Aling Pia in Dangwa

Aling Pia in Dangwa
by Jeremiah Angelo Alcala

            A line on a commercial of a famous coffee brand goes, “Para kanino ka bumabangon?” (To whom do you rise up?). The things that we do in life are one way or another rooted to something that drives us in going through our everyday living. Motivation allows us to give ourselves an extra push whenever going through an obstacle.  It can be an A in an exam for students, a gold medal for an athlete, or even dinnertime to someone who’s hungry. But for Aling Pia, it was something different.

My first encounter in Dangwa and of Aling Pia

            It was my first time going to Dangwa, the most talked about go-to flower shop place in Metro Manila. As I was headed towards the block wherein the famous flower shops reside, I can already see a platoon of flowers from the outside. It seemed like a wet market with a lot of people coming in and out. But instead of fish, and vegetables, it was all flowers.

            As I was looking for one of the flower shop owners, I saw one that caught my attention as it had the most numerous flowers on display. I asked an old lady, dressed in plain clothes with a pair of dirty rubber gloves unto her hand, as to who was the owner of the flower shop. With a giggling face she turned to me: “Eh sir, ako po ang may-ari niyan” (Sir, I am the owner of that store.). As it turned out, I was already facing at the owner of PNGL Flower Shop, Mrs. Pia Perez.

The start of an unexpected journey

            The calm and timid 50-year old who started out in small beginnings and had faced a lot of adversities has forged herself into one of the most successful businesswomen in the flower shop industry. Yet despite her success, she remains humble and true to herself as she continues to run the business. She insists me to address her “Aling Pia” rather than “Ma’am” or “Miss”. Without hesitation, she didn’t decline my request to interview her. She removed her gloves and offered me a seat for us to talk.

            “Hindi ako nag-expect na magkakaroon ako ng isang flower shop.” (I didn’t expect to run a flower shop business.) At 50 years old, she only finished high school and started as a service worker in her hometown in Zambales. Having enough salary to feed her family, she was already contented with their situation. But everything changed when she lost her job after 2 years. She had to move from job to job in order to support her family. “Mahirap humanap ng trabaho lalong lalo na ‘pag ika’y high school graduate lang.” (It’s very hard to find a job especially if you only finished high school.) Finally, her friend in Manila invited her to work with her in a flower shop in Dangwa.

            “Doon ko natutunan kung paano tumakbo ng negosyo at kung paano dumiskarte.” (There I learned how a business runs and how to be wise.) Later on, her experience in working in a flower shop made her put up one of her own and has been running it for almost nine years.  

            But running the business is a more challenging task than setting it up in the first place. “Sa flower shop business, kailangan talaga na mautak ka.” (In the flower shop business, you should be able to make good decisions.) There are risks that one has to take and problems to consider. Some of these problems are flowers that eventually wilt, customers who don’t get their orders, and the lowest seasons of the year where the sales are at its lowest. 

            In a competitive market like Dangwa, she puts her business on the map which separates her flower shop among the other flower shops in Manila. She gets her supply of flowers from different parts in the country like Baguio, Cebu, Butuan, and even from outside the country like China. Aside from a rich supply, she keeps herself in sync with the latest technology especially in advertising in order for her to popularize her business.    

            At this point in her business career, Aling Pia has no plans of expanding her business because she feels contented with her achievement in life. Moreover, she does not want to stress herself out even more. With a humor in her she says, “Ayoko nang ‘tong palakihin, magiging mas masakit pa ulo ko nyan” (I don’t want to expand my business, it will only bring even more pain in my head).

            Instead of expanding, she would like continue running the business with the way it has been. “As long as nasusuportahan ng negosyo ko ang pamilya ko, okay na ako.” (As long as my business will continue to support my family I’m contented with it.)

The secret of her business

            As I was interviewing her, I realized she would always talk about her family. From there, I realized that her family has been the source of her motivation. It has been the reason why she devoted herself into her business along with the trials and challenges that come with it. She rises up for her family, and her family alone.

            Aling Pia has four children and three of them have finished schooling with jobs of their own. She also has two lovely grandchildren that I myself saw. I can see her face so happy and elated whenever she sees her grandchildren. It felt like all the hardships in life that she had were worth it because of the happiness that her family brings. From that moment on, Aling Pia made me realize the value of family in one’s life. It was something that was greater than the success of her business or more precious than any rare flower that she has.

