The Philippines does not only get pride from its beaches and other God-given attractions. If you’re quite a shopaholic, the Philippines won’t leave you singlehandedly, one may opt to try the malls constructed to cater to everyone’s needs or try haggling for the cheapest finds in Manila’s popular bazaars. A visit to Manila cannot be complete without a trip to at least to one of its shopping hubs which mark a distinctively Filipino atmosphere: busy and bustling, but jovial, conventional, pleasant and never impersonal.
Meanwhile, most travelers aren’t really finicky on buying goodies, admit it or not but impulsive buying cannot be won over easily, especially when we see things the first time; we could not contain our excitement to have whatever’s the latest. As suggested by Maslow’s theory, man's needs never will be fully satisfied. As soon as one need is satisfied a new and higher need will arise. Thus I've prepared a list of Top five shopping bargains in manila where you can shop ‘til you drop.
GREENHILLS SHOPPING CENTER ‘TIANGGE’
If Shenzhen has Luoho market, we have Greenhills
Tiangge used to mean "market", but currently, the word Tiangge describes a group of stalls inside a building. The more technical term is "flea market" but upscale crowds prefer to call it "bazaar".
The most famous of course is the Tiangge of Greenhills, San Juan City, in the middle of Metro Manila where sometimes we see busloads of tourists. During the Christmas season, the schedule is adjusted until late hours of the night. It usually has a night market or ‘midnight sale’ which is the starting point of Greenhills’ humble beginnings.
It started in the mid 1970’s when the management came into mind to organize a Christmas bangketa sale to help tenants dispose of their old inventories. The event drew crowds of patrons looking for cheap but quality products. It then became an annual event, came 1988 and it became bigger and better.
MANILA, Philippines - The Tiangge at Greenhills Shopping Center is a favorite urban bargain center of cost- and quality-conscious Filipinos. It is, after all, the country’s biggest tiangge and carries the widest variety of clothes, jewelry, gadgets, home furnishings, decorative plants and gastronomic delights, among many other great finds, at very attractive prices. (The Philippine Star, May 28, 2010)
Eventually, more and more entrepreneurs joined the tiangge, thus tripling its size. These have made Greenhills Shopping Center Tiangge a place where both locals and tourists, from a diverse range of social classes, come together to satiate their cravings for best-quality items at affordable prices. Outside the bazaar is a food strip as well as more relaxing high-end sections; Promenade and Greenhills Theatre Mall. The advantage of Greenhills is that the Tiangges are in the middle of high end communities.
MARKET MARKET PASALUBONG STALLS
Famous Pasalubong in different regions of Philippnes can be found at food stalls at Market! Market! Fort Bonifacio Global City.Convenience, location and selection are the primary advantage of this open-air shopping place. You can find a sea of stalls each representing different regions of the Philippines and the foods which they are famous for.
No trip is complete without hunting for the perfect pasalubong items to bring home to family and friends, and Market Market has many unique and interesting items that loved ones are sure to appreciate.
PASALUBONG - ROOT WORD: SALUBONG (TO WELCOME)
pasalubong - n. homecoming treat, souvenir Tagalog Lang Dictionary
When Filipinos go on a trip or live overseas, they are expected to bring back gifts on their return. That's pasalubong! It's a big deal. If you don't bringpasalubong to people who welcome you, they'll think you never thought of them while you were away.
The outdoor market has over 60 vendors that sell mostly flowers, plants, fruits, and a lot more. This stall representing CEBU is famous for its delicious dried mangos. Philippine Brand Naturally Dried Mangoes are without a doubt the best tasting Dried Mangos in the world to be found in Cebu and conveniently at Market Market.
BALIKBAYAN HANDICRAFTS
If you’re bored of the usual and want to find something superb and extraordinaire that manifests the Philippines, one way is to visit Balikbayan Handicrafts to find treasures of Filipino traditional flair and rich culture.
For the past 40 years Balikbayan Handicrafts has reach it recognition. The 2 big stores located in Makati City and Pasay City has a display area of about 2,300 sqm each. These stores carry an amazing variety and assortment of handicrafts – from hand carved 18-ft. wooden statues, 12-ft long one-piece wood dining table, picture frames to tiny shell keychains and knick knacks.
Products are made from wood, shell, fiber, paper, bamboo, vines, resin, leaves, metal, clay, and other indigenous materials. Items can be traditional, innovative, or novel.
Visit their website at: http://balikbayanhandicrafts.com/export-wholesale
DIVISORIA
Ultimate benchmark for value shopping. Jatujak of Manila.
Even with different shopping tastes, any traveler is given wonderful options on how and where to shop. However, the essence of shopping in the capital city of Manila cannot be seen in malls. The only place to do serious shopping is to go to Divisoria in Central Manila. Divisoria is, the wholesale shopping center, where most local and imported goods from nearby China and Southeast Asian countries, ranging from dry goods to toys to perishable exotic fruits and flowers can be had at least a third of the price.
Shopping in Divisoria is like being hooked on playing online games. You use your money as credits. As you go along, you are bound to encounter some of the most unpredictable obstacles.
The Tiangge that is well-known for having the cheapest price is called "168" which in ‘Chinese feng shui’ means unending wealth or fortune. This is a mall in Divisoria near Manila's Chinatown and the pier. This is also near Divisoria Mall which is the original destination of bargain hunters.
1. Haggling- This is a shopaholic mantra. One good practice on haggling is to give your best price a little above half of the original price given to you. Expect that they won’t give in to your offer but at least you can haggle your way up until you both agree. Haggling is perfectly fine as long as you don’t insult the seller by haggling really low.
2. Buying in bulk- You can avail the items at half the original price when you buy in bulk or wholesale. This applies especially when you’re shopping in 168 Mall, Divisoria Mall, Tutuban Mall or Meisic Mall in Divisoria. Better bring your friends with you so you could save more.
LANDMARK MALL
If time does not permit you to go around the country, good souvenirs shopping can be done at other department stores and also the Landmark.
Also found in Landmark is cluster of malls like Greenbelt and Glorietta where practically every whim of a shopper can be found - bargain shopping, high-end shopping, sports apparel shopping and a lot more.
The Landmark is famous for its supermarket in which you can find varieties of goodies comparatively lower than that of another popular and supermarkets like Rustan’s and other high-end supermarkets. Most state of the art restaurants located in Greenbelt and nearby malls shop at Landmark because the supermarket is synonymous with high quality merchandise at a lower price.
This is where one could comfortably get all they need in just one stop. The goods are nicely, conveniently and accessibly displayed and there are good number of open cashiers to avoid long queues of paying customers. There are sufficient and wide array of choices of all products
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