The P500 That Started The Better Days

By: Jireh Pearl T. Casionan, Junior Writer

Silang, CaviteFlashback to the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when uncertainty became part of everyday life: jobs were lost, movements were restricted, and many families struggled to make ends meet. Rose Ann Toledo and her partner were among them. Both resigned from work because her partner has hypertension and was highly vulnerable to the virus. With no stable income, they had to think of practical ways to survive.

One day, while rushing to the public market, Rose noticed a PHP 500 bill lying on the pathway. She looked around and waited, hoping the owner might come back for it, but when no one came searching, she picked it up. A blessing from heaven, she thought. At the time, it felt like unexpected help.\

Instead of spending it on food or daily expenses, Rose and her partner came up with an idea to generate income from it. Cloth face masks were in high demand during that season, so they decided to invest the PHP 500 in buying fabric. Their neighbor, who is a tailor, helped stitch the masks.

Rose posted the finished products online, and they quickly sold out.

From that small capital, they generated more than a hundred thousand in gross income. Their small project also provided income to their neighbor, who had helped sew the masks.

“It was unbelievable,” Rose recalls. “We made income online because of a simple idea and that 500-peso blessing from heaven.”

But they didn’t stop there. The same year, they reinvested that earning and began selling rebranded cosmetics products online. They ordered supplies from manufacturers and partnered with a printing company to produce labels. After selling their first batch, they purchased a small inkjet printer so they could print labels themselves and reduce costs.

That printer opened another opportunity.

Since their cosmetics products had no boxes, Rose designed packaging using a graphic design web app, printed it on photo paper, and cut and assembled the boxes manually. Realizing they could also offer it as a service to others, they posted their samples on Facebook Marketplace, offering customized boxes for other small businesses.

And there were orders. Although it started small: three pieces, five pieces, ten pieces. While many competitors required a minimum order of 1,000 pieces, they accepted as few as 100 to 150 pieces. This approach attracted startup businesses in need of affordable packaging, which in turn led them to officially launch their printing and packaging service in 2021.

Soon enough, the demand grew, and so did their capacity. Rose, a client since 2019 of CARD SME Bank, Inc., a thrift bank under CARD Mutually Reinforcing Institutes (CARD MRI), took out a loan to purchase additional machines. This enabled them to expand production and accept larger orders.

They soon expanded into large production printers that accommodate bulk orders. Today, they fulfill orders reaching up to 100,000 pieces and serve clients nationwide.

Their business, which they dearly named Better Days Packaging and Printing Services, now focuses on digital printing services, including boxes, stickers, soft boxes, layout services, and other packaging needs. They currently have eight full-time staff, one part-timer, and bring on seasonal project-based employees as needed.

The journey was not without challenges. Managing and training young staff required patience. Yet they remained transparent and open-minded with them. There were also months when sales were slow. But to address this, they attended seminars and conventions, shared their calling cards, and continuously improved their materials and equipment. They have now upgraded from photo paper to foldcote materials.

Beyond business, they also give back to the community by supporting a reading center for children in Biga, Silang, Cavite. They regularly take part in quarterly donation drives and fun-run-for-a-cause outreach programs organized by a Cavite-based organization.

Looking back, Rose remembers how difficult the beginning was, emotionally and financially. They had limited resources and no vehicle. “You can start small if you really want to start a business,” she said, reflecting back on their experiences. She shared that transitioning from an employee mindset to a business mindset indeed requires risk and discipline. “Don’t expect that starting a business is the end of the journey. The real question is how you will keep it alive and sustaining,” she emphasized.

When Rose was asked for her advice for fellow entrepreneurs, she advised them to continue learning and remain open to new ideas. “Never stop improving yourself,” she shared. “Because your growth drives the growth of your business.” She also advised managing finances properly and recording all cash flows.

For over seven years as a client, CARD MRI recognized her discipline and great business performance. She was awarded with Gawad Malikhain during the Pagkilala sa Mga Likha Ni Inay 2025, an event organized by CARD MRI that honors microentrepreneurs who showcase resilience, dedication, and positive community impact.

The 500 pesos she found during the pandemic may have been unexpected, but what followed was the result of practical decisions, reinvestment, and consistent effort.

She believes success is not just about receiving an opportunity. It is also about making the most of it and sustaining it through hard work and openness to growth.