Life In The Public Market

The public market
is a place for sellers and buyers
 to come together
​and do business much like in a mall 
but with cheaper stalls and cheaper prices 
for most of the products and services.

A sari-sari store in the public market selling rice and other grocery items.

Typically,
a market is a large piece of property
consisting of stalls and spaces for rent
by the local government
and sometimes by private people.
A variety of products are displayed for sale
like the usual household items, kitchenwares,
dry goods such as clothing and accessories
and an abundance of fish, meat,
fruits and vegetables.
There are also shops offering services
like cellphone repairs, tailoring,
jewelry and electronic repairs.
And some shops are carenderias or restaurants
and cafes or snack bars
catering to the needs of the hungry and thirsty people
who have been shopping around
or happened to be in the area,
offering meals and snacks for different tastes.

A cellphone repair shop in Molave, Zamboanga Del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines offering services for reasonable prices, and a little snack bar on the right which is still closed when this image was snapped.

Life in the market is vibrant
from early in the day
up to late in the evening.
A lot of businessmen 
wake up at the crack of dawn
to get their shops ready for customers
just before the sun rises.
Like the early bird that catches the worms,
doing business early makes good income
for there are consumers and customers 
who shop or avail services early morning
before going to school, work or doing their daily routines.

A dry-goods store and second hand clothing is seen from a short distance in the public market of Molave, Zamboanga Del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines.

The public market is the center of commerce
​in any locality and even in cities,
it has remained the center of business activities
even though malls and other commercial establishments
have greatly improved
and polished the consumer experience.
Malls offer cool and comfort
with modern building design and architecture
uncommon in public markets.
But in a number of cities,
the public markets are catching up
with the demands of the modern times
shortening the gap with the malls.
The halls and floors are cleaner
and the building design and architecture,
even though not as expensive,
no longer have the cheap and dirty feel
they used to be known. 

There is a portion considered wet market
where the meat and fish sections are located.
This area in the public market is perpetually wet
because of the continuous use of water
to wash the meat and the fishes and other sea produce.
People still flock to avail of the cheaper prices
compared to malls and other modern establishments
where prices are raised to cover the higher rent or lease. 
​
Supermarkets in malls and high-end establishments
often get their fresh supply of vegetables and fruits
from the public markets
and so do restaurants and bars
to avail of the wholesale discounts.

A boutique shop for men and women is seen here in the public market of Molave, Zamboanga Del Sur, Mindanao, Philippines.

Public markets will always be here to stay
even when the future changes the lifestyles of everyone.
And as the shopping destinations evolve everywhere,
public markets will never be left out
and will continue to keep up.