From factory worker to apartment rental queen

Aling Fe and Sir Vince chatting in one of the breaks during the financial literacy training.

Aling Fe started working for Monde Nissin in her early age of 17. After more than 33 years of working, she now has 60 units of rental properties

At first, she used to buy small items like clothes, house display, and furniture and they sell it to their neighbors. When they had a bigger capital, Aling Fe and her husband started with a small lot in Santa Rosa, Laguna. According to her, every time they gain profit from their rental properties, she takes a part of it and put it in their savings.

“Bawat kinikita ko, iniipon ko ‘yun,” said Aling Fe. “Dinagdag ko [sa] puhunan.” (Every time I profit, I save it. I add it to my capital.)

Starting in a young age

 Aling Fe did not finish college because of poverty that is why she had to start helping her family in an early age. She also started to dream early of establishing a business of her own.

“Dalaga pa kasi ako noon, 1983, nagstart ako ng business…Sabi nga ng iba kahit naman pala hindi ka nakatapos, daig ko pa raw [ang iba].” (I was still single in 1983 when I started business…Some even say that I’m better off than others who have finished college.)

Vince Rapisura, a wealth expert and CEO of Social Enterprise Development Partnerships, Inc. (SEDPI), said that it is good to start early in learning personal financial management. That is why SEDPI’s advocacy is financial inclusion through financial literacy.

 SEDPI in Yaman Series of Monde Nissin

Last August 2016, Monde Nissin invited SEDPI to give financial literacy trainings to their employees in Santa Rosa, Laguna as a part of their “Yaman Series” program. SEDPI trained an average of 750 employees including office staff and factory workers.

Aling Fe is one of the factory workers taught by SEDPI in this program. Her business was discovered when the topic was about Passive and Active Income. Rapisura saw that her profit in her rental properties, with her salary in the factory, are more than enough to pay for all of her family’s expenses.

Passive vs Active Income

 In his book (L)Earning Wealth: Successful Strategies in Money Management, Rapisura differentiated the two kinds of income: Active and Passive.

Active income can be earned through active working or pagbabanat ng buto. For example, being an employee in a company. Passive income, on the other hand, can be earned even without working. For example, rental properties, stocks, and dividends.

Rapisura always asks his participants, “What would you choose, to earn while getting tired or to earn while relaxing?” Of course, the answer is always the latter.

To reach financial freedom like Aling Fe, try to look for opportunities where you can get passive income.

Patuloy pa rin

Rapisura asked her why she still let her children finish college despite her believing that one can be successful even without a college degree. All her three children have finished college already.

“Iba pa rin siyempre ang nakatapos ng kolehiyo,” answered Aling Fe. (It’s still different for one to have finished college.”

She was also asked why she doesn’t seem to get tired. Her answer? “Once na nakita mo ‘yung pinaghirapan mo. lalo kang ginaganahan.” [Once you see the results of your hard work…you’re more motivated.)