Fiesta Señor: Vendor of religious icons dismayed over stalls’ relocation

Stalls moved from street near Basilica to F. Gonzales St.

Due to the heat, a vendor attaches a cloth to his stall to protect himself and his items from the sun. | CDN Digital photo by Shannah Rose Pardo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — With the start of the Novena Masses in honor of Santo Niño, many devotees visit various stands along the streets near the Basilica del Santo Niño to buy religious icons like the Santo Niño.

While many vendors sell religious items, there are other vendors who not only sell, but also repair, repaint, and design clothing for religious icons especially the Sto. Niño. 

These vendors previously sell their items along the Dionisio Jakosalem Street, but have now been relocated along F. Gonzales Street during the Sinulog celebration. 

One of these vendors is Maximo Parrera. 

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Parrera has been selling religious items and repairing or repainting religious icons for 17 years. The vendor explained that he would personally buy and would sew the decorations like beads into the clothing for religious icons. 

“Tahion nimo para ang sanina, gwapo tan-awon,” he added. 

[You sew the clothing so that it will look good]

He mentioned that he chose to continue the tradition of selling religious items and making clothing for the Sto. Niño, which he inherited from his parents, as it was something that he learned from them. 

Less customers due to relocation 

However, compared to previous years, there has been less customers visiting their stalls due to their relocation along F. Gonzales Street instead of their usual location along the Dionisio Jakosalem Street which is directly outside the Basilica.

“Duha na jud ka tuig wala mi gipabalhin dire…didtu ra mi,” he said.

(For two years we were not told to relocate here…We were just there along Diosinio Jakosalem Street…)

Parrera said that they were suddenly told to relocate their stalls along F. Gonzales Street.

This relocation affected vendors as many customers are also devotees visiting the Basilica. Many of their long-time customers were also accustomed to their locations.

He said that he previously earned at least P5,000 while the Sinulog celebration was ongoing, sometimes more which was enough to pay for his debts which he earned from purchasing materials for the items which he sold in his stall. 

But with the relocation in F. Gonzales Street, business has been slow, and even the hot weather has made vendors to take shelter from the sun from an area across their stalls. 

Parrera expressed his dismay at their relocation as it was only once in a year that they would be able to make a profit aside from paying his debts from purchasing items for the stall.