Say it with flowers

Despite difficulties, hope springs eternal for those who want to make a difference in any productive and income-generating ways they can, Ricardo Mijares, 45, said.

Mijares is engaged in collecting and recycling tin cans which he artistically turns into decorative flowers. "It was an odd hobby," he said. Collecting and recycling tin cans, artistically shaping them into cut flowers which he called "new species" of flower decorations.

"Tin cans abound in almost every nook and cranny where there are trash cans nearby, and as I looked in dismay at these tin can litters, I thought of trying to make use of these things, " Mijares said.

Equipped with basic tools, Mijares started to make flowers out of tin cans by cutting them into flower-like shapes and painting them with bright colors.

Mijares said they were three when they started with the business but because of economic difficulties, his two associates left for overseas jobs.

Mijares decided to continue the business with the help of the Filipino Investors Society Inc which assisted him in looking for local and foreign buyers.

"If you want to succeed, no matter how modest, you have to love what you are doing, leave to the back burner the profit motive, pray hard and God will take care of the rest," Mijares said.

Mijares finishes at least 200 to 300 small and big flowers, augmenting his income as a copy boy in a broadsheet. Mijares has now a regular local and foreign buyers of his "creations" whom he met in recent trade fairs and exhibits. A number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from Germany, Japan, South Korea have also placed their orders.

Today, Mijares keeps himself busy in his small shop, creating ‘new species’ of flowers.

Orders come by the hundreds, although there are also lean times when orders are placed at 10, 15 to a maximum of 50 pieces. Orders are easily priced at P10 (for a single flower) and P100 upwards depending on the size.

Mijares finally said, since life is always a race for those who want to make a difference - the value of sharing and giving should be enhanced.