Entrepreneur makes money from Pinoys’ passion for singing

In the remote places of Tawi-Tawi and Sulu where electricity only comes from solar panels through a project called AMORE, it’s not hard to find fishermen and most adults in late afternoon who are trying to unwind from a full day of hard work. Most of them sing away their blues through the videoke machine. Those clunky contraptions have, in many cases, replaced the traditional social halls of barangays. Who could forget that compelling tune sung out before the final score is revealed? :).

Read this article and learn of a Filipino that has made money from the videoke trend!

By Delfin Mallari Jr.
Southern Luzon Bureau
Last updated 06:42pm (Mla time) 11/10/2007

LUCENA CITY — His passion for singing and technical expertise acquired from a vocational school helped influence local businessman Fernando Vasquez, 43, to embark on videoke machine production.

Three years ago, fed up with singing his favorite ballads in videoke bars amid noise from fellow singing customers, Vasquez bought himself a videoke unit from a local assembler.

He paid P42,000 for the music machine which he subsequently rented out to a videoke bar in the city after it satisfied his passion in the confines of his home at the Market View subdivision in one corner of the city.

Videoke machine is a mixed system of video and song lyrics shown to viewers through a television where one can actually sing along and have fun. A singer has to insert a P5-coin for every selected song and will be graded based on the melodic rendition of the piece.

The coin-sharing arrangement is 70 percent for the owner of the videoke unit and 30 percent for the establishment, said Vasquez.

“I entered the videoke business on a trial. But I found out that it’s a good venture. Most of the time, I netted P6,000 every 15 days. Singing is a popular pastime among Filipinos and a videoke machine is the most easy to follow musical accompaniment. Even a nonsinger can sing like a pro in due time,” Vasquez says.

With the positive development in his new business, Vasquez, who is also involved in local fish trading, decided to expand and acquire four more videoke machines, which he also rents out to bars and sing-along joints in the city.

With the acquisition of additional units, Vasquez says he often receives queries from satisfied customers on the cost of the videoke machine and where they can order one.

This gave him the idea of also venturing into manufacturing the musical device, said Vasquez who has a diploma for a radio and television technical course from a local vocational school.

In January last year, he started assembling videoke machines and transformed a vacant space along Don Crisanto Street, also in the same subdivision, as his workshop.

He registered his venture under the trademark, “Fher-Enn Videoke,” a combination of his nickname and that of his wife Angelita.

“With my technical background, I knew that I’m capable of running the business,” he said.

To make him more knowledgeable on the intricacies of the musical system, Vasquez said he opened one of his videoke units and studied each of the parts and their functions.

He then hired two shop helpers and another technician to assist him in the technical aspect of the production.

“I’m also the one who personally buys all the best parts and equipment needed in the assembly line such as dynamic microphones, tweeters and speakers. I won’t compromise the sound of my unit,” he added.

He said he tapped the expertise of a brother-in-law to create custom-made designs for the videoke wooden casing. He pays P1,000 for every casing which is finished in three days.

He uses surplus television for his videoke which he buys for P4,000 a unit from a reputable dealer in Manila, adding it usually takes them 10 days to finish a “quality made and tested” machine. He sells his videoke machine for P35,000 to P38,000 a unit.

Vasquez believes that the videoke business will still go a long way because of the Pinoy’s inherent fiesta culture and love for singing.

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