            Aling Pia is a good example to every Filipino family. Her motivation to put food on her family’s table, send her children to school and to keep them away from the streets resulted into success that she never imagined. Therefore, drawing motivation from something or someone that you love is the greatest motivation of all.

           

                          

Dangwa Flower Market: A Special Delivery

Dangwa Flower Market: A Special Delivery

Also known as the Bulaklakan ng Maynila, Dangwa Flower Market is best place to get flowers at any time of the year because of the unique collection of blossoms that come at a good price. There is definitely no other place like Dangwa in the Metro which makes it extra special. 

By: Laura Lee

The open-air flower market is three streets long and is filled with stall upon stall of vendors selling bundles of flowers of different kinds. Discovered at the year 1976, due to the presence of the Dangwa Tranco company which delivered fresh flowers at the time, thus marking it a known spot for selling afforable fresh flowers and the name Dangwa Flower Market was created.

Dangwa Flower Market is the ultimate “go to” place for Filipinos to purchase flowers. It provides convenience for the consumers by giving them a wide location wherein they may look at the collection of blossoms that come from different provinces of the Philippines. Flowers are a necessity in most events whether it may be joyous celebrations from weddings or anniversaries to sending your condolences to a loved one who passed away. A celebration is not complete without flowers and evidently, to purchase flowers in the city is high-priced. Especially during peak seasons such as Valentine’s day, All Soul’s Day, and Mother’s day, the prices of flowers you would find in flower shops and in malls in the city shoot up. Unlike in Dangwa, the prices would also shoot up during peak seasons but the price would still be considered reasonable most especially when you buy flowers in bundles or packages. Not only does Dangwa sell flowers individually, but you may also buy them in packages and bouquets. For any occasion, Dangwa is able to supply one’s flower demands and may package them in any way the customer wants. For example, if you are planning to give your loved one a bouquet for Valentine’s day, you may ask them to design the bouquet however you would want it to look like. Mix-matching of flower selections is allowed and they may package it of your choice. The flower stalls in Dangwa have a wide variety of flowers such as roses, sunflowers, chocolate flowers, carnations, tulips, liliums, gerberas, malaysian mums, cattleyas, orchids, statice, stargazers and many more. Because of this, Dangwa also gives its consumers a variety of deals to consider when purchasing flowers. Dangwa is known to be the best place to acquire flowers but little does the consumers know the long process these vendors and store owners have to go through to produce the best, yet inexpensive flowers to sell to their consumers.

Dangwa shop owners and vendors work really hard to maintain their flowers. These flowers are brought to Dangwa Flower Market via trucks from different parts of the Philippines like Baguio city, La Trinidad, Benguet, and Cebu city. Sometimes these flowers are even imported with the use of airplanes from countries such as Thailand and Ecuador. These flowers are being planted and grown in the different parts of the country to ensure their full growth due to the non-polluted air they have in the provinces. Once these flowers mature enough to be picked and sold, they are immediately brought and shipped to Dangwa because the lifespan of flowers do not last long and as a result, should be sold as soon as possible. According to the florists in Dangwa, the average lifespan of most of the flowers last up to 2 weeks and then after a period of 2 weeks, the flowers start to wilt and are no longer fresh. Delivery of the flowers from designated provinces to Dangwa would be around 5-8 PM daily which is why the best time to go to Dangwa to buy fresh flowers would be around that time because the flowers are newly delivered and still very fresh. Once the flowers are brought to the shops, they are promptly cut and soaked in water to extend the life of the flowers and to keep it from wilting. During the summer, these flowers, depending on the kind are stored in coolers with ice to prevent damage of the flowers because of the immense heat the Philippines experiences during the months of late March to late May. The following day, the flowers are to be arranged and assorted by their kind and some would be fixed in groups which would then cost less when bought in groups. The prices of the flowers range according to their size and kind. The bigger and imported flowers cost more than those of which that are smaller and cost less to deliver. When the flowers are not bought and are no longer fresh to sell, the vendors would just throw these flowers away since they are no longer capable of being bought and have no more value.

