Over the weekend we went to General Santos on business. We went to a resort owned by a friend during our stay in GenSan from 2000-2002. His resort is not faraway from the city. I’m so impressed with the location and the view. To wake up in that place everyday, I think I’m already good. Oops, I guess not yet, the internet and the cell provider is not yet good there. If those are fixed, I would be totally good there. 🙂 After our meetings there, we worked it out that Bob will be doing some work with our friend’s company.
We were so over the moon that the owner of the business set the meeting during weekends. Know why I liked it over the weekend? Well, I’ve been hearing friends and seeing pictures they posted on Facebook about the Farmer’s Market in GenSan. To be honest, I was impressed. Even though it’s just small compared maybe to the farmer’s market in your part of the world but this one will do here in Lagao. Seeing the fresh produce and fruits I’m totally in awe of it. Seeing the people, they were so alive early in the morning it was good to see too. When we arrived there some of the stalls were still setting up. More than half were already set up. Lots of people were already there, some came after attending church. Good seeing some old friends there too.
Geez, I want to buy a lot of the stuff I saw. Problem is we’re riding the bus, so I just limit myself on buying the stuff that would not get damaged during our transport. I had to let my brother-in-law buy a plastic woven basket for the vegetables and fruits that I bought. Seeing all the produce and the fruits you can tell they were so fresh because of the firmness and the color. They’re also selling free range chicken and eggs, which is hard to find here in Davao. I saw one stall selling meat and choriso. Looking good but I didn’t buy that. For sure next time. If we went there and used our car then I could buy those. One thing I bought there that the kids like a lot is the raw peanuts. My helper cooks boiled peanuts, most of us here at the house eats, I guess except for Bob & Chris.
The day before we talked to our dear friend Cathy, who lives there. One thing that we talked about was about the Philippine delicacies, farmer’s market has them. That’s the first thing I bought there. Lol. She also told us that she bought her produce there every week. I truly believed her when she says that the vegetables that she bought there stays fresh longer than the one she bought at the grocery store at the mall.
The fun part of being there was meeting again the woman behind the Farmer’s Market. Her name is Rue Ramas. We’ve known her 15 years ago. We met here when we still lived there. It’s so long ago that I can’t even remember. 🙂 She invited those farmers and sell their product at the farmer’s market. She’s not even charging them for rent of the stall, water and electricity. The farmer’s market is located at her front yard. She has a big lawn. Shes’ also the woman behind the used of corn husk crafts. She’s helping women make dolls, decors, place-mat and many more out of corn husks. I’ve seen lots of her creation in her shop and on facebook and I’m really impressed. She used to have a show place but she closed it down because she’s busy taking care of other stuff. She’s also selling seeds (I can’t remember her company name for that). She’s really a super woman. Good seeing you again Rue. If you go to the farmer’s market and you see Rue, don’t be shy on saying hello to her.
“If ever your family lives in that area or the neighboring town and has product that they want to sell in the Farmer’s Market, try to talk to Rue about it first. She might have stall available for you.”
FARMER’S MARKET: located just across the former Notre Dame of Lagao Boys Department, (now it’s Notre Dame of Dadiangas University Lagao Campus). Not far from the Petron gas station, opposite street from Petron is Tiongson Street. It’s easy to find. You can ask around, people there knows the location, or just look for the big crowd on Sunday mornings.
Have fun shopping!!!
Hi Feyma enjoyed your article and especially the mention of the Farmers Market in Gen San on a Sunday morning. Last August we stayed with friends for a week who also who own a Resort and Marilou too the opportunity to arrange a whole day training session with Rue Ramas on a one to one training session at Rue’s house with her crafts trainer. I had the pleasure of being with Rue the entire day and whay an interesting woman, well that another story for another day.
Since we drove down to Gen San we had the advantage of having the car to get around and go everywhere we did. I love the area as there is so much to see and do.
Kind regards.
Jim.
Hi Jim – Thank you. Have you been to the day of Farmer’s Market? Honestly, it was fun. We went there early, so most of our friends were not there yet. They go there later, but we so friends that we didn’t see for a long time. One of them is Rue. I’m glad you and Marilou knew Rue too. A super nice woman. I’m glad you like the city that I grew up with “General Santos City”. Have you been to Sarangani Province too? Like the resort in Glan?
