Natural disasters take toll on fireworks sales

CEBU, Philippines - The twin calamities that hit the Visayas a few months before the yuletide season have taken a toll on just about every aspect of people’s lives including spending on fireworks, which evidently has taken a backseat as vendors lament very low sales.

About 44 stalls selling firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices are occupying a lot at the South Road Properties for the yearly “Kasadya sa SRP.”

It was the “bisperas” of Christmas, but 68-year old Feliciano Camomot of  Barangay Babag II, Lapu-Lapu City lamented on the very low turnout of sales saying that he did not have any customer since morning, same with his fellow sellers.

“Lahi ra gyud kaayo sa niaging tuig, kay ubay-ubay man sab gyud to ang mamalitay,” (It was really different last year as there were many buyers) he said.

He said that since he started selling last December 20, he only earned about P1,800, which can hardly break even with his capital of  P80,000.

The Camomot family engaged in the fireworks business since 2002 at Babag II, Lapu-Lapu City, which is the majority source of fireworks in Cebu.

For him, this year’s Christmas season has the “slowest” sale compared to the past years that he had been selling at the SRP.

“Alkansi na gyud,” he continued. “Kun mahalinan mi og ubay-ubay, makabawi man gyud tingali mi sa among negosyo.” (We are far from breaking even but if we can sell more in a few days, hopefully we can make up.)

Camomot and another lady vendor also lamented on the payables required of  them by the city government before they are given the permit to sell.

The woman, who asked not to be named, said they pay for garbage collection fee, alcabala (sales) tax, BFP (Bureau of Fire Protection) clearance, mayor’s permit and others. These cost more than seven thousand, she said.

“Di na man unta na igsapayan namo ang bayranan,” the woman said, “karon lang gyud hinay ang palit maong nagduhaduha mi makabawi ba mi sa among nagasto. Basta hinaot hurothurot lang unta ang among mga baligya sa mosunod nga mga adlaw.” (We would not have minded about the fees but with the slow sales, we are not sure if we can regain what we have spent. We are just hoping that we can dispose more in the next few days.)

But the city’s market administrator said she is confident buyers will start to come to SRP this week as New Year’s Day is coming.

Raquel Arce explained, “Normally, di pa man gyud na daghan ang mamalit sa Pasko. Mokusog na ang palit kun duol na ang Bag-ong Tuig. Dasigon nako ang vendor nga di lang maguol hinayhinay nang modagsa this week.” (Normally, only a few buy firecrackers for Christmas but sales will definitely pick up before the New Year. I am encouraging the vendors not to lose hope.)

Arce said her staff ensures that safety practices such as no smoking and no testing are currently done at SRP.

Hopeful

Despite the low sales, other vendors of firecrackers and pyrotechnics remain hopeful to finally generate sales few days before the New Year this Wednesday.

Letlet Lopez, caretaker of Sarry Fireworks at the SRP, said that they have only sold fireworks worth P3,000 as of last Friday since they started last December 18.

She, however, expressed optimism that sales would pick up especially during the three days before January 1.

“Bisa’g naagian ta sa linog ug bagyo, angay gihapon i-celebrate ang Pasko ug Bag-ong Tuig. Kaisa ra gud na sa isa ka tuig. Labi na karong tuiga, magpasalamat ta nga naka-survive ta sa mga kalamidad,” she said. (Despite the calamities, it is a must for us to celebrate Christmas and New Year, especially this year that we need to give thanks that we have survived the tragedies.)

Joel Aureo, an official of  the association of firework vendors at SRP, echoed the same sentiments as Lopez, saying that the public is still not in the mood to buy their products as of this time.

He, himself, has not sold a single firecracker for five days since he began selling last December  15. He remembered he earned P5,000 worth of gross profit last year even when he started on December  20.

He shared that vendors in the vicinity do not have stiff competition since they offer the same price to the market. He added that they have not increased their prices from last year to cope with their sales this year.

He further noted that they also had difficulty in coping with the supply of fireworks in Lapu-Lapu since local suppliers also ship to other provinces in the region.

Teresita Adrias, 42 -year-old of Barangay Guizo in Mandaue City supported Aureo’s statements, saying that even those relying on the manufacturers of fireworks in Bulacan encounter scarcity of supply of products.

Boxes of shots from Bulacan are sold from P250 to P1,800 while fountains are priced from P300 to P600.

Kwitis and whistle-blower are priced at P3 per piece, roman candles are sold at P50 per piece, baby rockets are priced at P50 for every bundle and sky rockets are sold  at P200 for every set.

Adrias also understood the situation of the buying public who are not in the hype of  purchasing fireworks like they used to every year after the series of calamities that put the country into crisis.

She is however thankful since her stall is strategically situated upon entering the allotted space for firework vendors in SRP.

She poured an investment of  P300,000 for this year, the same amount of capital she invested for the two stalls she rented last year.

She started selling last December 18 and already earned P12,000 within three days. In December 20 alone, she generated sales worth P10,000.

Last year, Adrias earned over a half million within 16 days of selling fireworks from December 15 to 31.

While all of her products were sold out last year, she remained optimistic that she will end 2013 with good sales take-up. She added that if there will be stocks left unsold, she need not to worry since she can sell them again next year.

Her business of selling fireworks that has been already running for four years serves as an additional income for her family. As her primary means of livelihood, Adrias sells hanging rice for eight years now. She won as a runner up of this year’s Women in Need Now Entrepreneurs and Role Models (WINNERS) of the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry. /JOB (FREEMAN)