THE Floriculture Industry of Davao, Inc. (Fidi) emphasized the need for a consistent market and renewed public interest to revitalize the floriculture industry in Davao City.
Fidi President Evelyn Laviña said in a media interview on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod, that public interest plays a crucial role in boosting the industry; thus, people’s appreciation for orchids, which once flourished in the city, must be rekindled.
Laviña believes that a lack of novelty may have contributed to the declining interest in orchids. She said the industry briefly benefited during the “plantito” and “plantita” trend at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic; however, the surge largely focused on ornamental plants, and not orchids.
Aside from waning public enthusiasm, Laviña pointed out that, like the rest of the agriculture sector, the floriculture industry is grappling with an aging workforce. She said they are actively encouraging younger generations to explore opportunities in floriculture to sustain the industry’s future.
She stressed that Davao City is not only known for the Vanda sanderiana, more commonly known as Waling-Waling, an orchid species endemic to the Philippines and one of Davao City’s most enduring cultural icons, but also other types of orchids.
She recalled that in 2014, there were numerous floriculture stalls at trade fairs, a stark contrast to the current situation where only one or two stalls are present.
Laviña called on the public to support the local floriculture industry, even if just by visiting displays or purchasing flowers. She added that there are many indigenous plants beyond the Waling-Waling that people can enjoy.
She also explained that the price of orchids depends on factors such as whether they are tissue-cultured, flashed, the plant’s size, and whether it is in bloom. A Waling-Waling orchid, she said, can be sold anywhere from P10,000 to P20,000 — or even higher if it’s a prize-winning variety with superior genetics.
Laviña emphasized the significance of their event, noting that Kadayawan is a celebration of thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest. With Davao City renowned for its floriculture, the event holds even greater importance, especially since the Waling-waling—one of the festival’s iconic symbols — plays a central role in the festivities.
Laviña clarified that the local floriculture industry is not dying, but they have not been participating in as many activities as they did in the past, when they mounted 300 to 500 stalls. Today, many Waling-Waling orchids are found in private gardens, and only a few are available for public sale.
Laviña said that if the public would not act soon, the Waling-waling would only remain in the private gardens and would not be made available to the public.
“Hindi kagaya noon na everyone will have an orchid diba, so it’s like a bandwagon. Medyo nawala yung atin, and then yung interest pumasok are all on the ornamental plants, which are all imports,” she said.
On the same day, Fidi requested a special mayor’s permit for their stalls along Davao Coastal Road and was approved by the 21st City Council. Fidi has a total of 27 members who have erected stalls in the area.
Fidi will stage a Floriculture and Agri-Trade Fair from August 7 to 17 at the Ecoland Rotunda along the Davao City Coastal Road. The fair will bring together 27 exhibitors who will showcase a wide variety of ornamental houseplants. RGP