Sometimes, a chance is all one needs to turn a life around. At Xpress Money, we’ve teamed up with M Lhuillier to provide just that for our customers in the Philippines.
We’re giving 5 lucky customers in the county a chance to win a Pangkabuhayan Showcase – a small business worth 150,000 pesos.
The idea is to empower people to start their own small business, which will have a knock-on effect for the better on the economy as a whole. To understand just how powerful small businesses can be, let’s consider some statistics.
Small businesses form the backbone of most global economies – but this is particularly true of the Philippines. In fact, 99.5%, or some 896,000 businesses in the country, fall in the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) category1. They employ around 4.8 million people; which is about 61.6% of all jobs in the country.
Together, these businesses contribute 35% of the country’s GDP, with the Philippine government actively trying to push that number to 40%2.
And yet, these are just the big picture numbers. Xpress Money believes these Pangkabuhayan Showcases will also boost well-being and quality of lives in their immediate neighbourhood. Business owners will be able to provide for themselves, contribute disposable income to their families, and create local employment opportunities.
And with people back home in the Philippines doing well, we’re hoping that the pressure on overseas Filipinos working day and night to support their families back home might abate somewhat.
So, how did we go about it? We decided to make it fair, and give as many people as possible a chance to win. Between July 1st to August 11th 2017, everyone who receives money through Xpress Money at any M Lhuillier location is being enrolled in a lucky draw to win big.
5 lucky winners will walk away with a life-changing opportunity – 150,000 pesos to start their Pangkabuhayan Showcase. But we also wanted to benefit as many people as possible. And that’s why we’re also giving away 10,000 pesos each to another 42 lucky winners through weekly draws.
At Xpress Money, giving back to the community is part of our DNA. The Philippines is a very important market for us, and we’re always looking out for ways to create value for our customers, and empower them. And what better way than giving them a chance to take control of their own prosperity by starting a business that provides for them and their families? As the old adage goes, “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
References
2. https://www.philstar.com/business/2015/11/24/1525141/smes-eyed-hike-gdp-contribution
