Prices of flowers seen to soar today

CEBU, Philippines - Expect prices to go sky high today, Valentine’s Day.

While there is abundant supply at Freedom Park, the usual buying place for flowers in Cebu City, demand is also high, pushing prices to rise astronomically.

Flower shop owner Cherylona Mabini told The FREEMAN that the price of a dozen arranged roses as of yesterday was already P1,000, which was just the “average” price.

She said that price would increase by 50 percent today, or that the dozen roses would already cost one P1,500.

“Ingon ana man gyud na motaas man gyud na,” Mabini said.

For 64-year-old Ben Rizalde, however, proving one’s love is not measured by how expensive the flowers you give are.

“Makita na sa pagpangga,” he said.

During the interview, he jokingly acted forgetting his years with his wife as he peered at the inside of his wedding ring, which showed their marriage date in 1978.

He considers Valentine’s Day as a significant event in reminiscing his courtship.

He believes giving flowers never goes out of style.

“This (flower giving) is the best way to show to your love, that courtship is not only done by young lovers, that it goes on until your marriage years,” he said.

He planned to surprise his wife and his daughter-in-law by leaving a bouquet each in their rooms. He would celebrate the occasion with a simple dinner with his whole family.

“Dili ra man pud ni para sa couples, para pud ni sa pamilya,” he said. – May B. Miasco/RHM (FREEMAN)