Cebu City, Philippines – As Cebuanos commemorate the sacred traditions of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day on November 1 and 2, 2023, the Carbon Public Market in Barangay Ermita, Cebu City, witnesses a substantial surge in the sales of candles and flowers.
Known locally as “kalag-kalag,” these celebrations are deeply ingrained in the cultural and religious fabric of the Philippines, a predominantly Catholic country.
Long-time flower vendor, Liezel Copta, with 37 years of experience, reveals that due to the heightened demand, prices of ordinary flowers have seen a noticeable increase, with small bundles now priced between P20 to P50. For a bundle of black roses sourced from the mountains of Barangay Busay, prices range from P200 to P300, depending on the supplier. On good days, Copta can earn as much as P50 per bundle, but slow days yield just P10.
Copta also offers Birds of Paradise flowers, cultivated in her own backyard in Busay, for P30 per bundle. In a bid to increase sales, she has introduced pre-arranged floral baskets, with small-sized arrangements now priced at P350 (up from P320 last week), and medium-sized ones at P500 (up from P450).
Jovelyn Gabonada, a 14-year flower vendor, has raised the prices of her flowers this year to capitalize on the surge in demand, assuring customers that her flowers remain reasonably priced. She sells wonder mums bundles at P250, purchased for P200 from the mountain barangay of Sirao, and aster flowers at P150 per bundle, available in both white and violet variants. She sources the latter for P100 per bundle from her supplier, and customers are welcome to negotiate prices for larger quantities.
On the candle front, Ardol Abayan, a candle vendor with a decade of experience, offers candles with glass containers for P35 to P120 each, while glass-less candles are priced at P90 for a set of six. Regular long candles can be found in the range of P25 to P75 per pack.
In a bid to draw more customers to their stall on P. Lopez St., near the University of San Jose-Recoletos, Abayan pays a total of P3,450 in rent for her selling period from October 28 to November 1.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Cebu Province has urged flower and candle sellers not to hike prices during kalag-kalag. They have introduced suggested retail prices (SRP) for candles, ranging from P45 to P185, depending on specifications and the number of candles per pack.
The DTI has observed an abundance of candle supplies, particularly in supermarkets, as of their last monitoring on October 27. Prices for candles in cemeteries might be slightly higher due to supply chain issues, but remade candles, typically brown or maroon in color, are more affordable than newly-manufactured ones.
However, the DTI is unable to establish SRPs for flowers, as they are not considered basic necessities or prime commodities. Nevertheless, they occasionally monitor flower prices due to their classification as special products. Locally-sourced flowers are usually more reasonably priced than those imported from outside Cebu. Some flowers come from as far as Baguio, Cagayan de Oro, China, and even Holland.
For instance, a local chrysanthemum is sold for P100 to P150 per bundle, while its imported counterpart, known as winter white chrysanthemum, typically costs at least P450 per bundle.
The DTI warns that flower vendors who set unreasonably high prices may be held liable under Republic Act 7394, also known as the Consumer Act of the Philippines, which penalizes deceptive, unfair, and unconscionable sales acts or practices. The agency encourages local government units (LGUs) to enforce reasonable pricing regulations for candles and flowers during peak-demand seasons, with barangays also authorized to monitor prices and confiscate goods if local ordinances permit such actions.
