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SHOPPPING is one of the essentials of traveling.
For
those who are thinking of buying sophisticated but
reasonably priced Christmas gifts in Hong Kong or
Singapore, you need not go that far. Those “jaded”
figurines, fashionable bags, clothes and what-have-yous
can be found in Pasay City.
We’re
referring the World Bazaar Festival at the World Trade
Center, which is ongoing until December 16. Take note of
the word “world” being mentioned twice. On its seventh
year, the World Bazaar Festival boasts of the best gift
items for yourself, your friends, children, loved ones,
officemates, bosses or employees.
Curiously, there’s an area frequented by camera-toting
shoppers. It is called Celebrity Village. Naturally, the
stalls are being rented by entertainment celebrities
like KC Concepcion, Toni Gonzaga, Mitch Dulce, Christine
Bersola-Babao, Jodi Sta. Maria-Lacson and Phoemela
Barranda, among others.
On our
recent visit, we found people flocking the stalls of
Mitch Dulce. It sells clothes and bags most of which she
designed. Dulce wasn’t there but it was manned by an
able and helpful gay assistant. The same number of
shoppers converged at the stall of Andrea del Rosario,
who gamely posed for various photograph seekers. There
were actually more photos of del Rosario taken, than the
bags and belts sold in her stall. Al Tantay was there to
personally assist the shoppers trying the pants and
shirts in his stall.
Beyond
the celebs, there are more stalls to explore, which
offer handicrafts, home furnishing, magazines, toys,
bags and car accessories. A lot of stalls are selling
clothes, original and branded shoes, shirts,
undergarments, dresses and pants for kids and adults.
There is
an area called Playland, where parents can leave their
rowdy little monsters while they shop around. We tried
the food section after trying to check out every single
stall and surprisingly found our favorite Hungarian and
German sausages being sold for less than P50 each.
To spice
up the shopping experience, there are performances by
show bands, fire dancers, spoken-word artists and circus
dolls, among others, every night. Today (December 13)
starting at 4 pm until 9:30 pm, there will be
performances by Faith Cuneta, Chedi & Julianne, and
talents from Bandits Production. Tomorrow will bring the
band Ymagesa, Nyoy Volante and Kooky Tuason. Saturday
and Sunday will feature product demonstration by Sonic
starting at 1 pm, followed by performances of the
musicians featured in previous nights, highlighted by
dancers from the Halili Cruz School of Ballet.
From
Friday to Sunday, the bazaar will be open until 12
midnight.
The
proceeds of the World Bazaar Festival will be donated to
the ABS-CBN Foundation. From the
Celebrity Village,
a modest amount will be given to Virlaine Foundation,
which operates 12 residential homes for 1,000
disadvantaged children.
The
World Bazaar Festival is a yearly event organized by
Worldbex Services International. It is founded by its
current chairman, Joseph Ang, the same entrepreneur
behind Circle Garden Grill restaurant in Mandaluyong
City. “We offer only the best,” Ang told the audience
during the opening ceremony, which was graced by
honorable guests Vice President Noli de Castro, House
Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr., Education Secretary Jesli
Lapus and ABS-CBN Foundation lady honcho Gina Lopez.
Having
experienced both the bazaar and the grill, we couldn’t
help but agree with Ang. Shopping and eating, indeed,
can make traveling worth the relentless cash outflow.
This time, however, you don’t even have to leave the
country. |