Thank you for stopping by. Have a great day!
Hi Feyma, We first got to know Rue in 2006 and finally met up in 2009 when we first visited Gen San. She still had her agricultural supply store as well as craft shop in those days. Marilou first go interested in making Corn Husk Dolls at that time and Rue encouraged her to take some formal training and in August 2014 when we returned Marilou had a whole day training session at Rues house which she thoroughly enjoyed. Whilst we were also there in Gen San last year we attended the Farmers Market which we have known about since it’s inception and like you and Bob we liked it so much we filled the rear of the car with produce to take back to Talakag. Again whilst there we toured all the way down the Sarangani Bay to Glan and beyond as well as visit Manny P’s new Resort on the South Cave road and continued to the Dive Centre and new Power Station project. We took Rue’s advice and had lunch at Mount Sabrina which we fully enjoyed. We are going back to Gen San at the end of February and will surely catch up with Rue when we are there.
Kind regards.
Jim.
Hi Jim – Good to know. So many places now to go and visit in GenSan and the neighboring towns. If you go to Glan or at the other side of the bay to Kiamba, so many resorts along the way. Try to visit also an array of BBq stalls in Tiongson Street. They also have fresh seafood (either grill or sinabaw-soup), fish (same- either grill or sinabaw-soup) and meat to chose from.
Have fun on your next visit and say hi to Rue from me. Take care!
where in Lagao Bob?
Hi Myrna – Just near the Notre Dame Boys Dept.
Are those some kind of cobblestones or brick laid all over the markets floor? No matter what it is, I’m impress
Hi Myrna Sison Patrick – Lagao is part of General Santos City.
Hi Edgardo Blancaflor Dominguez – Yes, the market is outside in the front yard, and those are brick stones on the ground. It is very nice.
Thank u!
Very impressive! That’s what I’m talking about with my niece in Butuan. I hope you have story about my hometown too, Bob.I would love to buy a book.
that’s where i got baptized by Fr McSorley, OMI
I will see if I can write about Butuan one of these days, Sonia. You just never know!
You were baptised in Lagao, Violet? That is where we were married also.
yes, Bob…it is in my baptism certificate….ha ha..probably, we were long lost relatives.
Ha ha… maybe so, Violet. We were married at St. Peter & Paul Church in Lagao. 1990.
Oh, thank you Bob, that would be nice! Have lots of friends and relatives from Butuan in the US.
yes Bob…you are our relative because your heart is so filipino…maybe in the past life..
Maybe so, Violet! I do love the Philippines.
I will see what I can do, Sonia Coyle. Will probably need to travel to Butuan, because I have only been there a couple of times!
I would like to go to Gen. San. for a couple of days myself next month, but my wife says its not safe to go there because of Muslims there, and past bombings there. I will have her read your story Feyma, maybe it will help a little bit, towards convincing her to go there, I need all the convincing I can come up with to win this one though.
GenSan is quite safe. We go there often. We let our kids go there without us. If we thought it was dangerous, we certainly would not let the kids go there!
Thanks Bob, I will show her your reply also, it may help.
Hi Bill – Yes it’s totally safe there. Like Bob said, we would not let our kids go there if we felt its not safe for them to go there. GenSan is really a nice now, so much places to eat, shops and to go have fun now too. So many resorts around the neighboring smaller towns. I’ve seen many foreigners when we went there last time.
Good luck!
Butuan has a lot of unqiue aspects too, and very Historical like the “Balanhai.” Only 2 kilometers away from my late parents old house. Do you know anyone in Butuan Bob?
Yes, I know a number of people in Butuan, Sonia.
Hi feyma me and my wife love farmers markets the vegetables seem a lot fresher,
I know you pay more than a normal market but sometimes it’s worth it,
I always look for fresh bread and stuff you can’t get a supermarket or normal market,
Hi bill s been to gen.san. Perfectly safe as is much of Mindanao.
Derek in pasig .
Hi Derek – That’s for sure, veggies and fruits are way fresher than the grocery store in the mall. I felt it’s cheaper at the farmers market. I didn’t see any fresh bread there, not sure if we’re just to early to be there. Some other stall were not yet ready when we got there.
