Small entrepreneurs specializing on the assembly of unique Christmas lanterns and displays can well afford to sleep on the job with barely 15 days more to go before Christmas Day. And why not when they have already cashed in on the Dabawenyos' Christmas shopping frenzy. This worker, who is still wide awake and completing his last batch of flower lanterns for this season, said their customers from Davao and nearby provinces have purchased lanterns as early as November. Thus, interest on their lanterns have waned and they are only selling whatever lanterns they have left before they take a bow and go back to where they came from (some as far as PampangaThis lantern seller said they made a killing in sales as early as November. The ordinary round-shaped lanterns are being sold from P3,500 up while the really intriate lanterns like the big Santa with the reindeers and the big Snowman commands a hefty price of P7,000 up.
Even the Korean stores along Uyanguren seems to have run out of Christmas lights whih they sell at a very affordable price of P35 compared to the P70 price at the malls. The Department of Trade and Industry has cautioned Davawenyos from buying products from these stores allegedly because they have not passed the products standards quality. However, take a closer look at the lights being sold at the malls at a more expensive price and compare it with the Korean products---see if you can find any PS mark.
