10 QUESTIONS FOR A PANCIT MALABON VENDOR

The city of Malabon is famous for a huge variety of delicacies, and one of them is the Pancit Malabon. ALING LINDA, who happens to own Dolores, a pancit malabon shop at Malabon, is known to be the origin of the authentic pancit malabon.

QUESTION 1: Paano po nagsimula ang pagtayo ng Dolores? (What is the origin of Dolores?)

ALING LINDA: Nagsimula yan nung nagtratrabaho ako sa restaurant ng mga magulang ko sa Iloilo. Bale doon, hindi pa pancit malabon ang ginagawa. Pancit guisado pa lamang ang inihahain namin doon. Nung nakapagasawa ako ng tiga-Malabon, nagtayo ako ng negosyo. (It started when I was working at my parent’s restaurant at Iloilo. We used to serve pancit guisado at that restaurant. When I married my husband who happened to be from Malabon, I established my own business.)

QUESTION 2: Paano po naging Dolores ang pangalan ng tindhan ninyo? (Where did you get “Dolores,” as a name for your business?)

ALING LINDA: Pangalan yan ng panganay ko. (It is the name of my first born.)

QUESTION 3: Kailan po nagsimula ang Dolores? (When did Dolores start?)

ALING LINDA: Noong 1959 pa lamang, may Dolores na. (Since 1959.)

QUESTION 4: Ano po ang karaniwang sangkap ng Pancit Malabon? (What are the usual ingredients of Pancit Malabon?)

ALING LINDA: Mayroon yan pancit, tinapa, chicharon na toppings. Tapos may baboy, pusit at hipon. (It has pancit, tinapa, chicharon for toppings. It also has pork, squid and shrimp.)

QUESTION 5: Bakit kulay dilaw ang pancit malabon? (What gives pancit malabon its yellowish color?)

ALING LINDA: Atsuete. Sa iba ang ginagamit nila, food color. Sa amin, iniiwasan namin ang ganoon. Lahat dito, natural. (Atsuete. Others use food color. We tend to avoid using food color.)

QUESTION 6: Ano po ang difference ng pancit palabok at pancit luglug sa pancit malabon? (What is the difference between pancit palabok, pancit luglug and pancit malabon?)

ALING LINDA: Parehas lang ang tatlo. Ang pinagkaiba lang minsan ay kung gaano kataba o kapayat ang pancit na gamit. Sa amin, pinaghahalo namina ng payat at matabang pancit. (They are all the same. Sometimes, they vary on what type of pancit you use. It can be thin or thick. For Dolores, we use both varieties.)

QUESTION 7: Maliban po sa Dolores, mayroon pa po ba kayong ibang tindahan ng pancit malabon? (Aside from Dolores, do you have any pancit malabon establishments?)

ALING LINDA: Mayroon pa. Yung Pancit ng Taga Malabon sa Pasay Road, hipag ko ang may ari. Tapos yung Neng’s naman, sa Ever Gotesco sa Quezon, sa pangalawang anak ko iyun ipinangalan. (We do. Pancit ng Taga Malabon at Pasay Road and Neng’s at Ever Gotesco at Quezon.)

QUESTION 8: Mahirap po ang kompetensya dito sa Malabon? Marami po kasi kaming napansin na mga tindahan din ng pancit malabon. (Is the competition here at Malabon, tough? We have observed a lot of establishments of pancit malabon within the area.)

ALING LINDA: Malakas ang kompetensya dito, pero nakapagtayo na kami ng sariling pangalan. (Competition here is high, but we have already established our own identity.)

QUESTION 9: Bakit po kailangan napaka-hands on ninyo sa iyong negosyo? (Why do you need to dedicate yourself to your business?)

ALING LINDA: Dapat dedicated ka kasi, para alam mo kung nagagawa ng tama at kung may problema man. At, iba talaga kasi kapag gusto mo yung ginagawa mo. (You need to be dedicated for you to be able to monitor your business well. And, it it is different if you love what you do.)

QUESTION 10: Ano po ang unique na katangian ng Dolores? (What is the unique characteristic of Dolores?)

