Celebrating early Christmas spirit amidst the COVID-19 pandemic while remaining eco-conscious might seem like a lot to some. Thankfully, La Marché can help you do all that.
The weekend market, held at La Terrasse Café, will run for only two days and will have another go on December 12-13.
Homemade cheese, fresh vegetables, handicrafts, pastries, artwork, and live music were brought together by local business collective Binhi sa Rurungan. The collective is composed of Puerto Princesa-based non-profit organization Rurungan sa Tubod Foundation and Binhi Mindful Market, a local organization that aims to promote eco-conscious and locally sourced products.
“The objective of La Marché was to help merchants earn amidst the pandemic. We wanted to keep the mood lighthearted even though many businesses were badly affected,” said Binhi founder Gia Querubin in an interview Saturday.
“This is actually a new approach for Binhi because our markets are usually very casual, more community-oriented,” she added. The organizers also chose La Terrasse Café because the restaurant has been closed ever since the beginning of the quarantine, open only to small events.
Querubin added that aside from helping local merchants back on their feet and promote the festive Christmas spirit, they also try to instill values of eco-consciousness and mindful consumption.
“Binhi sa Rurungan is also a mindful market. We work closely with our merchants to ensure that we reduce our waste, and we encourage businesses that support the health of the people and the planet,” she
added.
Merchants were not only from Puerto Princesa City. Restaurants and sellers from tourist towns El Nido and Port Barton were also participating. Querubin added that the weekend market was one way they could earn due to the lack of tourism activity in their areas.
“Because there are currently no tourists, it is hard for these businesses to keep operating. La Marché is an avenue for them not only to support themselves but also to have a sense of community, especially with those they share challenges with,” she added.
La Marché will be running from November 21-22 and December 19-20, from 10 A.M. to 9 P.M. La Terrasse Café is located along Rizal Avenue Extension.
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