Honoring the dead with flowers

One of many workers harvesting flowers in Barangay Sirao for All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. (CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)

As October ends, people from all walks of life begin to pay homage to their dearly departed to commemorate two of the most important dates of the year — All Saints’ Day and All Soul’s Day this Nov. 1 and 2.

In cemeteries across the country, tents and picnic tables have been laid out by families specially for those who will come to visit their dead.

Beside tombstones are baskets of floral arrangements that liven up an otherwise somber resting place.

According to veteran interior designer Elaine Cooper, there are three important days of the year when flowers are considered a staple purchase:

Valentine’s Day, All Saints’ Day and All Souls Day’ also known to Cebuanos as “Kalag-Kalag.”

It is when flower shops gain a big boost because of more customers and more people who are willing to pay extra to have flowers arranged in a
special way.

Gloria Cabase readies some cut flowers for customers.

67-year old Gloria Cabase, a resident of Barangay Pardo, manages a small flower shop at Freedom Park in Cebu’s Carbon Market.

Cabase took over the shop after her mother passed away 28 years ago.

Cabase gets her supply of fresh flowers from farmers in Barangay Busay who deliver them to her stall at dawn.

Cabase is now busy preparing the orders for Kalag-Kalag with her most popular arrangements done with white flowers, she said.

Wonder White blossoms that grow in the mountains of Busay are her personal favorite because of the flowers’ versatility.

“Bisag unsa man na nga okasyon (It works for any occasion),” said Cabase.

According to Cabase, many of her rich clients prefer big arrangements that are laid out across the tombstone.

“Kanang lapad, mao nang mga gusto sa mga dato (The ones that are laid out flat are popular with the rich), “ said Cabase.

Her special arrangements are priced between P500 to P1,000 depending on the size; while the small baskets of flowers that she regularly sells in the market cost P100.

Cabase spends around P1,200 a week to buy the baskets from Carcar City.

For those who prefer their arrangements to last longer, Cabase has found a way around the spiralling prices of fresh blooms by using artificial flowers and mixing them with fresh leaves.

“Artificial ra na ang buwak, dayon presko ang dahon. Kung malata na gani ang mga dahon, pwede ra sila mangitag lain para limpyo, niya murag bag-o ang buwak (The flowers are artificial, while the leaves are fresh. If the leaves start to wilt, they can just find some fresh leaves and insert them so the flowers will look brand new),” said Cabase.

Cooper, who used to arrange flowers herself, said that she preferred orchids for her arrangements as these last longer than most flowers.

“Some families go to the cemetery on October 31 in the evening. Until November 2 people still go. That is why you need to bear in mind how long the flowers will last,” she said.

Cooper said that most of her customers were Chinese who always wanted the grandest materials.

“They want the flowers to be elaborate, especially since most of them have mausoleums,” she said.

Cooper did her own designs and sometimes added fruits to the floral arrangement upon the request of clients whom she charged between P1,500 to P2,000.

She said that she would spend around P1,200 for the flowers and other materials for each basket.

Cooper said that she decided to quit her flower arranging business because the market was unpredictable.

“The business is not that lucrative, and it’s perishable. You can’t control it and your work gets compromised, “ she said in Cebuano.

But while she no longer arranges flowers for a living, she vouches that they are one of life’s essentials.

“Flowers are an expression that you love someone, and that you’re honoring their memory,” said Cooper.