THE spirit at the PalengKeni Apalit — Apalit town, Pampanga’s modern public market — became more festive on Tuesday morning, May 24, 2022, as it hosted the first Grand SantaCruzan.
Fifteen lady market stall owners and vendors and their escorts dressed up for the event and marched around the public market and along the MacArthur Highway.
Among them is Marilyn Manalo who sells dried fish and other delicacies for a living. She played the role of Reyna Elena during Tuesday’s event.
“Napakalaking bagay ng ginagawa ng aming palengke kasi at least hindi lang puro trabaho, puyat at pagod sa pagtatrabaho kundi meron din kasiyahan,” she said.
PalengKeni Market Master Rita Fabian said the hosting of Grand SantaCruzan aims to celebrate the centuries-old Filipino tradition among stall owners, vendors and market goers.
She added that the event also showcased the beauty and creativity of participants which are all either stall owners or vendors in the public market.
“Na-conceptualize namin itong Grand SantaCruzan dahil gusto namin ibalik ang mga dating Filipino tradisyon lalo na at kakagaling lang natin sa pandemic at nakakatuwa na mismong mga owners at vendors natin dito sa palengke ay nagvolunteer at nakiisa sa ating programa,” she said.
Deputy Market Master Vincent Alfonso Tolentino, for his part, said the Grand SantaCruzan is part of the monthly activities hosted by PalengKeni Apalit.
In the past months, the public market also hosted a night market, food park and Bb. Gandemic events.
“Part po ito ng pagpapasaya sa ating mga vendors at siyempre mga market goers. Katulad nitong SantaCruzan, ginawa namin ng umaga para po makita ng ating mga namamalengke,” he said.