Being open 24 hours a day 7 days a week, Dangwa vendors do experience difficulty in their day to day livelihood. The lack of infrastructure in the Philippines really slows down the pace of the businesses of these shop owners for the reason that if our country had wider and more stable roads, it would be easier for the flowers to be delivered to Sampaloc, Manila, where Dangwa Flower Market is situated. As a result, businesses would be faster and if the flowers are delivered as soon as possible, then more money would come in and would circulate. However, due to the relaxed system we have in our country, these deliveries just need to compromise with the infrastructure we have as of the moment. In relation to that, parking is also very difficult to attain in Dangwa. During a visit to Dangwa in the past month, I was shocked to find out that there were no parking slots for Dangwa Flower Market alone. There would be parking in some fast foodchain restaurants but the lack of a parking lot makes it really difficult for consumers to go there and check out the blossoms because of the hassle they will experience. Another problem Dangwa florists and shop owners experience is despite the little income the shop receives, they still have to pay tax to the government leaving them with less than what they work for. Flower shops in Dangwa do not earn as much because flowers are not a basic necessity in life, therefore it is not much of a stable business as compared to those companies that buy and sell food and/or clothes. Moreover, peak seasons of flowers only happen only a few times in a year. If the vendors are lucky then they are also able to supply flowers for certain and big events. Finally, due to immense traffic we experience here in Metro Manila, time and gas are being wasted in the process of delivery rather than getting the flowers delivered at a faster time. The Philippines is known for the unbearable traffic. Last year, Manila was even named “Worst city to drive on earth” because taking a car in Manila would even prolong the time to take you to wherever you need to go. Because of this, the whole process of delivery is being delayed and gas is also being wasted. 

There is more to just fragrant and beautiful flowers in Dangwa Flower Market. It is a very convenient place for consumers because of the wide variety of flowers available. These flowers are well-maintained and taken care of by the vendors to assure the quality of the flowers. Despite that, the florists of Dangwa Flower Market do experience difficulty in their everyday lives because of some factors. However, they do not let these difficulties affect the quality of their flowers. I highly suggest that you go visit Dangwa Flower Market once in your life because it definitely beats all your trips to the flower shops at the mall or near your Church. It’s a good story to tell and definitely a good experience to share.

Flowers: Just A Click Away

Flowers: Just A Click Away

By Daryl Santillan

            

Humid weather, bustling streets, vehicles honking their horns, and of course colorful flowers everywhere. This is the usual scenario in Dangwa Flower Market, also known as the Bulaklakan ng Maynila. Located in Sampaloc, Manila, Dangwa Flower Market is a well-known place where anyone can get fresh flowers from different parts of the country. However, with the growing number of consumers finding it more convenient to order flowers online, the competition for the market power is getting harder and harder.

Customers are attracted to online pages where people sell flowers because customers are exposed to more choices when it comes to the type or design of the flowers. It is convenient and easy. With just one click, customers are given a wide variety of arrangements of flowers to choose from. As indirect competition has greatly increased from supermarkets, grocery stores and online, the result has been a reduction in profits and volume of sales for traditional florists due to low prices and one-stop shopping.

It all started when my friend and I went to shop some flowers in Dangwa Flower Market for me and my girlfriend’s incoming anniversary. Going there was a first time for both of us, so we were both new to the environment. As we walked along the market under the scorching sun, vendors occasionally approached us trying to accommodate us and asking what we need. The vendors were like sales associates in department stores, very eager to make a sale. They made me a little awkward and irritated at first, as I was hoping to browse some flowers in peace. In the end I was not able to buy some flowers, so my friend suggested to me that I should try to look up The Flower Gallery page in Instagram.

I looked it up and saw a huge variety of flower arrangement and designs. Surprisingly I was able to find the perfect flower arrangement that is also within my budget. I was really satisfied how the bouquet of roses turned out, which is really worth of my money.

I contacted the business and talked with Lily Ang, a warm-hearted woman, who created The Flower Gallery. “Tell me your budget and I’ll work with it,” she said to me. A sales agent in nature, she tends to sell everything and anything.

