More flower vendors expected to join Cebu City’s Bulak Festival

Flower vendors at the Freedom Park in the Carbon Market expect brisk sales as All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day draw near . | CDN File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — More vendors who source their flowers from growers who are in the mountain barangays of Cebu City and parts of Cebu province are expected to join the Bulak Festival that will be held at the Carbon Market Complex as one of the activities for this year’s Kalag-Kalag celebration.

Market Operations Division Head Irvin Cabales, told CDN Digital that they expect around 150 to 200 flower vendors to join the display of freshly picked flowers at the Freedom Park from October 28 to November 3, 2021.

And just like in the previous years, Caballes said, they will expand the Freedom Park display area to include the nearby A. Borromeo and F. Calderon Streets.

These streets will be closed to vehicular traffic starting on October 27 as vendors prepare their respective display areas.

He said that marshalls and uniformed policemen and force multipliers will be deployed to monitor the buyers entry and exit points.  They will also be going around the display area to ensure compliance with health and safety protocols.

The annual Bulak Festival, an event that is open to all flower vendors in Cebu City and Cebu Province. Participants are allowed to join through their respective organizations.

Flower farmer Ariel Lastimosa harvest roses in the mountain village of Bonbon, Cebu City. | CDN File Photo

And unlike the simple celebration last year, Caballes said they are  now thinking of ways on how to make this year’s festival livelier to attract more buyers since Cebu City is now under Modified General Community Quarantine (MGCQ), a more relaxed quarantine status.

“Nagexpect ta nga mas bibo ta this year kay niluwag-luwag naman atong quarantine status,” said Caballes.

(We are expecting a livelier celebration this year since we are now under a more relaxed quarantine status.)

Aside from the display of flowers, Caballes said they are organizing other activities that will especially showcase the city’s flower growers, like those that are found in the mountain barangay of Sirao.

Megawide Construction Corp., the city’s partner in the Carbon Market modernization project, will also be hosting some of the activities for this year’s the Bulak Festival.

But while they try to revive the local flower industry, Caballes said, they will continue to prioritize the health and safety of the vendors and the buyers.

Their safety plans will include the implementation of mandatory temperature checks for all participants and buyers at the Freedom Park’s entry points and the installation of hand wash stations among others.

But for those, who wanted to avoid the rush, they can still visit Freedom Park ahead of the Flower Festival’s opening date. / dcb