Commercial model starts silog delivery business, outreach program amid lockdown

A commercial model and theater actor has started a silog delivery business to earn some income amid the community quarantine.

According to Raffy Tima's report on "24 Oras," JM Magalona saw his modeling projects get suspended when the pandemic hit the country.

JM admitted that it was "depressing" to suddenly lose livelihood, as he is also a part-owner of a fitness gym and has to think about the welfare of his staff.

"Sinabi ko if ever na magtagal 'to, hindi ko na talaga kakayanin," he said. "It's either magbebenta na ako kung anong meron ako, or mababaon ako sa utang."

He had the idea of pursuing a business that he already thought about setting up before: a tapsilog restaurant.

With the lockdown, he decided to tweak it into a silog delivery instead and enlisted the help of his gym employees so they could keep their jobs.

JM had P3,000 left to use as capital, but he was able to borrow some additional cash from his sibling.

They started cooking in the old kitchen of their gym, which used to be a bar. In just two days, "Project Tapsi" netted back the initial capital and made a small profit.

The business grew in just a month, and JM started noticing that some of those placing orders were Good Samaritans who distribute the food to the needy.

He decided to create an outreach program called "Tapsi Cares," where donors can sponsor 100 to 150 food packs to be distributed to frontliners and homeless.

"From zero to 110 'yung feeling na biro mo nandun na ako, pabagsak na ko, pero ginawan pa rin ako ni Lord ng paraan na, 'Worry not, akong bahala sayo,'" JM said.

—MGP, GMA News