IF YOU haven’t begun your Christmas shopping, consider buying local.
This is what small business owners who are participating in the Pasko sa Kapitolyo 2018 Agri-Fishery Trade Fair hope Cebuanos will consider this holiday season.
The fair was launched on Monday, Dec. 10, at the Cebu Provincial Capitol grounds.
“People now choose local products, like those made from rattan or some other wood types because they’re proven to last longer in their homes and are good for the environment, unlike plastic,” Annie Felicano, 49, told SunStar Cebu.
Felicano, a business owner from San Remigio, has been producing rattan products like wicker baskets, hampers and coasters for more than 20 years. She said their products are in demand, especially this Christmas.
The prices of her rattan products range from P30 to P1,600.
“I’m happy that it’s not just foreigners that patronize our local products, but also the locals now,” she said.
A wood smith from the northern town of Carmen also creates lamps, candle holders, flower vases and racks.
Sellers Maria Auman, 31, and Merlyn Martel, 48, both from Liboron, Carmen, said it was the first time that they took the creations of Cardo Quingko to a bazaar.
Auman said the main material for the lamps are vines from the forest locally called bagon.
The vines were laid out on the sun to dry and then shaped into the desired product before being coated with wood varnish.
“These products are all durable because they’re made from natural materials. It’s also a nice gift for your loved ones because these would look good in your homes,” Martel said.
They are also selling wooden turtles and monkey-shaped coin banks, which range in price from P50 to P175.
Housewives from the Ritazo Tingub Women Worker Association (RTWWA) from Mandaue City also sold affordable wallets, bags and pouches sewn using scrap linen from an export company.
“We belong to a marginal community so by buying our products, you are actually helping us pay for amortization of our homes and allowance for our children,” Maylin Ligad, 42, said.
The members of the association source the raw material from an export company for free and they produce more than a hundred pouches a day for each member.
Customers can buy wallets for P10 and bags for P200 from their booth.
The week-long fair will run until Friday, Dec. 14.