MANILA, Philippines – When the Magallanes weekend market started in the late ’90s, residents of Makati and outlying areas flocked to the open parking lot behind the old Magallanes Theater. As early as 7 a.m., notable personalities such as Irene Araneta-Marcos were already checking the freshest produce and other food specialties prepared by sellers who came from near and far.

Despite the success of the weekend market, it had to give way to the redevelopment of Magallanes. It has moved to the back lot of Tesda in Taguig. This has inspired the proliferation of weekend markets all over the metro, from Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City to Narra Park in Ayala Alabang Village, Muntinlupa City.

Lung Center of the Philippines

This operates every Sunday morning until lunchtime. Once inside, customers are greeted by sales executives selling real estate—not a good sign for the environment-conscious, with all that printed paper being passed around.

So far, this weekend market is the biggest in terms of sellers and buyers, occupying almost a hectare of open space. Goods range from “Tutuban-type” (mass-produced) clothes to power tools, plants and vegetables. I even spotted a gentleman selling live frogs from Nueva Ecija, what is commonly called “tugak” by the Kapampangan.

Stalls are well-arranged, according to merchandise—plants and potted flowers and herbs, clothes, food and fresh produce. However, there is hardly a dining area for customers.

Shoppers must bring enough cash for there are no ATMs in the vicinity and credit cards are not accepted. Besides, the price range of food is somewhat steep, P70 for an order of menudo without rice.

It was also surprising to find an “ukay-ukay” in a weekend market. I was tempted to buy authentic, used, designer bags such as Prada and Marni. However, when I asked about the prices, I was dumbfounded. They were more expensive than those in Baguio.

Legazpi Sunday Market

This took off when Magallanes Weekend Market closed. It thrived serving the Legazpi and San Lorenzo areas since it was organized by the barangay (village) in Macea open parking lot. However, when a substation was being built, it moved to the parking lot behind Corinthian Plaza. Attendance suffered—both sellers and buyers. Now back in its original site, Legazpi Sunday Market picked up where it left off.

In Legazpi, it’s a diverse mix of food and dry goods stalls compared to the Salcedo Saturday Market, which is populated by food hawkers. Unlike in Salcedo where pets are not allowed, your beloved Fifi is allowed in the former.

Going around the stalls, I heard stories of how some tenants went full-time into the weekend market and left their day jobs or opted for retirement. Ding Perez, former employee of Singapore Airlines, opted for early retirement in 1997, during the Asian financial crisis. Ever since, he has been doing the rounds of bazaars and weekend markets selling Zen fountains and Japanese/Filipino-inspired earthenware, mats and trays.

My batchmate from the UST’s Faculty of Arts & Letters, Mylene Casimiro, left her day job in a leading bank and concentrated on doing silverware decorated with Murano glasses, and dainty accessories called Patika.

Retiree Romy Glorioso leaves Lucban, Quezon, at 5 a.m. every morning to travel all the way to Legazpi to sell buntal hats, kimono bathrobes and satin pillow covers.

Shutterbug Reni Orayani merged his passion for travel and photography by turning them into nice ref magnets and framed display items. Former advertising executive and newspaper columnist Barbara “Tweetums” Gonzales has opened an art gallery in Legazpi Sunday Market as therapy after recovering from a stroke. Marda Pardo de Tavera runs Mara’s Organic Market, which sells vegetables and fruits sourced from organic farmers. Petra & Pilar’s Katrina Ponce Enrile also sells her Delimondo sauces and deli goodies.

My favorite booth every Sunday is the one selling “bagnet” and “longganisa” Vigan. The Ilocano gentleman serves sinful delights from the North with freshly cooked fried egg and “sukang Iloko” and “atchara” as sidings.

Another favorite is the vegetarian barbecue, which I swear tastes like the real McCoy. The meaty flavor of pork has been recreated in a healthy concoction of tofu and special barbecue sauce. For the porcine dish lover in all of us, one should check out the Cebu Lechon booth. It is the cheapest in town, selling an order with rice for a surprising P100. The booth next to it serves the best Barakong Kape from Batangas, perfect after a meal.

Narra Park in Ayala Alabang Village

Every Saturday, sellers and buyers converge at the pocket park behind the office of Ayala Alabang Village Association

(AAVA) in Muntinlupa City. Most stalls, selling mostly food and fresh produce, are manned by residents of this gated subdivision south of Manila.

Some of the products are from the sellers’ backyards or farms. This weekend market is still in its infancy stage but the crowd every Saturday is quite receptive, given the number of cars parked along Narra and Dao Streets.

I was surprised that my favorite “lechon” seller, Hecky’s Cebu Lechon, has a stall in this weekend market. I discovered this seller in the nearby Cuenca Weekend Bazaar last Christmas and I’ve been a big fan ever since. I also checked out a booth selling mostly breakfast fare, Magandang Umaga Po. I must admit the “longganisang Tuguegarao” is heavenly, paired with “itlog na pula” and pickled “manggang piko.”

Delimondo also has a booth in this weekend market. Rice sellers offer brown rice and mountain rice. Potted herbs are also sold as well as fresh garden vegetables. I spotted a booth selling Indian mangoes which come from a farm in Bataan. Dried seafood from Roxas City, Capiz, is packed and sold either by retail or wholesale.

Customers are mostly bikers who do a regular Saturday routine covering Daang Hari Road, which is next door to Ayala Alabang, as well as old people with their grandkids in tow. We spotted couple Mavis Manotoc-Fuentabella and husband Jim.

Salcedo Weekend Market

The mother of all weekend markets, Salcedo has been featured in international publications such as Travel & Leisure and Time magazines. This weekend market recently turned five. Organized by Barangay Bel-Air, this market has attracted the who’s who.

The market opens as early as

6 a.m., with the call center/BPO crowd occupying the covered dining area. By 8 a.m., the market is in full throttle, with sellers and buyers interacting as if they are regular neighbors.

Among the most popular booths are Lola Ineng’s Barbeque, Chef Ed Quimson’s, La Cocina de Tita Moning, and the Wagyu beef burger and pizzas by Pizza Di Grazia. Katrina Ponce Enrile’s Delimondo is also popular for its bottled sauces, variety of patés and deli offerings.

Pampanga’s favorite treat, La Moderna Bakery, has also opened a stall in Salcedo Weekend Market. The crowd is unmindful of the heat or the occasional downpour. Expect the crowd to thin out by almost 1 p.m.

Tip for those who are on a budget: The best time to visit Salcedo Weekend Market is when most stalls are closing. By then, haggling and discounted prices are the norm.

For those who want to stargaze, the beautiful Heart Evangelista, who lives down the street in Salcedo Village, is a frequent visitor.