TENANTS of the Pasalubong Center at Palma Gil St., Davao City are now gearing up for the upcoming Kadayawan Festival, although they have noted less foot traffic for the first week of August compared to the same period last year.
According to Juliet Alarcon, storekeeper of Triple J souvenir shop, they are currently adding up new products on display as the Kadayawan Festival is fast approaching.
She said their best sellers had always been the Davao-themed printed shirts and key chains which they personally make. Most of their customers, including those who order bulk, are Filipinos coming from different cities in the country like Manila, Cebu, and Bacolod.
“There is really a big difference. Last year, even on the first week of the month, there are already a lot of visitors coming in Davao City and here in the Pasalubong Center. Now there are already people coming still, of course but not same as last year,” said Alarcon in vernacular, adding she personally believes this is caused by the fear of Filipinos in Luzon and Visayas of the Marawi siege and martial law declaration.
In order to further promote their souvenir products, they are participating and displaying in different bazaars and exhibits outside the center like those that will be simultaneously conducted in Museo Dabawenyo and Abreeza Ayala Malls from August 14 to 21.
Alarcon further said they used to reach about P300,000 a week of sales during last year’s Kadayawan Festival. Now, she said, she’s not sure they will be able to reach that now since they are currently only making about P3,000 daily on average.
Sometimes, they give out flyers outside the center and in jeeps to help the locals and tourists know their products and booth in the Pasalubong Center.
Eng Seng Food Products storekeeper Jessielyn Abangan said they haven’t increased their daily delivery of durian pastillas and durian yema from their Quirino Ave. main plant to the pasalubong center. She said, their pastillas and yema are the best-sellers and on average, they are displaying about 30 packs of the items each.
Just like Alarcon, Food Processor Association of Davao (FPAD) storekeeper Agnes Agcaoili said they are also going to participate in trade exhibits and bazaars to further promote their products. FPAD is an association of different small-scale food entrepreneurs in Davao City including JGemR Bakery, Rosario’s Food Products, Safepak Davao, and King Harvest.
Agcaoili said, for 2016, their association’s booth in the center can raise up to P10,000 weekly on normal days and up to P20,000 during Kadayawan and Araw ng Dabaw Festivals. This year, they are only able to make about P6,000 on normal days.
“Even before martial law (declaration), even though it’s not fiesta season, the sales are really good,” Agcaoili said.
