For the first time in the history of MassKara Festival, ambulant vendors were organized under a coordinated system and generated P10.81 million in sales across vending areas from Oct. 1 to 18.
The initiative marked a significant step toward creating a more organized vending environment during Bacolod’s annual festival, providing small entrepreneurs and independent vendors with opportunities to participate in the city’s major tourism celebration.
Per the financial report covering the 18-day festival, Araneta Street recorded the highest reported sales, with 41 dry goods stalls, including ukay-ukay vendors, generating P3.69 million, and another 41 street food stalls earning P2.214 million.
At Gatuslao Street, 30 ambulant vendors selling food, souvenirs, and merchandise generated a reported P1.08 million in sales.
Vending at Rizal Street logged P1.08 million in sales from two groups of 20 ambulant vendors each, with P360,000 attributed to souvenir and MassKara merchandise vendors, and P720,000 to those selling mixed merchandise and food.
Meanwhile, 20 stalls at the Bacolod City Government Center (BCGC) grounds recorded P1.8 million in sales, 30 ambulant vendors at Panasiatic generated P540,000, and another 23 vendors in the designated BCGC back area earned P414,000.
The reported P10.81 million in total sales did not account for the vendors’ operating expenses.
Aicah Saadvedra, head organizer of the ambulant vendors and an ambulant vendor herself, said the initiative brought together organized associations and independent sellers to help make festival vending more coordinated and inclusive.
The participating groups included the Bacolod Alliance of Small Entrepreneurs and the Bacolod Dry Goods Association, alongside independent street food vendors and members of the Muslim and Maranao communities.
Saadvedra’s involvement reflects the perspective of a vendor, who understands firsthand the challenges of earning a livelihood during large public events and the importance of providing small entrepreneurs with opportunities to benefit from the festival economy, the Gugma Foundation said Oct. 22.
Festival director Rodney Mitz Ascalon said the initiative reflects the “MassKara For All” commitment to extend the festival’s opportunities to different sectors of the community, particularly small entrepreneurs, whose livelihoods are connected to the annual celebration.
“MassKara For All means that the opportunities created by our festival should reach every sector of our community, including our ambulant vendors, because they are part of the MassKara experience and their hard work contributes to the economic activity that makes our celebration meaningful,” Ascalon stressed.
Saadvedra’s organizing initiative aimed to provide vendors with a more coordinated presence during MassKara while recognizing the contribution of different livelihood sectors to the festival’s overall economic activity.
Ascalon emphasized that the success of MassKara should also be viewed through the opportunities it creates for ordinary Bacolodnons, independent sellers, and small business owners.
“When we talk about the success of MassKara, we should look beyond the crowds and major events and also recognize the small entrepreneurs and ordinary Bacolodnons, who work hard to provide for their families,” he said.
The ambulant vendors’ financial report follows the announcement of approximately P21.5 million in food park sales from kiosk operations at the public plaza and BCGC grounds.
Reports covering ambulant vendors and peddlers along Lacson Tourism Strip are expected to be released soon, and can provide a broader picture of the economic activity generated by street vending and small-scale commerce throughout the festival. ||
