For this former OFW turned entrepreneur, technology and hard work go together in growing a home-based business. Using newfound digital skills to boost his shop, Agapito Masibag Jr. of Agapito’s Homemade Specials is finding innovative ways to thrive and expand his reach.

“Both my parents were street vendors. And while they were able to send me through college, I realized that one of the reasons why business was hard back then was because we didn’t know about costing,” he shared. “Today, doing business is already so different–everything can be learned with just a click.”

Adaptive Technology for Rehabilitation Integration & Empowerment of the Visually Impaired (ATRIEV) is a nonprofit organization founded by and for visually impaired individuals to help them access education and employment through adaptive technology, offering training programs and operating a resource center equipped with such technology. At the Digital Business Basics Training conducted by ATRIEV and supported by PLDT and Smart, Masibag learned more about essential business skills such as costing and digital marketing.  This training was organized in coordination with the Quezon City Persons with Disability Afffairs Office (PDAO) and NORFIL Foundation.

Masibag added that tools such as CapCut and Canva have been helpful, especially in making content to promote their homemade products, which include chili garlic, bagoong and the crowd-favorite MSG-free chicken siomai, online.

“My partner’s forte is in video editing, but he leaves the writing of captions to me, because he says writing in English is not his strength. It’s not mine either, so I use ChatGPT,” he said.

“However, I always make it a point to put my heart in it,” Masibag added. “It’s just not as effective without that personal touch.”

While platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, as well as messaging apps like Viber and Messenger have enabled him to connect with more customers, in-person bazaars such as those organized by PLDT and Smart and the Quezon City LGU have also provided the necessary boost and exposure to his business.

“These events have not just helped me reach local customers; they have also helped open doors to international markets,” he said, adding that customers from as far as New Zealand and Germany have expressed interest in his products. “We are hopeful that one day we will be able to serve those markets more sustainably as well.”

Looking ahead, Masibag is setting his sights on establishing a physical store and building a dedicated commissary for production. With continued support from PLDT and Smart Communications, he aims to overcome challenges, paving the way towards sustained international orders and a stable business foundation.

“Our partnership with entrepreneurs like Agapito exemplifies how technology can empower MSMEs to reach new heights. We are committed to building their skills, boosting their productivity, and fostering their participation in the digital economy,” said Stephanie V. Orlino, AVP and Head of Stakeholder Management at PLDT and Smart.

This effort to boost livelihood for entrepreneurs and persons with disabilities like Masibag falls under PLDT and Smart’s broader Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Advocacy through Technology (IDEATe) program, which seeks to enable the successful participation of marginalized sectors in the digital economy.

It is also part of the company’s broader initiatives to bridge the digital divide and contribute to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), specifically UNSDG No. 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and and UNSDG No. 10 Reduced Inequalities by empowering and promoting the social, economic and political inclusion of all, including persons with disabilities.