When faith and business merge

The sudden death of a father in a Filipino family brings sadness to the household more so if he is the only one working for the entire family.

But to Consolacion Amora, 58, she braved the death of her husband as a challenge and moved on by taking over the business her husband started since 1969, which is into publishing and selling novena pamphlets.

Every novena booklet they sell carries the initials JVB, which stands for Jose Victorino Blanco, the late husband of Consolacion.

With the legacy left by her husband to their family, Consolacion now manages the business and ventured into selling religious images and figurines as well since 1991. Aside from selling novena booklets and the images of saints and the Christ Child, Consolacion also serves as the distributor of the aforementioned merchandize at her rented stall behind the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño.  Her clients are composed largely of the local and foreign tourists.

She said it will cost P2,000 for the publishing of the novenas, while the religious images requires a much higher capital.

Novena booklets retail price ranges from P15 to P20 and each item could earn a P7 net profit. Wholesale price depends on the size and number of pages of the novena, but normally it ranges from P60 to P90 a dozen, which could earn P12 revenue per dozen.

The religious images and figurines specifically that of the child Jesus, with a wide choice of size from 3 to 20, the price ranges from P120 to P9,000. Those with glass encase is priced differently according to the size. Images of Sto. Niño, the Blessed Mary, and the Crucifix are made of fiberglass, ceramics, and wood, making its prices reasonable. Different images of Sto. Niño is also available such as Sto. Niño de Palaboy, Sto. Niño de Swerte, and Sto. Niño de Praga and many more.

Other items sold by Consolacion are angel images worth P75, brown scapular for P5, Holy Rosary worth P10-P15, Sto. Niño bag for P35, and Sto. Niño car décor P35.

As Consolacion related, she was left with seven children by her husband. With this in mind she must keep the business going on for them to survive and send them to school.  – Miraflor Escarro