ILIGAN CITY — For Analyn Nable, selling flowers is a family livelihood that has helped support her household for nearly four decades.
The 46-year-old started helping her parents sell flowers when she was nine. Today, she continues the trade while raising her seven children, relying on seasonal demand to make ends meet.
On ordinary days, however, business can be slow.
“My sales barely reach ₱500 on normal days,” Nable said.
The annual Alimyon Flower Festival gives her and other vendors an opportunity to earn more during the Undas season, when families buy flowers for cemetery visits and to remember their departed loved ones.
Now on its 12th year, the festival runs from October 29 to November 3 along Consunji Street near Villaverde Cemetery.
Nable said she invested around ₱27,000 in flowers and other supplies for the festival, sourcing stocks from Claveria, Bukidnon. She estimated that total sales could reach around ₱60,000, although the amount still has to cover her initial capital and other expenses.
For small vendors like Nable, the festival provides an opportunity to reach more customers during one of the busiest periods of the year for the flower trade.
Demand also typically increases during Christmas and Valentine's Day, while ordinary days bring less predictable earnings.
Despite the challenges, Nable continues the livelihood she inherited from her parents, making flower selling part of her family's effort to meet everyday needs.
The Alimyon Flower Festival has provided an annual venue for flower traders for 12 years, linking their livelihood with the Undas tradition of remembering departed family members.
