ILOILO City – Valentine’s Day may still drench Iloilo City in red roses and romance, but for long-time flower vendors, the season of love is no longer the guaranteed windfall it once was as online sellers and stiff competition squeeze margins despite hefty capital outlays of up to P200,000.
Veteran vendors in downtown Iloilo admit that while orders continue to come in, profits are thinner and uncertainty looms larger compared to previous decades when brick-and-mortar flower shops dominated the market.
Mary Grace Gabrido, 59, who has run her flower shop along Iznart Street for over 30 years, said the business that once comfortably sustained her family now faces a tougher landscape.
“Wala pa man maayo nga bentahanay… damo man daan gabaligya kag ga-online. Damo na kompetensiya,” she said, pointing to the surge of online sellers that have reshaped the floral trade.
Gabrido started selling roses from their family garden in Villa (Arevalo district) before building her own shop. Through the business, she sent her two children to school.
“Duha akon nga bata. Amo gid ‘ni ‘ya ang amon business. Amo ‘ni ang way nga nakatapos sila tanan sa pag-eskwela. Thirties na edad nila now. Amo ‘ni nga business nakabulig gid sa amon pangabuhi,” she shared.
But rising capital costs — now ranging from P100,000 to P200,000 for Valentine’s inventory — have raised the stakes.
“Gamay lang kita namon kon Valentine’s, kay bayad mo pa sa expenses, sa tawo mo, kag pagkaon. Makabawi man sa capital. Pero tani maubos kag makaginansya,” she said.
Three decades in bloom
Just blocks away, 49-year-old Cyril Tacuslame continues a family business started by his mother more than three decades ago.
“Sobra na guro mga 30 years,” he said of their flower trade, which remains their main source of income.
“Nakabulig ‘ni sa amon pangabuhian. Amo ‘ni amon source,” Tacuslame added.
Yet he acknowledged that sales today are uncertain compared to previous years.
“Mas okay benta sang una. ‘D’ ko pa mahambal ang subong. Sympre ga-pray kami nga manami benta subong,” he said.
Flowers are sourced from Dangwa and Cebu, with supply costs fluctuating depending on demand.
Tradition meets modern market
Inside the Iloilo Central Market, 55-year-old Novy Abella Alaban, who began selling flowers at age 21, echoed similar concerns.
“Kompara subong? Mas nami sang una kay wala sing kompetensiya, waay sang online. Sang una, kami nga flower shop ang sentro sang mga tawo magbakal bulak,” she said.
Still, she remains optimistic.
“Kon Valentine’s Day, mas mayo man ang amon benta,” Alaban said, noting that February 14 still brings a surge of buyers.
“Amon nga supply halin sa Baguio. Kon kaluy-an okay man ang amon benta basta wala lang damage ang bulak. Kami lang man ga-arrange bulak,” she added.
Prices climb with demand
Fresh roses now sell at P80 each, while a dozen red roses cost between P2,000 and P2,200.
Mixed dozens can reach P2,500.
Giant bouquets of 50 red roses soar to P7,000.
For budget-conscious buyers, plastic roses sell at P50 each, while dried or DIY bouquets range from P350 to P1,000.
Vendors said prices vary depending on supply conditions, flower type, size, and arrangement materials, with adjustments possible depending on demand.
Love endures, margins shrink
Despite thinner profits and mounting competition, Iloilo City’s flower vendors continue to prepare for the Valentine’s rush — arranging bouquets late into the night and hoping inventory sells out.
For them, flowers are the lifeblood that built families, sent children to school, and sustained decades of livelihood.
But as online sellers bloom across social media platforms, Iloilo’s traditional flower vendors now find themselves fighting not just for Valentine’s sales — but for survival in a rapidly evolving market./PN
