MOM-AND-POP stores, also known as sari-sari stores, located near schools have reached 102,058 by June, a study by tech startup Packworks.io showed.
It added that stores within a 400-meter radius of schools grew by 31% to 95,000 last year from 71,000 a year prior.
“This trend reveals a deeper story: in rural regions, these stores are experiencing a significant increase in sales and transaction volume,” it said.
According to Packworks, most sari-sari stores near schools are located in the rural regions, particularly in the Zamboanga Peninsula; Cordillera Administrative Region; northern Mindanao; eastern Visayas; and western Visayas.
Aside from their growing numbers, sari-sari stores also recorded a 130% increase in sales in July last year, coinciding with the beginning of classes on July 29, 2024.
“For the current school season in 2025, stores generated a 71% sales spike in June, with the school year starting on June 16,” Packworks said.
Total sales of school supplies increased by 9% from 2023 to 2024, while the overall gross merchandise value (GMV) last year declined 3% to P1.31 million.
“Our latest findings show that the country’s ‘tingi’ economy extends beyond household commodities to school supplies as well,” said Packworks Chief Data Officer Andoy Montiel.
“The contradiction between the increase in sales transactions and the decrease in the overall GMV between 2023 and 2024 indicates that sari-sari stores, especially those in rural areas, are not just participating in the back-to-school season but strategically adapting to it with a model that works for their communities,” he added.
According to Packworks’ data, pad paper was the top-selling item in sari-sari stores, which had a 7.4% spike in GMV sales from 2023 to 2024.
Other top-selling school products were colored pencils, bond paper, paper glue, and correction tape. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
