a businessman who spent more time out of town. Living alone and having no one to talk to, he spent many evenings chatting on the phone with male and female friends. This included Antonia and her friends at a boarding house. When the opportunity to meet Antonia and her fellow boarders at a party came, the nervous and excited Marino wore his only polo shirt, an imported brand that was a gift from his employer. He explained that he was ashamed to introduce himself because he was only a houseboy, but when he saw Antonia he found her friendly and approachable. "We became sweethearts for four years and then we got married," Antonia said. Marino’s employer was their wedding sponsor and he permitted them to remain in his property in barangay Tipolo in Mandaue City. Thus, the couple lived and raised their family in the same house all these years.
The kind employer also supported Marino’s studies in a two-year automotive mechanics at a vocational school. This was not enough for Marino. He knew the value of good education and his added responsibility to his family. He enrolled himself in high school even though he was already a father then. But it was his degree in automotive mechanics that got him his job with San Miguel. He availed himself of the company’s Education Program so he could continue with his college education. "I had to quit the following year," Marino confessed, "the kids all got sick at the same time and it was hard to concentrate on my studies while I was working in San Miguel and looking after them at the hospital at the same time."
All this time Antonia supported her husband, working at a factory and later selling various items. "Anything and everything," she said with a smile. She is obviously the businesswoman in the family. They both agreed that they have to secure the future of their four children. When the eldest was ready to enter college, the couple realized that they have to up their family income to support all children through college. Antonia was doing well with her RTW business, selling clothes on installment terms from their home. Her customers were mostly employees from the nearby factories. Marino suggested that they could try selling beer. She went around the sari-sari stores in the neighborhood to see if they would buy beer from her before she agreed.
On September 15, 1989 they became San Miguel wholesalers with an initial capital of P4,200. "We got Mucho, Grande, Red Horse, and Pale Pilsen," she recalls. Marino took out a loan to buy a bicycle cart. "It was hard," he admits, "probably the most difficult time of our life." He had a hectic work schedule then as a full-time driver at San Miguel. Some days he would come home as late as 2:00 or 4:00 a.m. And he still had to pick-up the beer and deliver these to their outlets on the bike. "Once, I crashed into an excavation in front of San Miguel and broke two cases worth about P200 each," he said, "I don’t know how long I sat on the pavement, moping over the loss." Back then they couldn’t afford any loss from breakages.
Marino is fortunate to have a smart business partner in Antonia. "I didn’t spend a single cent from our beer sales," she claims, "whatever we earned I gave back by increasing my order." Their sales volume rose steadily. They became AWACS, XTDs and at present, routing wholesaler. Their trisikad was augmented by an owner-type jeep which the couple assembled themselves at their own backyard "Just the two of us, I learned quickly as a mechanic," she added proudly. Next came their Tamaraw which he acquired with a P60,000 loan from the credit union. Today, they have three elf trucks, the Tamaraw and a pick-up to deliver their beer to over a 100 outlets. A family van is due to be delivered late February.
San Miguel sales supervisor Bebot Baring credit their success to the fact that they manage their business and deal with their customers personally. "You don’t gain 100 outlets this fast if you’re not good at establishing rapport," Baring pointed out. They gained the outlets served by other wholesalers by proving their reliability. "They are very consistent and prompt with their delivery schedule," Baring said. "It’s hard to compete with the big-timers because we could not match their terms," Antonia shared, "so we make up for it with good PR and good service." Antonia also knows how to take good care of her loyal customers. "We give priority to the outlets which have remained with us since the beginning," she said. When San Miguel raised the prices of Pale Pilsen and Red Horse last November, they absorbed the cost of additional empties for their sukis.
Marino and Antonia know that 1998 will be a tough year. He expected beer sales to go down but is not worried. "What coud possibly be worst than our first year as beer dealers," he assured Baring, "we’ll ride this out." They’re already planning to set-up a sari-sari store of their own. Their generous benefactor, Marino’s former employer, has not neglected them. He eventually donated the land on which their house stands, and the grateful couple received the title last year. And although Marino never got the college diploma he wanted, his three children did while the fourth will soon have his in Political Science.
Who said devoted service, hardwork and perseverance don’t go unrewarded? They do. For Marino and Antonia, miracles happen because they made these happen.