By Mikaela Calixto
MALOLOS, BULACAN ― As the Christmas season draws near, vendors and consumers in Bocaue Public Market suffer from the price increase of goods in the past few weeks.
Photo by Victor Batongbakal, KALASAG
Starting his day in the public market at 4 AM, Joselito, a meat vendor, expressed his dismay from his product sales despite long hours of labor.
“Matumal ngayon dahil ang tao ay halos walang pera, hindi ba? Totoo naman,” he asserted.
Aside from merchants, consumers also shared their concerns on how they will budget their money in defiance from the high price of goods.
“Pagka sa isang linggo, ‘yung pinapamili ko nasa sa [one] thousand plus pero syempre hindi naman kakasya ‘yun kasi magkano na ang bigas, magkano ‘yung karne,” said Agnes, a resident in Bocaue who frequently goes to the market.
“Itong karne na ‘to, ang ‘onti niya 300 na, ganu’n kamahal ang bilihin. ‘Yung gulay katiting lang dalawang daan na, ganu’n kamahal,” she added.
According to the Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association Inc., prices of basic goods went up by 2% to as high as 13% last November 26.
As of December 02, 2022, here is the price list on the Bocaue Public Market:
Prices of goods
Along with the Christmas breeze, the increase in prices of sugar, ready-to-drink beverages, chocolate, jelly, and peanut butter are now felt by shoppers.
They are also thinking of another cheaper way to make their Noche Buena extra special this year given the economic status of the country.
However, it is now impossible for some consumers to serve the same food that they used to enjoy together in the previous years before the pandemic.
“Palagay ko, hindi na. Kasi napakalaki na ng itinaas [ng mga bilihin] lalo [ang] gulay. Kung ako hirap, lalo pa ‘yung mga nasa ibabang [sektor], ‘di ba? Mas hirap sila kasi syempre [‘yung] kita nila. Kung ako nga may kinikita gipit, lalo sila,” Agnes said.
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TAGS: Vendors, Consumers, Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association Inc.
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