Sari-Sari Stores Drive Women’s Empowerment In The Philippines – Study

Sari-sari stores, locally known as neighborhood mom-and-pop shops, are not just a primary source of daily essentials for around 94% of Filipinos but also a vital driver of women’s empowerment through entrepreneurship.

Empowered entrepreneurs, business owners, and Filipinas. As sari-sari store owners, these women have a sense of independence, confidence, and fulfillment. I Photo: DTI Philippines

This is the key finding of a study published by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) in collaboration with tech start-up Packworks.

The study, titled “Gender, Microentrepreneurship, Human Flourishing: Exploring the Experiences of Women Sari-Sari Store Owners Toward Inclusive Growth,” found that women store owners experience significant psychological and social empowerment despite the challenges they face.

According to the study, women store owners take pride in being recognized as entrepreneurs and business owners, which provides them with a sense of independence, confidence, and fulfillment.

Many participants expressed that managing and operating a sari-sari store gives them a deeper sense of purpose and meaning in their lives.

“I can buy things for myself, my kid, and my family now... I am not just a housewife anymore,” one participant shared. “Because of my store, I am now busy with other things apart from taking care of my family. I feel more fulfilled.”

The study also highlights that women store owners achieve social empowerment by earning higher social status.

This is reflected in how customers address them with terms of respect like ‘ma’am’ or ‘boss,’ signifying their elevated role within the community.

Furthermore, women store owners who exhibit transformational leadership qualities—such as empathy, care, and collaboration with their communities—reported higher levels of well-being, empowerment, optimism, and resilience.

By becoming more independent and confident, these women have taken on important roles within their communities.

The psychological empowerment and well-being they experience are evidenced by positive outcomes in happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, sense of purpose, personal virtues, and autonomy.

“This research underscores the resilience and transformative power of women sari-preneurs in the Philippines. They are the heart of their communities, and by supporting them, we are strengthening the social fabric of the nation,” said Packworks CEO Bing Tan.

“At Packworks, we are driven by our mission to provide advanced business tools and services that allow these women to not only succeed in business but also become leaders and change-makers within their communities,” he added.

The study surveyed hundreds of female sari-sari store owners in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Region IV-A (CALABARZON) between May and June 2024. The majority of respondents (90%) are married with dependents, while 7% are single, and 3% are separated or widowed.

Additionally, 78% contribute to their household income, 16% serve as breadwinners, and 6% are single mothers.

“This reinforces our previous findings, which revealed that 75% of sari-sari stores are owned by women. Through our business intelligence tool Sari IQ, we are able to highlight that Filipinas hold significant control over the local economy through these micro-retail enterprises,” said Packworks Lead Data Scientist Joanne Diaz.

Packworks, a Filipino startup, provides a business-to-business (B2B) open platform for sari-sari stores. It empowers a network of over 300,000 sari-sari stores nationwide by digitizing their operations with tools for pricing, inventory management, and sales tracking.

It also offers access to working capital, product promotions, and rewards to help women entrepreneurs grow their businesses.