Stuck in a pocket:
Fueling the Philippine sachet economy through tingi culture
In-depth report by:
Mabanglo, Nazylyn Joy
Pacete, Bedylyn
Santos, Floriel
Living in a third world country, the deficiency observed in the Philippines has been always a trigger to squeeze every drop of any possible resources that can be use to cater the needs of the people, a behavior influenced by practicality that eventually became one of the major pioneers of "tingi culture" that is long-time dominating both the country, and the psyche of the Filipinos.
Tracing back history, despite the exclusive practice of "tingi-tingi" in the Philippines, there is no definite root of origin behind the idea of tingi in the country, but due to its prevailing concept applied among Filipinos throughout the years, the pattern observed pertains to the system of breaking down huge quantities of products into smaller sizes placed in a small sachet of plastics that is meant to be delivered particularly towards every basic Filipino family households.
However, the unwavering support of the Philippines towards tingi culture led to the persistence of the sachet economy, a concept that is directed to the idea of severe reliance of the people towards sachet products that is not only pioneered by store owners, but with major participation of big corporations, which stemmed to the accumulation of approximately 60 billion sachets per year in the country according to Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA) 2019 report.
If the tingi culture offers both convenience and catastrophe, where is the standing point for those considered small in society?
Lens of Maloleños
The Pamilihang Bayan ng Malolos in Malolos City, Bulacan is a place that never runs out of people particularly during the day, due to the available wide variety of stalls that offers multiple necessity products customized in small portion that made it easier to swallow by consumers.
"Kasi 'di nila kayang bilhin ng bulk yan eh… kasi once na dinisplay namin na naka ganito [bulk] lang siya, parang ang feel nila ang mahal mahal," Rachel, a tuyo seller at Pamilihang Bayan ng Malolos, explained how sales may vary depends on the presentation of her products.
It was according to her that repackaging or adapting the tingi mindset prevents customers from being intimidated by the product endorsed per kilo or placed in a huge container.
"Pag naka-repack mas malakas… kasi ito [tuyo], igaganto namin, 100 per ¼ siya. Yung bibili ka, 'pwede po bang bente?' 'di ba mahihiya ka? eh may ibang masungit na 'ay hindi, bawal bilhin ng ganyan'," she added.
While, identifying the driving force behind the persisting idea of tingi among consumers, it points out to the mindset of Filipinos that it will be more practical to buy in small portion, and aside from it, the amount of product will be much estimated in packs or sachets.
"Mas matipid siya, kumbaga kung bibili ka ng marami, maii-stuck yun 'di ba? Ito kasi kumbaga, mabilis din naman siya magamit, hindi siya maii-stuck nang matagal, tsaka natatantsa yung dami," Nerissa Bautista said, a consistent buyer of packed products at Malolos Bayan.
Environmental dilemmas
The Philippines is one of the most populated countries with 117 million people, compromising the 1.46% entire population in the world. Yet, this also affects the livelihood of the majority of Filipinos as some do not have a place to live, or a job to have a source of income to buy their families’ daily needs.
This scenario created the prevalent “tingi” culture in the country as most of the Filipinos will only buy their needs on a daily basis, such as shampoo sachet, cooking oil that comes in a small plastic, and also a retail soap. And it generates more conflicts as these “tingi” products come in different plastic packaging, and environmental problems come in.
Based on a blog brought by Bank of the Philippine Island, as a result of constrained available earnings and increased spending, the country has established a "sachet economy," which results in the nation consuming roughly 163 million little, single-usage quantities of common essentials per day, accounting for over a third of the entire world's marine-related garbage.
With this, Republic Act No. 11898 or the Extended Producer Responsibility on Plastic Packaging Waste was enacted, encouraging the people to be more accountable and prudent in using and consuming products in plastic packaging.
According to the Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO), the said act was passed hoping that the disadvantages brought by the sachet economy will be lessened, particularly the usage of plastic in the country, and in the province of Bulacan.
“Hangga't maaari ay iwasan ‘yung mga plastik o [kung] hindi maiiwasan ay gagamit sila ng plastic na hindi masama sa kapaligiran, meron na po ‘yan ‘yung mga biodegradable plastics na ginagamit po ay mga espesyal na chemical na hindi nakakasira sa kapaligiran,” Atty. Julius Victor Degala of BENRO stated in regard to the responsible usage of plastics.
He also emphasized the crucialness of proper waste disposal because of the worsening global warming due to climate change and one of the effects of improper disposal of garbage in the surroundings.
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Behind sachet dependency
One can argue that the tingi culture has been ingrained to the Filipino psyche since the beginning of time, as majority of the population have medium to low income. In an economy that is continuously declining, as looming threats of inflation cause for the prices to rise even more than the average Pinoy can afford, it is much easier to resort to the convenience and practicality of tingi, as it has always been the norm especially in middle to lower class communities.
