REYES, Rianne Danielle H.

201904379
BA Journalism - CMC
Dr. Mary Grace Concepcion
English 13 THQ2
Second Paper
Nov. 28, 2019

Miniscule Quantity Survival

Tingi culture is the miniscule quantity trade (De Jesus). Mainly found in the sale of sari-

sari stores or street market stalls of sacheted toiletries, condiments, and cleaning agents or

detergents, buying in tingi allows for a practical and convenient way for the ordinary Filipino to

purchase their necessities. However, some argue that tingi culture does not necessarily stem only

from financial obstacles. Instead, it could be a manifestation of Filipinos’ inherent mentality of

smallness.

In Carlos Isles’s column, “Thinking small of ourselves,” he wrote about the small-

mindedness of Filipinos. He mentioned how they, as a nation, are disinclined to take on a task if

the road towards it is too difficult. Filipinos, according to him, make themselves “little” in the face

of “big” obstacles, either putting that problem off or succumbing to convenient, albeit small, often

temporary, solutions. One of the examples he used to underline this point was a passage from Nick

Joaquin’s book, “Culture and Heritage” which states, “[That there is no other country where one

can] buy and sell one stick of cigarette, half a head of garlic, a dab of hair pomade… one single

egg, (and) one single banana.” This implies that the big problem of financial shortage is solved

through buying small, sacheted quantities that answers to an immediate need, but does not

necessarily present itself as a long term solution. Therefore, buying in tingi becomes a

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manifestation of this small-mindedness such that Filipinos prefer small, temporary amounts of

product instead of saving enough money to be able to buy in bulk.

However, the reality today is that a family of five needs at least PHP 10,481 to meet their

food and non-food needs but 16.1% of Filipino families are below the national poverty line

(Philippine Statistics Authority). This means almost 3.7 million households are unable to

substantially provide the basic needs of a family.

Thus, buying in tingi is not anymore just a reflection of small-mindedness. It is now a

means to survive. It is a system implicit in the Philippines’ growing poverty rate that has been

nurtured by the increasing prices of basic needs in the country. Moreover, this paper posits that

tingi culture is not just a manifestation of Filipinos’ shortsightedness or lack of assertion as

highlighted in Carlos D. Isles’s article “Thinking Small of Ourselves,” instead this is a system that

Filipinos adopted in response to the poverty most of them are severely faced with.

It cannot be denied, however, that tingi culture comes with problems. First and foremost,

this system does not ensure consumers long term deferred consumption. As a matter of fact, in

terms of cost, the cumulative tingi purchases outweigh that of regularly packed products

(Matejowsky 257). Nonetheless, with the steadily shrinking income of household providers in

relation to the consequent increase in market prices, buying in bulk is simply beyond means for

financially struggling people.

Another pressing matter of tingi culture brings is the environmental hazards it propagates.

In a recent report by Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), 163 million sachet packs

are used by Filipinos on the daily. That means, almost 60 billion pieces of these sachet plastic

would accumulate in a year (Lema). In addition, irresponsible waste disposal worsens the problem.

In a coastal clean-up activity WWF Philippines held in Donsol, Sorsogon, there had been 76

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kilograms of trash—mostly comprised of cigarette butts and plastic food wrappers—collected.

Furthermore, in an article by The Guardian, Asian Development Bank along with the Department

of Environment and Natural Resources predict that if such practices persist, our current trash

output of 22,000 tons per day would increase to 28,000 tons daily in the next ten years. Therefore,

if the wastes that tingi culture generate continue to multiply without the development of a more

efficient waste disposal system, not only will it continue to infest and pollute water and land forms,

it could also pose health and sanitation hazards to people and animals.

