News and Features

Teen is Smart beyond her years

[August 17, 2007/ Manila] - At 13, Cristina Tuason is already an entrepreneur.

This junior high school student of Apalit, Pampanga is not only a Smart Load agent, but also the owner of a Smart Bro Internet station.

The eldest of four siblings, Cristina took it upon herself to help her parents augment their earnings from their sari-sari store and painting jobs by her father by signing up as a Smart Load agent.

Then while a high school freshman, Cristina impressed Smart personnel that she was able to borrow a used unit to start her own e-loading business.  She’s been able to return the unit and buy her own cell phone since then.  With the help of her parents who man the store and their e-loading business while she’s in school, Cristina has built a steady client base in their area.

Then, luck smiled on Cristina.  The PLDT Group had organized a birthday celebration for chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan in Apalit, Pampanga which included, among others, his giving a Smart BRO computer station package to a Smart Load agent.  The package includes one-year free connectivity via Smart Bro.

The Smart wireless center personnel remembered the gutsy teenager and recommended her as a beneficiary.

Imagine Cristina’s joy when she learned of the unexpected gift.  The added income was welcome.  Although her e-loading business was making P300 to P500 a day on weekdays and P500 to P1,000 a day on weekends, Cristina and her growing siblings had many needs.

Cristina was especially thrilled at the thought of having Internet access right at home.  She frequented an Internet café near her school because of assignments that required research, but was mindful of the expense.

"Having a computer with Internet access right at home is so convenient.  At the same time, it’s additional income.  For a fee, our neighbors can use the computer to access email, play games, chat and surf the web for research," she said.

Since the Tuasons own the only Internet station on their street, people often have to wait their turn to use the computer.  Cristina’s father Emerito said that people have been lining up at their store as early as 6 a.m. on weekends for computer gaming. They also had to move closing time from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. because of the Smart Bro users.  This means added business not only from Internet use, which amounts to P300 to P400 a day on weekends, but also for the sari-sari store.

Cristina has adjusted by doing research only after 10 p.m., when she can have the computer to herself.  The business-minded teenager plans to pursue a commerce degree in college.

Cristina has many dreams and with the help of her family, she is intent on achieving them by making their small businesses grow.  Only 13, she has already achieved what many of her peers, more fortunate and better off, can only imagine themselves doing.

With Cristina, it’s just a matter of time. @