Jovani Dela Cruz, a flaglet vendor, finds the times selling his products challenging as compared to before classes started in June. | Niña Mae Oliverio
CEBU CITY, Philippines — As Independence Day draws near, vendors selling flaglets in the streets are a common sight every year.
However, some vendors have found it challenging to sell these flaglets this year.
To Jovani Dela Cruz, 46, he could sell many flaglets in the past since the classes started in June.
“Sa una, kusog to kay naa pa to’y klase. Unya karon holiday, wala nama’y mga klase na. [Mas] halin gyud tong naa’y klase kay ang mga estudyante magparade man og apil, magpalit og flag nya karon, minus naman,” he told CDN Digital.
(Before, we can sell many of our flaglets because there are classes then. But now holiday, there are no more classes. We can sell many at that time when there are classes because the students will join the parade, they will buy flags and now we only have slow sales.)
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Since classes start in June in the past, Dela Cruz said there were many students who would buy his flaglets because sometimes it would be a requirement in their school besides attending the parade.
“Maglisod na karon, gamay na og halin. Ang mga estudyante usahay mamalit, usahay magbuhat na lang sila’g ila kay mahalan sad,” he said.
(It is challenging now, we only have a few sales. The student would sometimes buy, sometimes they will just make them themselves because they find buying it expensive)
He said that he also considered the amount of the students’ allowances.
“Maypag magbuhat na lang sila, makasave sila,” he said.
(It will be better for them to make them, they can save money.)
Before, he could sell 30 to 50 flaglets in a day at P25, but this year, he could only sell a maximum of 10 pieces a day and his profit ranges between P120 to P150.
Rey Mejasco, another flaglet vendor, has also experienced the slow sales of flaglets in the streets. | Niña Mae Oliverio
Meanwhile to Rey Mejasco, 45, his flaglets are sold at P30 each, and the same with Dela Cruz, the number of his sales has also dropped this year since only a few students buy flaglets.
He was able to sell a minimum of 20 flaglets a day in the past, but this year only 10 to 15 flaglets.
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He also told CDN Digital that his sales were better before the pandemic.
“[Mas] halin-halin gyud to siya. Mas nindot to kay June gyud magsugod ang klase. Magstart og June, naay klase, daghan kaayong mamalit. Kay karon mo end man gud ang [school] year. Lahi karon,” Mejasco said.
(It was really selling at that time. It was better because at that time June was the start of classes. When the classes start in June, many will buy. But now the school year will end. It is now different.)
Although he could not expect that there would be more students buying the flaglets, at least he could still sell them to government employees, PUJ and taxi drivers.
Dela Cruz and Mejasco have been selling flaglets for 20 years already.
Mejasco said that by selling Philippine flaglets, he could make the people remember to celebrate Independence Day.
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