Early Sunday morning I went with my niece and nephew to the Palengke (market) to get good and fresh produce and fresh meat. We went around 4am so that we can catch when the butcher delivers the fresh meat. Sunday is the market day here. People really flocked from all over Davao to get the fresh and newly delivered veggies. I mean they deliver everyday, but its really Sunday that the delivery is abundant and lots of variety.
Since living here in Davao, 7 years ago if we go to the market P500 is enough already to buy the veggies that we want for the week. Nowadays we have to spend like P2000 for the weeks worth of veggies. Just a sample a kilo of potato before its 20-30 pesos, now its 60-70 pesos per kilo. Even with the price increase of course people have to go to the market to buy their food though. Can’t complain because its worldwide that’s really suffering right now. Its just sad that I can hear people complaining there. Well, at least at the Palengke they can bargain the price, unlike at the supermarket at the mall.
I really enjoyed going to the Palengke. Really its not just for the veggies and meat but its also nice seeing and meeting lot of people from many walks of life shopping there. The vendors still smiling a lot even though they’re having a hard time. They’re still happy trying to get a decent living. I know its not much for them to earn everyday but still they are satisfied. I’m happy for them. A lot of them the whole family will be selling the veggies or meat in one stall, they take turns in serving the customers. Some members will take care during night time while others sleep, then vise versa. I saw a kid she might have been like 6 years old. She’s helping her mom and dad selling beans. She’s really cute, of course I bought some veggies from her. I also saw a dad and his 4 kids. This family used to be selling Filipino delicacy everyday, the dad was the cook, the mom and the kids (when they were younger) was the one selling the food in the Palengke. Unfortunately, the mom died a few years ago, so now the dad and the kids will just sell their food at the Palengke during weekend because the kids are in school. The dad has other jobs during weekdays. We always swing by there at those peoples stall and buy a lot of their food. These are the food that they are selling like biko (sweet rice with coconut milk and sugar), suman (sweet rice again with similar stuff as the biko and wrapped in banana leaves), palitaw (ground sweet rice and mix with water and drop in boiling water when its cooks, eat it with ground coconut), and a lot more.
Maybe we will bump some of you guys there? Anyway, have fun going to the market and have fun bargaining.
Mabuhay!
Feyma: Rebecca does the same thing… Goes to the market for buying meat and veggies. She truly is in her element there. She loves, really loves, bargaining. The quality in the market is usually better, also. I prefer just to go to the store and get what I need and leave.
As a note… As much as I travel, I've learned that the quickest way to really learn about a place is to visit the local market. No matter what country you are in, the local culture is truly on display there.
Hi John Miele – It must be a woman thing to really bargain. 🙂 Yeah to go that early everything is fresh then.
Its must be the guy thing too, that just buy the stuff and go. 😉 Doesn't really like to browse around.
I think your right on that, that you learn something from the country and the people by going to the local market.
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Hi Feyma
like John i prefer to go the mall or supermarket for my produce but it really is fresher and of course cheaper at the market…..i have started slowly to use them but feel as a westerner a little bit out of place there….but am slowly getting used to it and even now starting to like the experience…there are some good honest hardworking people who are like you say Feyma cheerful under the difficult circumstances of making their living
i should use the markets more but it must be a girl thing….i hate to bargain and will just walk away if the price is not what i expect….on the whole i think i get treated fairly at the markets, sure on occasions i may pay a little bit extra but i won't bargain and so it is my fault…if i feel i'm being taken advatage of because i am a foreigner then i just won't buy the item but generally i get treated very fairly
i should be more adventurous and use the markets all the time, maybe i will just ask ann to go and take my normal easy way out, thanks for writing about this Feyma…..i guess you use Bankerohan market?
My mother is already on a first name basis with the people in Agdao – she goes everyday. Randy C has posted my pictures of Agdao – http://journeytosamal.blogspot.com/2008/08/davao-…
I like this kind of market, and it is quite common in the south pacific islands. I specifically liked the one in Fiji, cuz there is a second floor where they sell all kinds of spices, i.e. to make different blends of curry. In the markets, I walk around buying and my husband follows me with his waterproof backpack (which is very big). I have my own little backpack but he only allows me to put lighter things in there. Sometimes I put some heavy fruits in mine, and tell him it is good to prevent osteoporosis 😀 and to build up my leg muscles.
Hi Rick – You really should give it a try. I love going to the market, although I don't go shopping with Feyma. I like to go there, just roam around, maybe shoot some pictures and such. I now enjoy speaking with the people in Bisaya, and that is really a good way to practice the language.
Hello feyma, at which palengke you go? i love going to palengke too…i pity those small kids selling at the palengke, and proud at the same time about their determination to earn in order to survive…i just hope they are still at school and selling at the palengke on sundays, so they have time to study and will have a good fture someday…
Hi Feyma. Nice piece.