Thanks for the advice for Bill.
Have a great day!
Thanks Derek,
I want to go, its just convincing the wife, thats the hard part for me. Hopefully these replies will help me to convince her to go for even just one day even, although I would prefer to stay for 2-3 if possible.
That’s awesome! I wish I was there. I can take you to my farm with your wife.
What is the street address of the farmers market in Balite Lagao? Thanks
I have no idea what the street address is, but I think even a child could find it using the directions in the article. Any tricycle driver would be able to drive you right to it. It is right in front of Notre Dame Lagao for Boys.
So I guess I will need to Google Earth it? Thanks
You really don’t need Google earth, just jump in a tricycle. It’s not difficult.
That’s what I was thinking Bob Martin. It seems very well spelled out in the Article.
Yes, Rusty, the Philippines is not like New York City where you have to give an address. People can actually find stuff here without a street number! 😉
Yes, Bob Martin, I do it all the time in Tagum! It seems to me you could hop in any tricylce and ask to go to Notre Dame Lagao and you would have essentially arrived at your destination. No Google earth required.
Well you two, since I am currently not in Gen San but in San Francisco, Ca. That’s is the reason to poise the questions. Next time you decide to leave the island for the mainland try finding a trike here and ask whoever if they can find anyplace by chance. I have been to the Red Trellis Restaurant which has great seafood but that was three years ago
@Scott G. Quinn Red Trellis Restaurant is now the present site of FARMER’S MARKET which was formerly rented from Rue Ramas…Red Trellis Restaurant transferred to the city proper.
I still don’t understand what good Google earth will do you in San Francisco?
It’s a GPS system mapping of the entire globe which was taken by satellite
I understand what Google Earth is. I use it frequently. But if you are in San Francisco, a satellite image of this farmers market is of what use to you? If you ever have any intention of going there, you will need to make your way back to PI and more than likely (unless you have a car or something) take a tricylce to go here…To each their own I suppose.
Awesome lady. Auntie Rue
U can locate any address whether in San Francisco or any other place in the world.
Scott have you had a lobotomy recently?
It easy to be rude to people on the Internet or far away. I guess you had no home training. God bless you!
Dude I’m just saying. I have explaind to you that I know exactly what google earth is, and what it can do. I was just curious what good a Satellite image of a farmers market is going to do you all the way in San Fran? It just doesnt make sense to me! That is all.
I was just trying to view an aerial photograph of the farmers market since our friend could not give an exact location at first I used satellite photos to locate certain things in while I was in the armed forces of the USA. Balite Lagao is a large barrangay with a lot of foliage to obscure structures Do I need to explain further or…
Red Trellis is no longer in business, Scott G. Quinn. But, their former location is the location of the Farmer’s Market if that helps. I was not being rude to you, only answering your questions honestly.
Maybe I was a bit rude…I apologize Scott. God Bless you as well.
For those interested in attending here is the locational details.
So if you haven’t gone there yet or if you happen to be in Gensan on a Sunday, please visit Farmers’ Market. It’s every Sunday, 7am to 12nn, Tiongson Extension, Lagao, Gen. Santos City. in front of Notre Dame IBED.
Regards.
Jim
Hi Feyma –
Thanks for the article about Farmer’s Market in GenSan, but must you bring it up so soon? LOL I say this because my wife and I have just returned from a very memorable vacation in the Philippines (12/9/14 – 1/3/15), which included a week-long side trip to Mindanao where we stayed at the picturesque Sarangani Highlands in GenSan. Yes, we passed by the Notre Dame Dadiangas University almost daily on our way by taxi from the highlands to the city proper past the fishport complex, but I am pretty sure this was not the Lagao campus mentioned in your article. But. the mere mention of Notre Dame Dadiangas is just too painful to hear, given that I am still trying to recover from the pain of having left the Philippines so soon!
To Bill S, above, who made the comment, ” I would like to go to Gen. San. for a couple of days myself next month, but my wife says its not safe to go there because of Muslims there, and past bombings there.”
