A Little Bit Of Everything!

Alfredo, -better known as Nognog- has been selling newspapers, candies, and cigarettes for the last 15 years.  I asked why he is called Nognog. “Kasi ho, maitim ako at kulot ang buhok ko.” (It is  because I am dark and I have curly hair.)

Nognog is 36 years old and married and they have 2 children ages 9 and 13. His wife, Rosalie, works as a janitress at St. Francis Church across the street from Cityland Tower.

He was orphaned at the age of 12 years old. After his father died, his mother just left him.  This month, he met his mother again after 25 years. According to him, his mother searched for him. That was a long time not to see a child.

After working for a construction company and as a personal driver, he decided to just sell and not mess around with a boss. He said that is was not worth working as a laborer, it was a hard work and did not pay much.

Nognog starts his day at 4:00AM delivering newspapers and then selling until 10:00 AM.

Rosalie starts work at the church at 5:00AM until 10:00 AM. They go home together so they have time to cook and do some housework until the children arrive from school.

I asked for the breakdown of his capital and expenses a day.

For the candies, he buys 10 wraps, for P150.00 and makes 250.00 a day with a profit of P100.00, candies sell for P1.00 each. Cigarettes, he buys 10 packs for P500.00 and it would sell for P800.00 with a profit of P300.00. There is no capital in selling the newspapers, he gets commissions. The tabloid sells for P10.00, the broadsheets for P20.00 so he makes P120.00 a day from the newspapers. So his total earnings a day is P520.00 if everything sells.

Rosalie makes P3000.00 a month cleaning the St, Francis restrooms.

Their daily expenses is P250.00 for food and P180.00 for the children’s school.

I asked him what can he tell me about his life by peddling on the street, “Ay naku maam, and dami ko pong nakikilalang taong mabubuti, number one na kayo, hindi ko naman kayo makikilala kung wala ako dito.” (Maam, I meet a lot of good  people and you are one of them.)

I also get a lot of benefits – Free Wedding for us and health benefit.

I see the goodness of heart from this couple, they are also God fearing citizens.

NOTES:

1. Only in the Philippines can one buy a STICK OF CIGARETTE.

2. Wedding fees are: P20,000.00 with a reception and P12,000.00 if no fanfare. I do not know about getting married in civil courts. It probably depends on the income of the couple.

3. I offered to hire Rosalie to clean my unit once a week. Any suggestions as to how much I should pay her a day?