[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Who says giving flowers on Heart’s Day is passé?’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY RESEL JOY TIANERO
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=’custom’ color=’#0a0a0a’]
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=’custom’ color=’#0a0a0a’]
ILOILO City – The old-fashioned custom of giving flowers on Valentine’s Day is alive and well in this city. Take it from flower vendors at the Iloilo Central Market.
Red roses are the preferred flowers of the llonggos, according to Cherry Mae Jacosalem, flower arranger.
Red roses are the most salable among her flower shop’s blooms every Valentine’s Day, she reveals, and buyers seem unmindful of the price.
“Prices usually increase every Feb. 14, especially those of roses. But customers don’t seem to mind. They prefer red roses over other flowers for their loved ones,” says Jacosalem.
In Roman mythology, red rose is the favorite flower of Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. Hence the red rose came to be associated with love and romance.
Recalling past Valentine’s Days, Jacosalem says flower sales were so-so but she remains positive of doing better today.
“Many Ilonggos still give flowers to their love ones and this is something to be happy about. The time-honored tradition lives on,” she says.
Fresh flowers have always been seen as an embodiment of beauty and the use of them as gifts is regarded as an expression of the beautiful wishes that reside in the heart of the giver.
Jacosalem’s stem of rose costs P70 and a dozen is between P700 to P750. She, however, says prices fluctuate. A stem may fetch between P80 to P100 and a dozen between P800 to P1,000.
Jacosalem has been arranging and selling flowers these past 15 years and her shop’s suppliers are from Manila and Baguio, she reveals.
“I love flowers and I love doing flower arrangements. It’s my passion,” says Jacosalem.
The other salable flowers during Valentine’s Day are carnation and Malaysian mumps, she says.
Carnation is P40 per stem and between P400 to P540 per bundle. Malaysian mumps is between P350 to P400 per bundle.
Competition from other flower shops may be stiffer today.
According to Nolie Alaban, Bongabella flower shop owner, her roses cost P50 per stem and a bundle fetches around P600.
“Pero depende pa ‘na,” she says, noting that some customers do haggle for pocket-friendly prices.
Her Malaysian mumps cost between P30 to P35 per stem and between P280 to P300 per bundle.
Her carnation is between P30 to P35 per stem and P350 per bundle while the “baby roses” cost P1,000 per bundle.
Alaban has been in the business of selling flowers for the past 25 years. During Valentine’s Day, prices of flowers, especially roses, really do increase, she says./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
