Quirkylakwatsa#5: Sidcor Sunday Market

Sidcor Sunday Market (Lung Center Weekend Market, MBD, p.167)
The Walk, Eton Centris, EDSA - Quezon Ave

Date of Lakwatsa: May 8, 2011

 Mothers' Day at laban ni Pacman against Mosley ngayong araw na ito. But for Manay and I, araw ito ng pagbisita sa Sidcor Sunday Market. Naalala ko, years ago, this half-day Sunday market was organized and had operated at the Lung Center grounds. The Sunday market has grown and expanded its operations to include a wide range of shops selling various goods and items: from RTW to fresh fish, meat, fruits and vegetables - some of which are organic - to lutong ulam, specialty food items, plants and home and garden needs.


Kahit maulan ngayong araw na ito ay marami pa ring tao ang bumisita at namili sa Sunday market na ito. Hindi ko alam pero dahil siguro umaga, at weekend, ay pleasant and nice ang mga tao. Shopkeepers smile and warmly greet the customers, at ganun din naman ang mga mamimili sa kapwa nila. People say "sorry" kapag napasabit ang payong nila sa payong ng iba, at masarap pakinggan maya't maya ang salitang "salamat" o "thank you."

Some of the shopowners would even engage in good conversations with you. Lalo na dun sa mga shops which sell specialty products like regional dishes, organically grown farm products, and handcrafted items (like accessories).

Siyempre una sa listahan namin ang mag kape. May stall na nag-bu-brew ng kapeng barako at binebenta ito ng Php50.00/ cup.

Katabi ng stall na yun ang nagtitinda ng "tinututong", "binatog", "ginataang halo-halo", at "ginaatang malagkit na may mais." Bumili para iuwi sa bahay. Perfect for the "bed weather"

We then moved to the area where the "mga lutong ulam" are. The area has long tables and monobloc chairs (na nakatali sa posts ng tables para hindi siguro malipat kung saan or worse, manenok) for the customers to dig in. Regional dishes are sold in this area: one stall serves Bicolano Dishes, another serves Longganisa from the provinces of Central Luzon (Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Bulacan, Pampanga). Meron ding nagtitinda ng Ilocano favorites such as Vigan Empanada, Vigan Longganisa, at siyempre, Bagnet.

Kaya talagang mahihirapan kang pumili. Lalo na if you are looking for "healthier meal options". Sabi nga ni Manay, bibihira ang fish, vegetable or chicken dish. Kaya we ended up eating "relyenong talong" at "lechong baka".










May nakatabi pa kami sa table na isang batang babae na bumili ng dalawang "fighting fish". Sabi ng mommy nya, kung sila/kami daw ay pumunta Sunday Market para mag food trip, ang little girl naman ay pumunta for the pet fish.

 

Napansin nga lang namin na matindi ang generation ng non-biodegrable wastes sa lugar na ito. Sando plastic bags are very much used to pack purchased items, ang food ay served in styro and microwaveable plastic containers, plastic-disposable din ang eating utensils na ginagamit which most of the time are just left on the tables pagkatapos gamitin.

So maybe, if indeed the Sunday Market presents itself as an "alternative" marketplace, maganda ring pag-isipan how wastes can be reduced and managed.