In earlier times when I was in town I never missed to go to Bankerohan for the thick sikwate and the hot suman in the early Sunday morn.
Hi rick b – Try to go to the public market with Ann sometimes. I think you will enjoy it. Those people would love to see a foreigner there. At first they will stare at you, but if you starts talking to them they will try their best to talk to you. Others might be shy in talking to you, they would say their English is not good enough. Maybe you will learn to speak a little Bisaya then.
Try to go there and bargain. You will like it.
Yes we go to Bankerohan Market.
Hi Ellen – We go to Bankerohan because its near our house. We also like to go to Agdao too. Sometimes if Bankerohan don't have the stuff what we wanted we go to Agdao then. They also had big selection there too.
When we go to the market I have to bring along with me my niece and nephew to help me carry the stuff. A lot of time my nephew will bring the veggies to our car while were shopping some more. Those potatoes,cucumber, raddish, squah and onions alone weighs a ton. Plus we are buying fruits too. Its not good for my back. Really its a few trips of my nephew to our car.
Does your hubby go to the market with you here? Do you go to Babak or Agdao? Thanks for the link. Nice photos there. Thats one thing we have here, we have good and fresh fruits, veggies, fish and meats.
Take care!
Hi Maryg – We go to Bankerohan Market. Its just 5 minutes away from our house.
Yeah I felt sorry for those kids too. Last time I was approach by one of those kids. His selling calamansi, he told me that he wants me to buy his calamansi in a bowl for just 10 pesos, I just bought a lot of calamansi before seeing him. So I just gave him 10 pesos and told him to sell his calamansi to some other people instead. He really gave me a big smile and thank me.
Some of them are in school, some are not.
Hi Dr. Sponk Long – Hey they still had that there. Hmm, I might stop by tomorrow to one of those places and drink some sikwati and send you the photos. Maybe not, you might get jealous. 😉 🙂 Just kidding!
We have some cacao tree in our farm.My parents used to make sikwati every morning with biko or puto on the side too. Yummy…
Hi Feyma,I must be the odd man out here,i love to bargain, 😆 .It comes from my life long experience bargaining at markets,auctions,sales etc.I feel at home in markets,far more interesting and fun than shopping centres,regards Chas.
For those people who have not picked a place to live, one criterion I would suggest adding to the 'we want' list is a twon with a good palangke. It's not only fun and convenient, but as you point out, it's a place to meet real people rather than beggars or office workers who are trying to act like Filipino versons of lehman Brothers employees … oh, perhaps they'll need another role model now ;-).
When Mita and I travel we often stop at a market just to stretch our legs and see what might be available that we don't see near home.
One thing I have seen many foreigners carry on about is how foreigners will be cheated on the prices. I am sure there are times this happens but in my experince it's much less often than many make it out to be. Fruits, vegetables, meats in general pretty much have a set price (in some markets there are even 'price control' boards … so much for a freemarke enomy ;-).
I've gone to palangkes a number of times on my own, or with my son when he visited from the US, and I have always had a good time. I'm sure there are times I might have gotten a better price for something, but I also know I have gotten good bargains more often than not. Hiding your white face from the world is a dumb way to live here in my view … business is business and people are people … don't miss out on life because you're concerned you might get 'burned' for 5 extra Pesos here and there.
One thing I have seen in many of these reported I got cheated' stories is, the person paid the asking price and then felt dumb when they found out what they paid was twice what someone else paid. This has _nothing_ to do with nationality, it's the way piblic markets work. Unless you know and do regular business with the vendor _never_ pay the quoted price. "Making tawad" (asking for a better price) is not only a financial thing, it's an expected cultural thing, it's part of the game … you'll never know until you try.
Feyma,
Elena and I go to Agdao every sunday morning too. I am not as early a riser as you, so we usually arrive between 6-7am. I ejoy the people there and a few times when I could not go, Elena would tell me all the vendors that asked where I was. One time I had a cold and did not go, the next time so many asked how I was feeling.
I like Agdao better then the market, you can get better and fresher vegis, and more choices than in Giasano. We also get out Bangus deponed and lately buy Talipai fillets. Both fish mongers do a great job.
Maybe we will run into you there.
Boy I loved going to the farmer's markets there in the Philippines , so i showed my wife what to look for in the fresh vegetables . I grow these at home ..the fish, sea food market was really a impressive sight for me .my wife bought some small fish or minnows and she fried them up in little cakes whole i just stared at them then she said .."honey you can eat them they are for u "… So I grabbed one and ate it it was very good i think i ate most of them ….Then we went looking for different herbs an spices was full of good scents ..don't have that here that is for sure .All the people were very friendly and help full.. I really enjoyed it ….Phil R.