The Flower Gallery began in 2015 because her friends were insisting her to try the internet. “Uso kasi rin eh, nakiki-uso lang ako,” she said. (Another reason is because it’s trending, I just follow the trend). Lily thought it would also be nice to get an additional profit and also as a mean to get noticed or as an advertisement. Besides having an online flower shop, she has two other flower shops in Robinson’s mall.

“Serendipity,” she said. That’s what she said when I asked her what made her enter that flower industry. When she was in China years ago while sourcing some products to sell here in the Philippines, she just happened to meet someone that sells flowers. Before, she used to import fresh flowers from China, but she explained that you’ll need to have a very large chiller for that, which costs a lot of money.

At first, Lily tried using Facebook to start her online flower business. When that did not work out, she resorted to using Instagram to get attention. She found out that she has to be in the internet every day to run her business, which she did not like at the start. “Hindi rin naman din kasi ako yung ma-techy, at di rin ako marunong gumamit nung una,” she said. (I’m not the technology type of person, and I do not know how to use it.)

According to Lily, one of the problems of having an online flower business is that nothing prevents competitors or other online flower business from stealing ideas and imitating them. “Kasi ninanakawan ka na eh, kahit maglagay ka ng watermark mo,” she said. (You’re being robbed, even if you put a water mark.) Besides that, she said that having a business that sells luxury goods is very hard. “People can live without flowers. If they don’t have the budget, then they don’t buy,” she explains. Lily’s items are usually what you call impulse buy, so she has to make it very attractive to the customers. “Whereas unlike fast food companies, people come to them even if they don’t advertise,” she said.

She believes that one of the reasons why more consumers shop or buy flowers online is because consumers nowadays are more modernized and high-tech. Especially the Generation Y, which are now constantly using their gadgets and are more exposed to the internet where there are a lot of choices to choose from. Another reason is that her flexibility when it comes to prices. She said that she always justifies the price of her products.

She does not want her flowers to be recognized as flowers from Dangwa Flower Market, so every year she tries to come up with something different. She tries to buy stuff and try to think of new designs, she even made teddy bears to pair up with her flowers and sold them together last Valentine’s Day. In the previous years, she had a partnership with Cadbury, a chocolate company, in which customers will receive one rose for every large chocolate bar they buy. This year she partnered with a friend that makes chocolate candies, she helped her friend advertise the chocolate product and in return, her roses became cheaper. She believes that one factor why customers buy her flowers is because her flower designs are better than some vendors in Dangwa Flower Market. In fact, her fresh flowers are designed by a hired arranger from Holland Tulips, one of the biggest flower retailers in the country.

Flower arrangements by Flower Gallery

          I also talked with Kyle Tan, a regular customer of The Flower Gallery. According to him, he used to go to Dangwa Flower Market just to pick and buy flowers for his girlfriend, which is super hassle and consumes a lot of his time. Later on he found out about The Flower Gallery in Instagram and since then, he always buys flowers from them. He said “I found it very convenient to buy flowers online. I can set meet ups near me plus they also deliver the flowers too.” Additionally, he believes the quality and the design are much better of The Flower Gallery than those of in Dangwa Flower Market.

Jay-Ann Diaz, a 35 year old flower vendor in Dangwa Flower Market, told me that her off-season sales this year dropped compared before. Although her sales from last Valentine’s Day were good, she can’t dismiss the problem of losing sales to other businesses. She said that one of the advantages of having an online page or an online flower shop is that they have a larger reach to customers, where they can advertise their products. Unlike them, her only reach are the people who are passing her shop. “Sobrang matumal talaga ang bentahan kapag walang okasyon, di katulad kapag Mother’s Day, Undas, at Valentine’s Day yun talaga maraming bumibili.,” she said. (The sales are very minimal when there’s no occasion, unlike when it’s Mother’s Day, All Souls’ Day, and Valentine’s Day, there a lot of people buying flowers.) She says that she can’t compete with the online flower businesses as she doesn’t have the means like other businesses do.

According to an article by Kenneth R. Royer, “To busy consumers, convenience is often more important than price, which makes Internet ordering extremely appealing.” He also adds that one area of discomfort for florist customers is the inability to see what they were buying while placing phone orders. They were forced to rely on information from the salesperson, who most often wanted to discuss price rather than product. Being able to visually compare products and prices from various sources was appealing to consumers, and being able to do it 24/7 was an added benefit.