ALING LINDA: Sigurado kami na kapag nakakain ka dito, hindi mo na kami makakalimutan at babalikan mo kami. (We are certain that once you ate our pancit malabon, you will never forget us and get tired of coming back.)

Joint project with Rudstin Estrellado (paresatbp). Photo taken by Rudstin.

10 QUESTIONS FOR A CANDLE VENDOR

Today, most candles are made from paraffin. Candles can also be made from beeswax, soy, other plant waxes, and tallow (a by-product of beef-fat rendering). Gel candles are made from a mixture of paraffin and plastic.

In the Philippines, candles are often sold outside the Church by different vendors.

Meet ALING SUSAN, a candle vendor at Quiapo church.

QUESTION 1: Ilang taon na po kayo nagbebenta ng kandila? (How long have you been selling candles?)

ALING SUSAN: 15 years na. (15 years.)

QUESTION 2: Isa po ba itong negosyo o naglalako po kayo para sa isang mayroon negosyo ng kandila? (Is it a family business or you sell it for someone else?)

ALING SUSAN: Naglalako ako para sa iba. Hindi na kami nakapagtayo ng maayos na negosyo. Paliging lugi. (I sell it for someone else. We aren’t able to own a business that is profitable.)

QUESTION 3: Paano po kayo nagsimula bilang candle vendor? (How did you start as a candle vendor?)

ALING SUSAN: Sa mga kaibigan lang ito. Wala kasing mahanap na ibang pagkakakitaan. (I was referred to by a friend. I wasn’t able to find a job or a business that is profitable.)

QUESTION 4: Ano po ang ibig sabihin ng mga kulay ng kandila? (What does the color of each candle represent?)

ALING SUSAN: Ang puti para sa purity. Ang pula para sa ikabubuti ng relasyon sa pamilya. Ang asul para sa ikatatahimik ng kaisipan. Sa pink ang love life. Tapos ang itim para sa mga kaaway para magbago sila at maging mabuti. At ang green para sa pera o kaya business. (White is for purity. Red is for family relationships. Blue is for peace of mind. Pink is for love life. Black is for the change of heart of enemies and green is for business.)

QUESTION 5: Magkakakilala po ba kayo ng mga candle vendors dito? (Do candle vendors here know each other?)

ALING SUSAN: Magkakaibigan o kaya ung iba magkakamaganak. (Some are friends while others are relatives.)

QUESTION 6: Magkaano po ang kita ninyo sa isang araw? (How much do you earn in a day?)

ALING SUSAN: Malaki na ang isang daan para sa isang araw. (100 pesos per day.)

QUESTION 7: Napagkakasya niyo po iyon para sa pangaraw-araw? (Are you able to suffice your needs with your daily income?)

ALING SUSAN: Hindi. Kulang na kulang pa. Pero, wala tayong magagawa diyan kundi magsikap na lang talaga. (No. Our income does not meet our needs. We just have to work hard for what we need.)

QUESTION 8: Tumutulong po ba sa inyo ang mga anak ninyo? (Do you children help you with work?)

ALING SUSAN: Ang panganay ko ang tumutulong sa akin dito. Ang bunso ko naman sa bahay namamahala. (My first born helps with selling candles while my youngest child does chores at home.)

QUESTION 9: Paano po nakatutulong ang pagiging candle vendor ninyo sa pag-abot ng mga pangarap ninyo? (How does your occupation help you with achieving your dreams?)

ALING SUSAN: Nakakapagipon kami kahit konti. (We are able to save money.)

QUESTION 10: Ano po ang gusto ninyong makamit? (What do you want to achieve?)

ALING SUSAN: Magkaroon ng sariling bahay. (To own a house.)

10 QUESTIONS FOR A BOOK VENDOR

It is a common sight in the busy sidewalks of Manila for us to see dozens of vendors selling either food, clothes, gadget accessories and the like. But for KUYA DANNY’s case, he sells books on the streets of Manila for less the price.

Meet KUYA DANNY, a book vendor.

QUESTION 1: Kailan po kayo nagsimula magbenta ng mga libro? (When did you start selling books?)

