Aside from the usual assortment of bright lights, lanterns and other ornaments lining the streets of Manila, you can tell that it’s Christmas when bazaars are sprouting up like mushrooms in various parts of the metro. However, doesn’t this seem a little inappropriate or peculiar after the onslaught of the recent typhoons that have left thousands of Filipinos with barely any necessities? On the contrary, setting up a business or even temporary setups like bazaars and sales of surplus items can benefit affected groups and individuals recover from the damages of the typhoons. From the sellers’ point of view, they can use this as an opportunity to gain a wider audience and generate more income in diverse venues. On the consumers’ side, gift items and necessary household items can be bought at a relatively or even extremely cheaper price than usual.

One good example would be the much anticipated “Christmas Festival” in Marikina City launched last November 14. The two-month Christmas bazaar had some 700 sellers offering a wide array of products, including shoes, ready-to-wear apparel, fashion and home accessories, gift and novelty items, kitchen gadgets, mobile phones, electronic gadgets, and fast food. Officials said they hope that the night bazaar would help speed up the recovery of the local economy after it suffered severe financial losses from the destruction wrought by Ondoy.

Elsewhere, bazaars are also being put up in preparation for the drove of shoppers eager to look for bargain finds. Due to the global economic crisis and export downtrend, a notable number of exporters are selling their wares to Filipino retailers at lower prices. One such bazaar is the annual St. James the Great Christmas Bazaar within the Ayala Alabang Village, which took place last Nov. 27 to 30. Now in its 18th year, the event boasted of 600 concessionaires offering a wide variety of quality products from manufacturers, exporters, importers and traders from Davao, Cebu, Palawan, Sulu, Bicol, Iloilo, Baguio, Pampanga, Quezon, Bulacan, Laguna, and Batangas. In case you missed out on the past bazaars, there’s no need to fret – just stay on the lookout for the various bazaars and trade fairs near you.

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