As time progresses, we improve and create new things. We will always evolve and try new things for the better or worse. And like how the trend of shopping flowers online changed the traditional way of buying flowers in flower shops in Dangwa Flower Market, so will the other traditional ways we used to do. It is not only the flower business that is changing, but also all sorts of businesses like clothing, traveling and transportation. But I believe that we will not stop there, as we tend to change and improve the things we see for convenience. The modernization of businesses, like the online flower businesses, will create many opportunities for many people, especially for those people who don’t have enough resources to have their own shops. However, like the Alchemy’s Law of Equivalent Exchange, there must be something to be given in return. With the opportunity given to the people to sell online, the traditional businesses will lose some of their market power. 

A Blooming Business

"Blooming" Business

By: Danica Coronel

Close your eyes and imagine yourself in a market, without the fishy smell, the slimy fish, the wet greens and the raw meat. Better yet, envision yourself in a market with a fresh scent of floral notes from flowers to your left and to your right. Now open your eyes, and read what it is really like being surrounded by the most colourful blooms in the Metro and entice yourself to even visit it yourself. 

Tulips, Orchids, Daisies and Roses are the usual suspects in Dangwa. What about the Birds of Paradise? the Anthuriums? the Spider Whites? or the various succulents? that make the Dangwa Flower Market boom or should I say “Bloom”.

Dangwa?

Dangwa is the number one “go-to” place for anyone with flower necessities since it supplies the freshest and most colorful flower variants in the Metro. Also known as the “Flower Capital of Manila”, it is simply located beside the Dangwa Tranco bus terminal in Sampaloc, Manila, where buyers go the distance just to purchase their fresh blooms. I personally traveled a good hour from the metropolitan area of Makati to check out this commonly raved about place myself. When I arrived, I was welcomed by a succession of stalls selling buckets and buckets of the most colorful flowers I’ve ever seen in my entire life. Trimmings of flower petals and leaves in different shapes and colors were scattered across the road between stalls as vendors were working hard creating the grandest and most impressive flower arrangements for their customers. Literally hundreds of roses stacked on top of each other were seen at every stall, creating a real life bed of roses in colors you wouldn’t imagine roses to have. Yellow roses, pink roses and blue roses, clearly surpassing the mainstream red colored roses found in any and every flower shop. The typical Carnations, Mums and Gerbers were organized in bins, bundled by color and displayed right in front of the stalls that gave passers by the most vibrant and aesthetically pleasing view that as a matter of fact, could “colour their day”. You name the flower, and one of the numerous stalls are bound to have it. Walking the lane with flower stalls to my left and right, nothing but the mixed scents of floral lingered around the area.

Also known as the Bagsakan ng mga Bulaklak in Filipino, translated to the “Drop off of Flowers”, flowers variants from all over the world like; Holland, Thailand, China, and Malaysia are dropped off in Dangwa. “Buses would usually start to arrive at 1:00 to 4:00 in the morning to deliver fresh flowers” said in an interview with a flower vendor in Dangwa during my visit. Hence this flower market is considered to be a ‘night market’ as well, open 24 hours 7 days a week. During the interview, the vendor mentioned that people flock the market even at the most ungodly hours which is 3 in the morning, just so that the flowers being purchased are newly delivered and still at their freshest. Flowers were even wrapped in clear plastic to ensure freshness, and protection when they were delivered.

Hundreds of Roses forming a real life Bed of Roses

Who goes there?

The usual individuals who go all the way to Dangwa are those who need to purchase flowers in bulk, may it be for a special holiday, a funeral, an event or a grand party. Moreover, people who are getting married canvas for their floral arrangements in Dangwa since there are stalls that specifically cater to weddings, debuts, parties, and the like. Even notable flower shops seen in malls, and famous florists of the country pay Dangwa a visit, despite it being a typical local market because of the wide array of florals. Husbands, boyfriends and lovers who are on a budget and yet still have to show their affection to their significant other through flowers visit Dangwa to get the most impressive flower arrangements at a very affordable price. The greater part of Dangwa is the fact that it is easy to personalize your arrangement, boquets can be set according to your personal preference, along with adjusting it to fit the budget.

Contrary to popular belief...

