Saturday, September 22, 2007 Davao's model market By Janette Huang-Teves Mom-about-town
I HAVE always put off going to the wet market until recently. Honestly, I feel intimidated. I don't know if I could survive the ordeal of finding my way through the endless maze of stalls. Can I handle it?
Last week, I finally decided to face my "fear". So, with my mom Lolita as my efficient guide/mentor, this clueless "misis" went to the market. The Agdao Public Market, that is.
Although it is not the biggest wet market that we have in the city, nevertheless, I was quite impressed during my visit there. Agdao Public Market turned out to be orderly, safe, and most importantly, clean.
In fact, the said market topped the Department of Agriculture's (DA) nationwide search for "Huwarang Palengke" or model public market in 2006.
Other winners included the General Santos City public market, Legaspi City public market, Pardo public market in Cebu City, and San Fernando City public market in La Union.
For this outstanding feat, the City Government of Davao and the Agdao Public Market Vendors' Association received a cash prize of P500,000 from the DA to fund proposed projects to further improve the market.
'Huwarang Palengke'
According to Noel Buenviaje, Agdao public market supervisor, the market was chosen as "Huwarang Palengke" based on the following criteria: physical requirements/hygiene and sanitation-50 percent; adherence to consumers' law-25 percent; and weekly prices monitoring-25 percent.
Noel proudly explains that the criteria set by the DA were all embodied in the Market Code of Davao City.
"The code serves as our bible in market operations," says the amiable market supervisor.
He shares that through teamwork between the City Economic Enterprise and the market vendors, the Agdao Public Market became a model public market.
For instance, to discourage dishonesty by the vendors, the market installed a "Timbangan ng Bayan", a digital weighing scale for customers to verify the weight of the items they purchased.
In addition, vendors were required to display price tags to guarantee that basic goods remain reasonably priced.
Moreover, when Noel assumed his post, he promptly ordered the removal of gadgets such as colored lights and paraphernalia that may mislead consumers about the real quality of products like fish and meat.
Davao's showcase
Agdao Public Market is composed of 631 stalls and divided into 10 sections which mostly cater to the basic food requirements of average families: rice and corn; grocery or sari-sari; fish; meat; vegetables, livestock and poultry; fruits; flowers; eatery and dry goods.
Our first stop was at Turning's Flower Shop (tel. 2235711), the only air-conditioned shop at the market's flower section. Nang Turning has been selling flowers at the Agdao Public Market since 1982. She is also a supplier of other flower shops in the city.
For a dozen orders, mums are priced at P90-P130; roses at P40-P150; and orchids at P60-P120. Floral arrangements are pegged at P150-P350 for basket and P500 for stand.
Nang Turning likewise creates affordable bridal bouquets from P300-P1,200.
Afterwards, my mom and I headed off to the fruit section where a cornucopia of local fruits like bananas, mangosteens, rambutans, durians, and watermelons were enticingly showcased at budget-friendly prices.
The meat and poultry sections were well presented, too. Noel discloses that their office requests vendors to present a certification from the National Meat Inspection Commission for their meat and poultry products.
If you prefer live native chicken or Bisaya chicken as we commonly call them, you can buy them for P160 per kilo. The vendors charge P5 per head as slaughtering fee.
On the other hand, the seafood section sells freshly caught bangus, tilapia, squid, tuna, lapu lapu, maya maya, crab, prawn, shrimp and a variety of nutritious shells such as imbao, halaan, tahong, bagongon and putian.
"We require a health certificate for vendors of mussels particularly tahong to protect consumers from red tide," assures Noel.
The dedicated public servant shares that he and his team will try to constantly live up to their reputation as the Philippines' best wet market.
"The target consumers here are those in the average and small income households. Thus, we must make sure that the price conscious consumers get value for their money while enjoying the clean and orderly atmosphere of the market," he says.
Freshness factors
Want to know if the products you're buying are fresh? Here are some useful guidelines I discovered at www.chennaionline.com:
Fish: When buying fish, test its freshness by lifting the gill. The color inside the gill should be bright red and not dull, dark or pale. Moreover, make an impression on the body of the fish with your finger. If the impression disappears immediately, it is fresh. The eyes should also be crystal clear.
Crabs: They should always be alive while buying. Check for claw movements. If you are still not sure, check freshness by pressing the eyes with your finger.
Prawns/Shrimps: Choose raw, shelled prawns/shrimps that are moist and translucent. The color should be bright and lively, and the texture firm, not limp. There should be no slime or odor.
Squid: These should be of firm flesh and have bright, clear, off-white meat. If they aren't cleaned, they should have a speckled, purplish skin, which shouldn't be torn or shredding. The tentacles should be stiff and intact, not broken and limp.
Mussels: Look for live mussels with tightly closed shells or those that snap shut when tapped, this means they are alive. Avoid dry-looking ones and those with broken shells. Mussel shells should look brightly colored, but white patches are normal and nothing to be wary of.
Chicken: Ensure that the chicken is heavy and fleshy. Judge them by checking the flesh on the legs and breast. Young chickens have smooth legs, short spurs and soft bones.
Eggs: You may check their freshness by holding them between your fingers against a bright light. The top and bottom of the egg should be clear without being cloudy or discolored. Or, place the eggs in a salt-water solution. Stale eggs will float while fresh eggs will sink to the bottom.
Beef/Pork: Meat should be red in color, firm and elastic to the touch. It should not leave too much moisture on your finger when touched. Do not buy meat that is pale pink or purple.
Vegetables: Check the characteristic signs of freshness such as bright, lively color and crispness. Vegetables are usually at their best quality and price at the peak of their season. (Source: http://whatscookingamerica.net)
Fruits: Check if the color is what it's supposed to be. Smell the fruit. Some fruits have a "sour" odor, if they are beginning to spoil. Feel the fruit, but do so carefully. If allowed, have a taste of the fruit; it's the most effective way to determine if it is suited to your liking. (Source: http://www.wikihow.com)
With these easy-to-follow tips, choosing the freshest products for you and your loved ones is a cinch!
(For your comments and suggestions, you may e-mail me at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit http://www.mom-about-town,blogspot.com).