KUYA DANNY: Kakasimula ko pa lamang dito. Marami na rin kasi akong nasubukan na trabaho. (I just started selling books. I have tried a lot of occupations and jobs before.)

QUESTION 2: Maliban po dito sa Manila City Hall, saan pa po kayo naglalako ng mga libro? (Aside from Manila City Hall, where else do you sell books?)

KUYA DANNY: Nagbebenta din ako minsan sa Quiapo o kaya malapit sa mga paaralan. (I also sell at Quiapo or near schools.)

QUESTION 3: Bakit niyo po naisipan magbenta ng libro? (What made you decide to sell books?)

KUYA DANNY: Gusto ko tanggalin ang paniniwala ng mga nakakakatanda na hindi nagbabasa ang mga kabataan ngayon. Sa totoo lang, nagbabasa rin ang mga estudyante ngayon. Kaya rin ako nagbebenta ng libro, gusto ko rin na ipromote ang pagbabasa sa mga dumadaan dito kung saan ako nagbebenta ng libro. (I want to remove the connotation of the elderly that the younger generation disregard books. In all honestly, the youth of today reads books. I sell books, to promote reading.)

QUESTION 4: Mga ilang libro po ang nabebenta ninyo sa isang araw? (How many books are you able to sell in a day?)

KUYA DANNY: Mga apat hanggang limang libro. (About four to five books.)

QUESTION 5: Magkaano po ang isang libro? Kunwari po ang libro ni Paulo Coelho na The Alchemist? (How much does one book cost? For example, The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho?)

KUYA DANNY: ‘Yung kay Paulo Coelho, 150. Depende ang presyo sa may akda at kailan inilimbag ang libro. Mayroon din second hand dito. Mas mura ang mga iyon kumpara sa mga bago. (The book of Coelho costs 150 pesos. The price of a book depends on the author and date of publication. Second hand books are cheaper compared to unused books.)

QUESTION 6: Mahilig po ba kayo magbasa ng libro? (Do you like to read books?)

KUYA DANNY: Oo naman. Marami ka kasing matututunan kapag nagbasa ka ng libro. Dapat rin mahilig kang magbasa ng libro kapag nagbebenta ka ng libro. Para nakakarelate ka din sa mga bumibili sa’yo. (Of course. You learn a lot whenever you read books. You have to love books if you will sell them, so that you can relate to your customers.)

QUESTION 7: Ano po ang madalas na hinahanap na libro dito? (What is the most searched or inquired book?)

KUYA DANNY: Mga libro ni Nicholas Sparks. (Books written by Nicholas Sparks.)

QUESTION 8: Hindi po ba kayo hinuhuli ng mga pulis dito? (Have you ever been caught by policemen, since you’re selling on the sidewalk?)

KUYA DANNY: Hindi naman. Marami na rin kasi kami dito. Pinapabayaan na lamang kami. (Not really. There are a lot of street vendors. The policemen don’t mind us and just let us sell here.)

QUESTION 9: Paano niyo po dinadala lahat ng mga librong ibinibenta ninyo? (How do you manage to bring all of the books you sell from one place to another?)

KUYA DANNY: Mayroon akong malaking bag na ginagamit kong pandala ng libro tuwing lumilipat ako ng lugar. (I have one bag where I place all of the books whenever I transfer from one place to another.)

QUESTION 10: Ano po ang mensahe ninyo sa mga hindi nagbabasa ng libro? (What is your message to the group of people who doesn’t read books?)

KUYA DANNY: Dapat silang magbasa dahil mas maraming natututunan sa libro. Dapat rin natin tangkilikin ang mga gawa ng manunulat upang umusbong ang literature dito sa Pilipinas. (They should read books since you can learn a lot from reading. We should support the works of writers so that literature in the Philippines grow.)

10 QUESTIONS FOR A FRUIT VENDOR

The streets of the Philippines is considered to be a place for vendors to sell goods and commodities. It remained a common sight to Filipinos to see street vendors day and night.

We have food vendors, people who sell clothes, cellphone accesories, etc. Among all the vendors that I see everyday, Kuya Caloy, a fruit vendor, caught my attention.

