By I. Inojales | 02:20 PM October 31, 2025
TAGBILARAN CITY — Flower vendors in Tagbilaran continued to struggle with sluggish sales on Friday, even as more people visited cemeteries on the eve of All Saints’ Day.
Stalls lined the streets near cemeteries, with sellers eagerly calling out to passersby. Despite the crowd, many vendors said sales were slow compared to previous years.
At the Tagbilaran City Square, Evelyn Estomata, a flower vendor for the past 20 years, said she had only earned around P1,000 a few hours after opening her stall on Friday morning.
Most flowers sold in Tagbilaran were sourced from Cebu and Manila, while others came from Cagayan de Oro City and Bukidnon. The prices have gone up this year, sellers said, due to higher transport and supply costs.
To help customers save money, vendors offered flower bundles priced between P80 and P2,000.
“It’s really more expensive now because of rising prices,” Estomata said.
Some buyers opted to purchase early to avoid the expected rush on November 1 and to prepare ahead of possible bad weather.
Vendors expect prices to increase further on All Saints’ Day itself as demand peaks.