Hi Feyma,
How are you? It's been a while, huh? Just been soooo busy with work but I try to visit when I can.
Anyway, what I love about going to the market there is seeing all the fresh fish and vegetables. Whenever I go, I spend all the money I have in my wallet because I just want to buy everything I see. 😆 I have never seen fish here as fresh as I see over there, unless we catch them ourselves of course… What I really love about the vegetables is how they still have dirt/mud on them – the scallions, camote, carrots, etc. Here, everything is washed and clean. And, of course, don't forget the kakanin – suman, bibingka, etc. The food vendors love me 'coz I buy a little of everything. What a treat! 😆
4am? OMG! I don't think so! It's more like 6am for me but I think I'll try going at 5am. Like you said, there's more to choose from…
Take care, stay well…Enjoy market day! 😀
Hi Feyma. You said that you go to the market at 4:00am …that is very early! I'm a westerner and I sleep until 9:00am or 10:00am in the morning, but I really do want to wake up early, but it is very very difficult for me. I will be moving to the Philippines next year and I want to wake up early like people there. Do you have any ideas about how can I get up earlier? Should I go to bed very early (9:00pm in the evening?) Does eating certain foods for dinner help people seep better at night?
Hi CHAS – Good for you. I'm with you its fun to bargain at the market.
Thank you so much for stopping by!
Hi Dave Starr – Sometimes I bargain hard, but sometimes I don't. If I felt that the vendors are really poor I paid the asking price. I know they need the money.
Really it's just part of here that if you have white skin or came from the west you are rich in their mind already. Living here with Bob and the kids I am used to that statement already. Honestly thats why I don't take Bob and the kids with me to the market so that if I felt I want to bargain I can do it. I don't want those vendors knowing I'm married to a foreigner.
Have fun bargaining my friend. Hello to Mita from us. Take care and thank you so much for your comment!
Hi Bruce – Hey, you'll never know I might see you guys then. Sometimes we are still there at the market at 6am. We might be at the meat area by about that time.
Oh yeah, the public market has more choices of veggies than the market at the mall.
Have fun shopping. Thank you for stopping by!
Hi phil r. – Good for you. What place in the Philippines your wife's family from? I am not familiar with minnows, but we might call it different names here in our place. Just the way you described it the way its cook we have that here. Sometimes my niece would cook that. Its pretty good.
Yeah, we have lots of different kinds of herbs here too and fresh.
Thank you very much for stopping by!
Hi Tina – Good to hear from you. What's up with you and Ken?
Hey that's the way I do it too. Spend all the money I have in my pocket. Seeing everything there and so fresh its really tempting and its cheap. Yes, you can tell its fresh even the dirt comes with it.
We had suki already for the kakanin. They really are nice people and the food they are selling are clean. I'm going to skip this weekend for the market day. I have to go see my mom though. She's very ill right now. Hope for the best for her.
Do you shop similar like this there in your place? During summer in the States before, Bob and I and the kids usually go to some people's farm and buy veggies. Very fresh too. In Oregon near the airport theirs an old barn turn into a market and they are selling fresh veggies and its really nice. Hope it still there.
Hey, sometimes I'm already awake by 3am. I'm used to it already because I have to prepare the kids by 4:30am for school during weekdays.
Take care Tina and hello to Ken from us!
Phil R here ….. they are indigenous tribe in the mountains to the south of Gingoog city….about 120 miles north of u …
Hi phil r. – Thank you so much for the info.
Hi Feyma,
Just strolled into your market and I have enjoyed your story very much, it brought back many fond memories of my stay in Davao.(4 times) Enjoyed the sounds, smell, the scenery and above all the smiles of the people. My wife Aurora is from there and we're happily married 26 years. Love most of the food, except you wont see me near balut.
Warm regards,
Bernard
Note to self: only let wife have so much money before she goes to market, because she will spend all she has untill it is gone! hahahahhahah! And two women have already stated that fact right here! Just teaseing Feyma and Tina. Hey does anyone know if Iligan has a good farmers market?
Hi Bernard Bosmans – I'm glad you like Bankerohan public market. It really has almost everything you want for fresh produce and meat. Yeah the people there are nice too. It's good to bargain when they are friendly. 😉
Thats really good that you are now married for a long time. You guys are ahead for a lot of years than us. Good for you.
Ha ha ha. Don't worry I don't eat balut too.
Thank you for reading and leaving comments here. Take care!
Hi Tim Payne – Thats what we are here for to shop and spend. 😉 We are good on that you know… 😉 Ha ha ha…Don't worry me and Tina won't be offended by that…
I think Iligan has a good market place too. Have fun when you visit there. I had lots of friends in Iligan.
Take care!