Saturday, October 28, 2006
A blooming biz in time of remembering the dead
By Nicolas C. Delfin
FLOWER business at the Bacolod City public plaza is expected to be blooming next week during the traditional celebration of All Soul's Day.
For flower vendors at the plaza, this is the most lucrative time of the year as most of them sold P20,000 worth of flowers daily last year.
"I am looking forward to enjoying higher sale this year because Bacoleños are thoughtful of their dead, they buy as many flowers as they can," said Nelly Alarba, the oldest among the vendors in 18 stalls.
Alarba, 64, said she has been selling flowers at the plaza since she was a teen-ager. She said this business runs in the family, her other relatives are into selling flowers in other stalls here: her brother Sonny, children Joel and Nelly, her nephews Glen and Dan.
Most of the flowers like chrysanthemum, gladiola, mumps, carnation, anthurium and white roses were imported from Manila, Cebu and Davao, which are flew in three times a week, she said.
Anthurium sells at P15 each or P180 a dozen, carnation at P25 or P300 per dozen, mumps at P170 per dozen, gladiola at P120 a dozen, azucena at P200 per dozen, mikimoto at P5 pesos per piece and calla lily at P120 a dozen, the vendors said.
A few varieties like calla lily, mikimoto, daisy and million flowers were from Granada and Hacienda Rosario in Bacolod City, Mambukal in Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto, she said.
However, in the months of July until October, flower business is at its lowest, said another vendor Leny Balero, 38, who hails from Barangay Granada.
On regular days, if the flowers could not be sold in a day, we have no choice but to throw it away the next day since they are wilted by then, Balero said.
We are open for business for seven hours on ordinary days but on holidays like the All Souls' Day, we are open 24 hours, Alarba said.
(October 28, 2006 issue)
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