Sales boom out of the question for Bocaue’s struggling firecracker vendors

As the sun beats down, Rene Guballa, 64, helps loads a box of firecrackers to a buyer’s truck - his only big sale for the day in what is supposed to be a boom season for his business.

Guballa, who has only recently started selling doormats, rags and brooms in addition to fireworks to augment his income, considers the scheduled client a blessing because of the dearth of customers this season -- a consequence of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Guballa’s store is just one of many dotting the road in Bocaue town, Bulacan, a place famous for inexpensive fireworks where Filipinos flock to during the holiday season.

He says have been weakened the past few years. With the various disasters that hit the country, from the eruption of Mayon Volcano during the first half of the year, the typhoons that hit Luzon, to the ongoing quarantine, he anticipates this year will be no different.

“Malungkot,” he says. “Dati-rati, hindi mo na kami makakausap sa dami ng mga kostumer namin.”

Like Gubalia, many store owners have turned to selling doormats to augment their income. Nearby, an owner places a Maneki-neko or a “beckoning cat” believed to bring luck in a bid to attract clients. A few visitors arrive to buy various items but they are noticeably few and far in between.

A year of disasters

Guballa says even he was not left unscathed by the recent typhoons. He says his warehouse was hit by knee-deep floods, damaging most of his inventory.

“Ganyan ang labanan sa paputok walang kasiguraduhan,” he says.

“Sa amin, yung 200,000, 300,000 (inventory damage) napakalaki na nun kung itatapon namin tulad nung nangyari nung baha,” continues Guballa, adding “Swerte na kung maibalik man- at least this year, ‘break even’ ka na lang.”

He says the prospect of a total ban on firecracker bothers him: “Hindi namin kayang bawiin ang nalugi sa amin.”

If President Rodrigo Duterte decides to push through with the ban, Guballa estimates he will lose between 40% to 60% of this year’s income. Profit, he says, he will use to buy next year’s materials.

“Sapalaran yan, bumenta ka ng konti iro-roll mo pa, huwag lang sana mag-uulan,” he says.

Providing income

With the money he’s earned selling firecrackers, Guballa was able to raise a family, sending three of his children to school. One is now an IT programmer while the other is a food tech researcher for a multinational corporation.

Just as selling firecrackers has provided him a steady source of income, so too he hopes to give to other people. But the events unfolding throughout the year threaten even that.

“Sana kung hindi matumal, dapat nakapagpa-trabaho na ako ng mga dalawa o tatlong tindera.”

He adds, “Ang basahan maliit ang tubo . . . Parang pang tawid gutom na lang din.”

He says he has enough money to last him until the first half of next year. The problem is what comes after. “Kung hindi na na kami makaka renew ng license, hindi na rin namin kaya mangapital,” he adds.

Even his stock of firecrackers, or lack thereof, poses a problem. “Baka hindi rin makayanan ng inventory namin,” if someone wanted to buy in bulk.

Even so he says, he is wishing for more customers.

“Ang panalangin namin dumami ang mamimili.”

Guballa waits for customers near his store. He says there has been a steady decline in sales the past few years. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

A vendor talks to one of the few customers for the day. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

A vendor writes up a receipt for a customer. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

A vendor places a maneki-neko for luck. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Guballa arranges fireworks, as he tries to sell them during the holiday season. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

A customer purchases a stack of rags. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Various fireworks are displayed inside Guballa's store. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Guballa says he is praying for more customers to buy his products. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News