The Colon night market and small-scale traders

CEBU, Philippines - The crowded and busy flea market is clear proof that despite the presence of shopping malls and the emerging online shopping trend, many locals still find pleasure in going around outdoor shopping areas in search for a good bargain.

One thing that sustains the profitability of pedestrian street stores is the support of the buying public, particularly those who are on a tight budget and those who finds it necessary to keep their spending in check and thus go for the low-priced products as much as possible.

The inexpensive items, otherwise known as “baynte-baynte”, sold in sidewalk bazaars are definitely a come-on for bargain hunters. A case in point is an item pegged for as low as P5 -- a price you can’t probably find in department stores and boutiques in malls.

The small-scale entrepreneurs selling these goods are mostly present in barangays, cities or provinces that celebrate their festivals and are normally seen outside churches or at the trading center of the place.

Festive shopping street

However, they are also displaying stalls in specified spaces on the main commerce sidewalks in the city’s downtown area and other shopping centers.

The market is currently occupying a wide stretch of Colon Street starting from an area along the City Savings Bank to the Gaisano Main Mall area; it operates from 6 PM to 2 AM every day.

For several years since it existed, the pedestrian street market has become more than just a shopping street every evening, it has also transformed into a place where local residents and even foreign visitors can have a festive city experience.

The local market vendors have expressed positive reaction for being in the place because they said it is an opportunity for them to earn a good profit considering the upbeat consumer traffic.      

“Dako kayo ni nga opportunity namo kay modagsa man gyod mga tawo dinhi (This is a very good opportunity for us because shoppers would definitely flock here),” 23-year-old vendor Bans Salimbago told The FREEMAN. He sells wooden made keychains and native fabric made bracelets at P15 per piece.

He has been selling these locally sourced products from Carcar City for five years already. His business would take him anywhere in the province or even outside Cebu or wherever there is a festival or carnival happening.

Salimbago, a resident of barangay Labangon in Cebu City, started his solo enterprise with just a capital of P500 which he received from his brother.

Due to financial constraints, he had to stop his studies and decided to become a vendor to generate income for himself and his family.

The young trader, who said to have always been interested on native wares, shared he could earn as high as P1,200 every night especially on weekends, but income could just hit around P300 at times when sales seem low and the weather is bad.

The Managbanag family of Talisay City is another trader at the Night Market out of the more than 200 vendors presently owning stalls in the area. Guillerma, 53-year-old, said their business has been existing for more than 10 years already.

They are selling various kinds of products that are normally needed in the household: knife, cotton buds, hanger, toothbrush, comb, tong, lunch box, cup, paint brush, dipper, dish washing materials, nail cleaning essentials, among many others.

While it is a fact that the quality of these products is not really commendable, the prices though are extremely very low, the idea consumers definitely want. And besides, customers have the freedom to bargain and haggle as much as they want to.

For instance, a piece of ladle and plastic cup can be purchased at only P5 while other wares are priced at P10, P15, P20 and P30--the maximum so far.

Guillerma, a native of Bohol, also said that she had a startup capital of P8,000 which she spent in buying a wide variety of dry goods from a wholesaler in the city’s Carbon Market.

After years of travelling to places where festive market events were put in place, the business has eventually grown and Guillerma’s five children have already started their own enterprise selling the same goods.

Other stalls are also selling low-priced items from garments, school supplies, hoes, kitchen utensils, household needs, toys, clothes, jewelry footwear, souvenir items, bags, hats, accessories, handicrafts, etc.

All enterprisers for the Night Market are paying P5,000 as rent fee every month to the local government to pay for electricity costs and salary of security personnel.

Security

The local police have formed the United Security Group, an anti-crime organization, to ensure the security and the orderliness of the situation in the market.

“Tibuok gabii gyod ning atong mga sakop sa USG para pagpabiling hapsay sa lugar,” said 44-year-old Nelson Ignacio, an event organizer of the Cebu City United Vendors Association.

The organizer also appealed to the public to be on the lookout for their personal things as they bump around the crowded area.

The market event of the Cebu City Downtown Revitalization Project is a project of Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama existing for eight years now. The Night Market that started last May 15 runs until the end of the month. 

It wants to revive the attraction of the Colon Street, considered to be the oldest street in the Philippines and the center of trade, commerce and industry years ago.

The event exists four times in a year: every January as part of the Sinulog Festival; every June in time of the Cebu Business Month celebration; every August for the Ramadan celebration; and middle of November until December for the Christmas season.

A crowd of shoppers and vendors is the usual scenario everyone can see in Colon.

It can be said that it seems to be a non-stop business in the city center because as nearby malls and other commercial centers prepare for closing at night, pedestrians and vendors troop to the streets to make the evening alive.  (FREEMAN)