QUESTION 1: Ano po ang mga kadalasan ninyong ibinibenta na prutas? (What kinds of fruit do you often sell?)

KUYA CALOY: Saging, mansanas, mangga. Pero, depende kasi kung ano ang uso. Hindi naman kasi lahat ng prutas ay saganang tumutubo kahit anong oras sa isang taon. May mga buwan lamang na sagana silang tumutubo. Katulad kapag summer, sagana ang mangga, kaya, halos lahat ng nagtitinda ng prutas, mayroong mangga.(Bananas, apples and mangoes but it depends on what other vendors sell. Not all fruits grow at any time in the year. Some fruits only grow abundantly at a specific time of the year. During summer, mangoes grow abundantly.)

QUESTION 2: Bakit po kayo dito sa daan nagbebenta ng prutas? Bakit hindi po sa palengke? (Why are you selling fruits on the street? Why don’t you sell these at the market instead?)

KUYA CALOY: Sa umaga, nasa palengke ako. Tuwing hapon lamang ako nandito sa labas. (During the morning, I sell fruits at the wet market. During the afternoon, I sell fruits on the street.)

QUESTION 3: Hindi po ba mahirap magtulak ng kariton na may maraming prutas?(Isn’t it difficult to push a cart with many fruits?)

KUYA CALOY: Hindi naman mahirap ito, hijo. Sanayan lang siguro. Kapag baguhan ka pa lang kasi, medyo mabibigatan ka at mahihirapan kang magtulak. (It is not difficult. You get used to it. If you’re new at this, it would be difficult for you to push a heavy cart.)

QUESTION 4: Mga nakakamagkano po kayo bawat araw? (How much do you earn in a day?)

KUYA CALOY: Ah, depende sa araw. Pero kadalasan, isang libo tapos may mga dalawang daan na sobra. Kapag linggo, malakas ang benta nitong prutas lalo na sa labas ng simbahan. (It depends on what day of the week. But I often earn one thousand and two hundred pesos. During Sundays, fruits sell a lot especially outside the church.)

QUESTION 5: May pamilya po ba kayo? (Do you have a family?)

KUYA CALOY: May asawa’t isang anak ako. (I have a wife and a child.)

QUESTION 6: Nag-aaral na po ba ang anak ninyo? (Does your child already go to school?)

KUYA CALOY: Oo naman. Grade 4 na siya. (Of course. My child is already in 4th grade.)

QUESTION 7: Tungkol po sa edukasyon, sang-ayon po ba kayo sa K+12? (Are you in favor of K+12?)

KUYA CALOY: Oo. Hindi naman kasi iyon dagdag gastos sa pagpapaaral ng mga anak. Buti nga na napagpasya ng gobyerno na magkaroon ng pagpapatupad nito. Hindi lang para sa mga ikabubuti ng ating bansa pero, para sa ikabubuti ng mga Pilipino. (Yes. K+12 is not something that will increase expenditures. Good thing that the government had intentions of implenting this. This is not something that only our country will benefit from. This is something that we, Filipinos, will befenit from as well.)

QUESTION 8: Ano po ang gusto ng anak niyo maging? (What is your child’s ambition?)

KUYA CALOY: Gusto niya maging enhinyero. Gusto daw niya gumawa ng mga building. (He wants to become an engineer. He wants to build.)

QUESTION 9: Kung bibigyan po kayo ng pagkakataon na makapagaral ulit, mag-aaral po ba kayo? (Given the chance to study, will you go to school?)

KUYA CALOY: Oo naman. Hindi kasi ako nakapagtapos ng kolehiyo. Kahit matanda na ako, iba pa din kasi ang nakapagtapos ka ng pag-aaral. (Of course. I wasn’t able to finish college. Even though I’m already old, I want to finish school.)

QUESTION 10: Ano po ung kurso ninyo dati na hindi niyo natapos? (What was your program in college that you weren’t able to finish?)

KUYA CALOY: Architecture. (Architecture)

Kuya Caloy is someone who you can learn a lot from. He is different from Filipinos who believe that the K+12 program of the Department of Education is just another avenue to increase expenses. To him, education is not just something to finish, it is a gift. And being able to finish it is an achievement.