Lastly, tingi culture also becomes a means for corporations to exploit the financial disparity

of consumers. Multinational companies found a way to capitalize on people’s short-term cash out

by developing the concept of sachet marketing (Sy-Chanco, et al. 757). Through this, corporations

may now be able to reach poorer consumers that they failed to cater when they were only selling

large products (Olarte and Chua). Operating on the assumption that consumers are more conscious

of the price paid than a product’s unit price, the strategy of decreasing quantities increases a

company’s revenue without having to increase the selling price (Rao 53). Furthermore, buying in

micro-quantity leads to more profit for a firm as there is an inclination for consumers to purchase

other things apart from what is necessary; or purchase more of the same product because the

quantity is not enough (55). Thus, although fronted as a means to help the consumers afford

products usually packaged in bulk, this marketing strategy is only a technique for corporations to

make more money out of the desperation of people to buy necessities with the ulterior motive of

making them spend more frequently.

However, as of recent, the need to survive precedes the consequences that may arise.

Therefore, tingi culture becomes the cheapest and most practical strategy that most Filipinos adopt

in order to meet their basic needs. This is apparent amidst the supposed economic growth the

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Philippines has been experiencing, as manifested in its Growth Domestic Product (GDP). In a

study by Albert and Vizmanos (6), the Philippines’ GDP had been growing on an average rate of

5.5% from 2003 to 2015. However, this did not translate into the reduction of the country’s poverty

rate. The economic growth becomes exclusive to selected sectors like telecommunications,

business process outsourcing, real estate, etc (Asian Development Bank 41). On the contrary, the

source of income of most poor households are from informal sectors (22) which is a sector

excluded from those that benefit from the aforementioned GDP increase. Thus, the value of the

poor’s income is stagnant, if not decreasing. In fact, the typical poor family finds itself unable to

make its income cover all their other consumption needs like toiletries, education, and clothes. On

the average, they allot two thirds of their income for food and rent, the only things they deem

necessary, and considering other needs luxuries (Rufino 23).

Moreover, buying in tingi is a means to cope with the passing of tax provisions that further

propels the increase in market prices. On the December 19, 2017, President Rodrigo Duterte signed

the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law which aims to make the Philippine

Tax System better such that it should be fairer and more efficient in terms of investing, creating

jobs, and reducing poverty once it is passed (National Tax Research Center). Indeed, the objectives

of TRAIN is commendable. However, its positive effects can only be experienced in the medium

to long term run of its implementation; with its instantaneous manifestation being the increase in

prices of market goods (Rucat). In fact, in a study by Sagarino (6), he concluded that while products

are still saleable, there has been a decline in the performance and productivity of palengke stalls

because of the increase in prices brought about by TRAIN Law. There are even some who are

unaware that the said law is already being implemented. This is opposed to a study conducted by

Castillo, et al. (61), where they said that it is vital that the poorest households must be safeguarded

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from the effects of the change in tax system as they will be unable to sustain themselves otherwise.

Hence, for as long as the effects of TRAIN Law fail to stabilize and the costs of necessary goods

remain expensive, the law’s effects on the poor is deficient.

This just goes to show the severity of poverty of the Philippines. Coupled with the

increasing prices of commodities, poor Filipinos must really develop ways to survive and meet

their basic needs. Tingi culture is their way to do that. Recently, it has become more even more

prevalent. In fact, 90% of Filipinos, majority of which are from the lower middle class or lower

class, purchase products in tingi (Olarte & Chua). This is proof that buying in tingi is the poor’s

silver lining. The smidgen of hope they hold on to for survival amidst the staggering expenses they

are faced with on the daily.

Indeed, it can be said that buying in tingi is merely a short term solution to the staggering

problem of years upon years of poverty. It can even be argued that this is small-mindedness

personified where consuming a small amount can satisfy a big needs. Moreover, buying in tingi

means indirectly contributing to the pollution and capitalism nurtures, thus making such practice

regressive. However, with the challenges of poverty taunting them on the daily, the Filipino poor

must find ways to purchase the basic commodities that are supposed to sustain their lives. Tingi

culture, therefore, keeps them alive.

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