Surprisingly, amidst all the thousands of mainstream flowers, Dangwa is more than just that. Stalls carry exotic flower variants, plastic flowers and even succulents for those consumers unenthusiastic towards flowers. Rare flowers and succulents such as Anthuriums, Spider Whites, Lotuses and rare breeds of orchids are some variants that cannot easily be found in famous flower shops. Since I am not very fond of flowers, I was glad to find something different in Dangwa— these minuscule potted, plastic looking plants called “Succulents”. Succulents are plants that are known to have longer life spans than normal flowers since they are usually thicker, fleshier and thus can absorb and retain water better. According to the vendor in Dangwa, the succulents that are highly in demand are the Aloe vera, the Barrel Cactus, the Golden Pothos and the Arrowhead Vine. Just like flowers, they are highly fascinating and can be kept indoors requiring little sunlight and water. On my opinion, though succulents may not be as colorful and grand like normal flowers, they still provide an aesthetic element or an ‘exotic look’ perfect for a terrarium. Into the bargain, these potted plants can be bought at very cheap prices that range from 30-100 pesos depending on the size and type of plant.

Plastic looking, minuscule potted plants called Succulents

More than just flowers

What to expect…

“Parang palengke lang ang Dangwa, pero bulaklak ang binibenta” in other words, “Dangwa is like any other local market, although flowers are being sold”, said by one of the flower vendors in Dangwa. Since Dangwa is considered to be a “Market”, market ‘rules’ apply just like when you’re buying fruits and vegetables, although in this case, you’re buying solely flowers and plants. Dangwa is home to flowers and other interesting plants that are ‘good finds’ although can be overwhelming for a first time visitor. Some things should be kept in mind to guarantee a well-spent visit, flowers can be bought both is wholesale or retail prices, meaning that prices are negotiable. “Mahirap tumawad dito sa Dangwa kasi wholesale na ang precio na binibigay namin compara sa ibang tindahan sa mall” or “It is hard to ask for discounts here in Dangwa because we price our flowers already at wholesale as compared to flower shops in malls”. Flowers are initially priced cheap as compared to commercial flower shops, though haggling is still allowed when purchasing flowers in bulk or when canvasing arrangements for a certain event. It is advised by a Dangwa stall vendor too ‘canvas properly’ and go through most if not all stalls though it may be a tedious task because each stall may sell different variants from the other. All the more, the 40 stalls may sell the same flowers just at different prices, this flower market, like any other market is a business, so vendors will try their best to make a profit. Another tip from the flower vendor is, buyers need to already know, even just a gist of what they want to buy or what they are in Dangwa for because the market can get overwhelming at times. I eventually perceived all the flowers as just one type just in different colors because the amount was just too mind-boggling.

Things to keep in mind;

It is important to keep in mind that Dangwa is like any other market that gets busy and very crowded at certain times. Vendors usually sell a lot of flowers during “peak seasons” such as Valentines Day or All Souls day, implying that flower prices inevitably will hike up in order for them to make more profit. Also, flower enthusiasts who are picky about purchasing the freshest flowers, the best time to go to Dangwa is at 1 to 3o’clock in the morning where the flowers were just dropped off, and will avoid the hustle and bustle of traffic in the metro. Scheduling your visits to Dangwa will save you a lot of time and energy. Making friends with the vendors may benefit you in the long run since you will be one of their “suki” or “common buyers”, so that in the future occasions when you are in need of flowers, they can give you a bigger discount or better deal since you frequently buy from them.

Final Thoughts?

            In the end, Dangwa is a place for anyone who has the patience to travel a great distance from the metropolitan areas of Manila for the high quality, fresh and beautiful blooms at an affordable price. I was very much surprised to find out that the Philippines does have a “blooming” flower business through my visit to Dangwa though it may be located in an area you wouldn’t expect it to be at. Anyone with or without a penchant for flowers will find their visit to Dangwa an interesting one. Furthermore, tourists even make it a point to visit Dangwa because it has been considered to be a tourist destination in the Philippines. Everyone needs some color in their lives, and Dangwa is the place to go!

Organized blooms in baskets that sure "colored" my visit

Dangwa in the Day

WELCOME!

WRITE AN INTRO BLAH BLAH