A lot of people say they buy tingi because of convenience and affordability. Since tingi products are composed of tiny-packaged goods stored in one-time use plastic packets, they are way cheaper to buy in sari-sari stores, as opposed to when you buy bulk in grocery stores. Another reason people attribute in their preference to buy smaller packaged products is because they are easier to manage and store. Upon using sachet product, you do not have to be mindful about whether you used or put too much of it since sachet can be use one time and just throw away the packet after. That way, someone save more time worrying about excess and wasting the product as well their precious money.
Bottomline is, whether consumer or a retail store owner, most will find it convenient to buy or sell sachet products because they are much cheaper to buy compared to bulk. But who is actually behind this? Who conditioned the Filipinos into thinking that tingi are supposed to be contained in plastic sachets?
The most common sachet products that someone can buy in a sari-sari store are shampoo, instant coffee, laundry detergent, and many more. Such products are manufactured, packed, and distributed by large consumer goods corporations who capitalize on the country’s tingi culture and the Filipinos’ desire for convenient, cheap, and immediate use of consumer goods in their daily lives.
On television, one can see how companies try to advertise their sachet products as a money-saving means to sustain the people’s daily consumer necessities. But in contrary, the large amount of plastic wastes accumulated in landfills and waterways, brought upon by the country’s sachet economy, contributes to a yet another costly danger to the environment if not proactively responded to.
Managing waste
In Barangay Muzon South of the City of San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, the baranggay’s Materials Recovery Facilities (MRF) have its Solid Waste Management team led by Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Nova Navarro, who is already 10 years in service.
According to OIC Nova, whenever their barangay dump truck will collect garbage, there is approximately one to half a kilo of plastic sachet waste collected from each household in Muzon.
With all the waste they have collected, those who cannot be recycled anymore will still be used in the barangay’s compost pit, while those plastic sachets were processed and recycled on MRF to produce a more useable product, and to decrease the percentage of plastic waste that causes more pollution in the environment.
The amount of plastic waste in the country is indeed disturbing as it also polluted the water and marine resources as its quantity were getting out of hand. Thus, small projects like what Brgy. Muzon has, such as the livelihood program wherein they have training programs for their people in terms of reducing, reusing, and recycling plastic waste in their locality could be a great help.
Sachet of shampoo, milk, and even straw of soft drinks was among the common waste that they are reusing to produce another product that is more useful, not just individually but most important, for the environment. Also, it’s not just decreasing the plastic waste pollution in the surrounding but also reducing quantity of people getting hungry as this kind of project generates income for those people who patiently recycling products that they can sell, with the use of sachet waste.
Coping to the problem with sachets
As sachet economy become normal in the Philippine setting, those little packaging is indeed now a part on the daily life of Filipino people and brought a big impact in the economy and environment of the country.
Although there is a study claiming that sachet economy had its positive impact on the environment as it comes into smaller plastics, and that means that it generates smaller waste than those wholesale product or those that comes in big and larger packaging, that is critical to be applied in the current situation of plastic waste in the country.
Plastic waste in the Philippines overflowed as the retail products become more accessible to everyone, particularly to those who are conscious and specific on what they must buy with their disposable budget.
With the given dilemma, the “Aling Tindera” project implemented within barangays including MRF of Muzon is one of many ways to gradually decrease the damage that the bulk of plastic waste can bring in the country. The said community program has its objective to make a great use of plastic rather than keeping it stuck as a waste in the environment, also to generate income for the community, to awaken the interest of the people in making change, and be informed on the importance of responsible and proper plastic waste management.
Transforming plastics
Muzoeños helps mitigate the problem in sachet products residue in their community by emphasizing the need to recycle and upcycle most of their plastic wastes to help contribute to their residents’ income. “Dito kasi, sa city waste management nagpatupad po kasi kami ng parang livelihood training. Uma-attend po kami sa city dahil itinuturo din po yun ng city government natin para po sa ating mamamayan, para po dagdag kita nila,” OIC Navarro said.
Analie Jagunos, a Muzon MRF volunteer for 8 years stated how their barangay’s livelihood seminar taught them a skill that they can enjoy doing. As long as they have materials, and tools, plastic waste will be transformed into something usable.
“Katulad ng ah… balat ng… downy, [o] kaya mga balat ng sabon, ah ginagawa po naming… ginagawa po naming, tinatahi po namin, ginagawa po naming bag,” the volunteer said, pertaining to instant coffee, powdered milk, and shampoo sachets that are recycled and crafted into intricately designed bags, purses, and other fashionable items.
Moreover, through the help of a non-government organization, the barangay upcycle some of their cloth wastes into rags, reuse discarded zipper to sew into newly turned bags from sachet plastics, and etc. “Ang ating pong mga plastik na nakukuha sa ating mga household ay ibinebenta po yan nila, ang [NGO] po ay bumibili ng per kilo ng 2 pesos, na kung saan po ay yun ay nakatulong na sa ating environment, ‘di pa po sila nakakalat lang,” she added.
Nonetheless, “tingi” products can be considered as part of the culture in the country as the economy is declining and its people were just generating income enough or sometimes almost lacking for their everyday use. Yet, all the avid consumers of small packets at the very least must know how to be responsible enough to make use of those packaging so everyone can help the environment breathe and prevent the worsening plastic pollution brought by the overflowing quantity of the said waste.