2019 MICMA: Teresita Pracullos - MASS-SPECC Cooperative Development Center

1st RUNNER UP – NANLIMBASOG CATEGORY

TERESITA PRACULLOS

Co-operative: Davao Oriental Market Multipurpose Cooperative (DOMMUPCO)
Micro-enterprise: Convenience Store

Rice, Biscuits, and Beyond

What started as a small convenience store selling rice and biscuits has grown into a bigger store serving more communities. Teresita was encouraged by her mother-in-law to join the Davao Oriental Market Multipurpose Cooperative in 2008. True enough, she was amazed by how the co-op operates and was encouraged to avail of the many financial services offered.

The couple went on to get their first loan of Php15,000 from DOMMUPCO as their capital. They persevered despite the challenges in their business. Whenever the customers want something that they didn’t have at their store, they would take note of them so they can sell it the next month. This strategy went on and on until their store grew bigger. People have been buying supplies from them, so they decided to find another location and open a bigger store.

Seeing that most of their customers are from the provinces, they saw an opportunity to expand. They went to the co-op again to acquire bigger money to purchase an L3 to transport their products to their clients.

During the pandemic, Teresita and Serio made sure that their employees had food to serve on their tables for their families. They serve as good examples for their employees and community members. They are also grateful to DOMMUPCO for leading them into the path of financial freedom. Their success story was a success story, too, for the co-op.