Entry of retail firms boosts jobs in Carcar

CEBU, Philippines - The continued expansion of businesses in Carcar City, Cebu has provided job opportunities to local residents and spurred the city’s local economic growth.

City Mayor Nicepuro Apura said aside from the increase in the city’s income, the biggest contribution of the entry of big retail companies in the locality is really employment for the people.

“Ang employment gyud is part of our agreement (with the retail companies),” the mayor particularly said of the agreement between the city government and the Metro Retail Stores Group of the Gaisano-owned Vicsal Development Corporation.

He said the local government asked the retail company to dominantly employ Carcar residents for the entire workforce of its new Super Metro store which opened yesterday in Barangay Valladolid.

Carcar resident Jonah Mea Habagat, a 21-year-old cashier, is one of the around 170 newly employed in the retail store. As a minimum wage earner, she hoped to take the ladder to a higher position in the company from currently being a cashier.

“Although dako naman among pasalamat ani nga trabaho pero nangandoy pud mi mosaka among posisyon,” shared Habagat, saying she has the advantage as being one of the pioneers in the newly opened store. 

High school graduate Romel Ricaborda, 19 and who is employed as sales clerk, expressed optimism in his first job as he could now help his family.

“Nidiretso ko trabaho para makatabang sa pamilya kay di pa man makagasto para college,” the young man said. “Pero goal gihapon nako nga makahuman kung naa lang opportunity muabot.”

They said they earn above minimum which, they added, is already a big help for their economic condition.

Apura noted the imminent penetration of other retail players would eventually generate additional employment for the locals.

Fast competition

For his part, Frank Gaisano, MRSG chairman and chief executive officer, said more and more community stores are reaching out to local communities and are localizing retail formats. As a certain society gets more developed, he added more rooms for business expansion are being made available.

He said the local retail sector has seen a fast pace in competition among big players in the industry.

 “A lot of chains are expanding very fast, but there is still a lot of room for growth as much as modern retail is concerned,” he pointed out in an interview at the sidelines of the firm’s opening of Carcar Super Metro branch which is its 42nd store nationwide.

The increased competition is sustained by the expansion of the country’s other biggest retail companies such as the Henry Sy-led SM Group, Robinsons Retail Holdings, Inc. of the Gokongwei family and the Co’s Puregold Price Club, Inc.

However, Gaisano noted opportunities for expansion are still very evident. When asked whether the company was considering going public, he said: “Going public is not an urgent thing for us at this point.”

He added their company has already plans for store network expansion in the near future, which would be funded by the firm with all the support of its shareholders and partner banks. (FREEMAN)