One Tiangge Day

Right after mass, we went to the palengke (martket) to buy light bulb. But we were not gearing for anything branded since we just wanted to buy a five-watt bulb to light certain corners. So, we were really going to the tiangge to look for some cheap ones. Tiangges are those stalls outside the market place which are on the side of the road and unfortunately, occupying space that's supposed to be used for cars.

Anyway.

Tiangges are part of the Filipino culture. They are stalls set up one day a week outside the market place. The stalls are made up of collapsible materials that these people put up by dawn and tear down by dusk. The perception about tiangges is that you can buy things a lot cheaper on these stalls than anywhere inside the market place.

I have always wondered how much these people pay for this thing and today was my chance to talk to one of those byiaheros (travellers). The people who operates these tiangges are called biyaheros because they transfer everyday from town to town, where there is tiangge. I had a time to talk to the owner since my sister and his helper had to cross the street where we could test the bulbs if they are working.

I started by asking where they get their goods from and he said, "Divisoria." Then I asked where are they when it's not Sunday and not tiangge day here in our town. He said they are in Victoria on Mondays, Pila on Tuesdays, rest day on Wednesdays, etc.

Then I shifted and ask about their puhunan (capital).

At first, the owner was kind of hesitant to talk. I was asking how much they paid for the stall, something like how much they bought the space they occupy. He said that he's not allowed to talk about it and up to now, I wonder why. But I was kind of insistent so I got my answer, but he said it's just an estimate. He said that normally, he's not allowed to talk about it because, "bawal ho e." (It's forbiddent) but then he went on saying, let's just say a friend used to own this and one of the members of the family got sick and we just tried to help; that's why I got the place. I paid him something like Php 20,000 to get the place and we have daily fees.

Daily fees? There is a ticket they pay for Php 150.00, then his wife said that they also pay something for the police (which I couldn't really explain to myself, which she didn't elaborate, too) and the makeshift tables, the makeshift roof and the workers that carry the goods. All these would amount to about Php350.00, not including their meals for the day.

Then he said, "That's why we really need to make some money."

I smiled, paid and said goodbye.

So that's how much money they put to start operating the stall and that's how much money they need everyday to pay for the stall's daily expenses.