Bill S, I don’t blame you for holding such an opinion about Filipino Muslims. You are perfectly free to form your own opinion, but I find it totally absurd for anyone to hold a pre-conceived notion about a people especially if they haven’t really taken the time to meet and know them out of fear due to hearsay. The opinion I have of them is quite the opposite. Without exception, I find Filipino Muslims to be a gentle and peace-loving people, whether they are in Mindanao or in predominantly Christian Luzon. This opinion is not hearsay. It is based on personal observations I have made during every visit to the Philippines.
Filipino Muslims I have observed in the Philippines co-exist peacefully side by side with their Christian brothers and sisters – in business and in daily life. During our recent vacation in the Philippines, my wife, who is a Palestinian Muslim, easily befriended a number of Muslim women at the malls, restaurants and shops in Manila, Makati, and at the Fort. We shopped heavily at Muslim-owned businesses in Baclaran and Quiapo in Manila in search of souvenirs, and found the Muslims friendly and approachable. In Mindanao, We met no Filipino Muslim who wasn’t civilized. In fact, they are more civilized than many Christian Filipinos I know.
One day, we found ourselves deep in the Muslim quarter at the Golden Dome (mosque) in Quiapo shopping for Muslim dresses imported from Jakarta when, at around noon, the traditional mid-day prayers were broadcast via the the speakers. I looked around to see if I was not the only one awed by that mesmerizing moment when, in the midst of the chaos and distinctive smell of Quiapo with its throngs of humanity, the chanting of the verses of the Koran pierced the hot, humid air in this, a bastion of Christianity in the Orient. To my utter surprise, I found that indeed I was the only overwhelmed by it all. I turned to see my wife chatting with a Muslim shopkeeper in Arabic while conducting business as usual. Muslims and Christians – Filipinos all – rubbed shoulders normally as usual as they must have been doing for ages within the tight confines of the Golden Dome bounded by the Quiapo Church on one side and the the mosque on the other. My videocamera stayed full on, recording this peaceful co-existence between Muslim and Christian Filipinos for eternity while the chanting droned on. Leaving the blight of Quiapo that day, my wife made a very interesting and profound statement: “Wow! I kept looking but I have not seen one single Filipino Muslim begging or sleeping on the sidewalk back there.”
During our stay at Sarangani Highlands in GenSan a week earlier while we were there, a two-day Bangsamoro convention was held to discuss the Riyadh initiative. I had no idea what the Riyadh initiative was about, all I remembered was that the resort was full of Muslim Filipinos. They mostly kept to themselves, spending the entire two days in their own private auditorium with power point presentations. During breaks, some of them, mostly women, strolled the grounds in groups with iPhones in their hands to admire the scenery overlooking Sarangani Bay. It was during such time that my wife befriended two beautiful, young Muslim women. Resplendent in their colorful hijab, they spoke with my wife in flawless Arabic. With their permission, I was allowed to take a video of them with my wife. They also asked me to take a picture of them with my wife with their iPhones.
So, Bill, I can keep going on this, but, in the final analysis, you gotta see to believe. Not until you overcome your fear of Filipino Muslims will you ever see how peaceful and decent they really are.
Hi John – Ha ha ha,,, I hear you… Sorry about that. Well, you have something to look forward too then on your next visit. :-)… Hurry up, book your ticket now. LOL
Cheers!!!
“Without exception, I find Filipino Muslims to be a gentle and peace-loving people, whether they are in Mindanao or in predominantly Christian Luzon.”
I don’t mean to mislead you, Bill, sorry. Of course, there are a few exceptions, and we all are cognizant of that fact without further explanation. But, the single most important thought I wish to convey is that, in my opinion, the mainstream Filipino Muslims are a peaceful lot.
Hi Feyma,
I enjoyed reading your article and looking at the pictures! I thought boiled peanuts were strictly an Eastern North Carolina thing. I love raw peanuts but the one way I don’t like peanuts is boiled. I just feel the peanut should be crunchy not mushy. To each their own though.
Hi Jay – I’m not sure if it’s in the Carolina’s kind of thing, I know for sure that I grow up eating boiled peanuts in Pinas and loving it. LOL.
Yep, it’s really to each their own… 🙂
Good to see you here again!