Local products delight tourists at the Basilica

Cebu has captivated many visitors of the many wonderful things the place is known for.

Its sunny weather, the people''s warm disposition, a great passion for the Catholic religion, cool beaches, world-renowned talents of the Cebuanos, the mouth-watering and crispy "inasal", colorful Cebuano-made accessories, and of course, the guitars.

Of the many gifts one can bring back home from Cebu, nothing can beat the guitar for its convenience and pleasure.

"Daghan ganahan og guitar kay dali ra man matun-an og mabit-bit ra bisag asa," said Marissa. (Many like to have a guitar because you can easily learn music through it and is very convenient to carry around.)

Marissa owns a stall near the Magellan''s Cross Shrine. Different sizes of guitars, colorful beaded accessories, and pasalubong items compose Marissa''s store.

Around seven in the morning, Marissa gets ready to open up her stall. She chose to station near the Magellan''s Cross Shrine because of the influx of tourists coming to see the historical location.

"Magpaduol ta sa mga bisita kay tua ngadto nila ang kwarta," muses Marissa. (We have to get near where the tourists are because they have the money.)

Aside from Marissa, there are other vendors who put their own stalls and sell the same items as of Marissa. She said that it is indeed tough to sell amidst competition but for her, in order to attract potential customers, she caters to them by showing her friendliness and saying polite words.

"Kung naay mga turista magsuroy-suroy, ako sila kawayon og invite-ton na motan-aw sa ako stall," shares Marissa. (Every time there are tourists walking nearby, I wave at them and invite them to come and visit my stall.)

Before, local guitars, whether sold on the streets or at the Magellan''s Cross Shrine, have always been a big attraction to tourists.

Marissa said that these days, the people prefer to buy guitars at the stores already or in any air conditioned establishments just to avoid the hassle and the heat of the sun.

Plus, guitars sold on those stores now comes with different colors and designs that people can choose from, Marissa said.

Knowing the condition of the country''s economy, Marissa experiences a hard time in making profit from her business.

Compared to guitars, her colorful beaded accessories and the pasalubong items are more profitable. Because her accessories and the pasalubong items easily attracts potential customers due to its cool and vibrant hues.

Marissa sells her accessories and pasalubong items with prices that ranges from P20.00 to P80.00. Prices of the guitars vary depending on the sizes.

And since the summer season has already started, Marissa and the rest of the vendors expect a flock of customers coming to see Cebu''s most visited historical sites -- the Basilica del Sto. Niño and the Magellan''s Cross.

"Sa akong nabantayan, daghan-daghan na pod ang mga turista na nagsuroy-suroy karon. Higayon na ni namo na makahalin sa amo gipangbaligya, " said Marissa. (As what I observed, there are already a number of tourists here. It''s our chance now to make profit with our business.)

Marissa is just one of the Cebuanos who make an effort to please both foreign and domestic tourists who are visiting the city. With her own business, she''s able to promote items that Cebu is best known for. She wants to remind visitors that visiting Cebu is an experience that they should not forget nor regret. A place like Cebu makes visitors stay longer or return once again another day.