Shopping Adventures | At Divisoria, Manila's Shopping Mecca

Shopping Adventures | At Divisoria, Manila's Shopping Mecca

My mom has branded herself as a Divisoria girl. My grandparents supposedly had a stall there when she was young and they brought her along with them. And so, my mom became well-familiar with the place.

True enough, my mom knew the streets well and she won't get lost while weaving her way in and out of the passageways looking for her 'suki'. She also knew which way to go if you needed to buy something in particular, such as native goodies or beads, and she will advise you to head over to Ilaya Street. If you want something, just ask her and she'll know where to find it.

TIPS FOR FIRST-TIMERS

Naturally, she brought me to her favorite shopping place when I was still young, too. And so, I learned which store to go to if I will buy quality gift wrappers in bulk or which area to head over to get candies for goodie bags. 

#1 Avoid shopping during the -ber months if you want to have a more relaxed shopping adventure.

I learned that it is best to do my Christmas shopping as early as October to avoid the large crowds. For after-Christmas shopping therapy, I learned it is not good to visit before the New Year as merchants usually light up firecrackers on the street to attract customers. For purchasing school supplies for the new school year, I also learned to save up and shop in April to, again, avoid the crowds.

As a teacher, I have always bought presents for my advisory class for Christmas. And it had been an annual routine to make a trip to 'Divi' during the semestral break when there were still less people doing their Christmas shopping. I made a mistake of going to Divi in December once and I never did it again. The place is so crowded that you can't scout items properly as you'll  literally move along the mob without you walking.

Gift ideas for kids.

Thus, it saddened me to learn that the Divisoria mall burned to the ground. What used to be a multi-storey building became a messy site of crumbled concrete walls and galvanized iron sheets-covered grounds. Nevertheless, small entrepreneurs persisted with the only business they knew and put up kiosks along the site. We were still able to find out favorite 'palabok' cafeteria which serves the pasta with squid ink. So please understand why there's no photo of us :D

Good thing other shopping malls have been built to cater to budget-conscious shoppers. One will find several malls such as 168, 999 and 1188 just across Tutuban mall, though I personally believe that though 168 offers the same items like those found in Divi mall, prices were a bit higher. 

And then there's the classy Lucky Chinatown mall which houses signature brands and high-end stores.

#2 Bring smaller bills especially if it's still early. Chances are, the 'tindera' won't have sufficient change for your 500-hundred bill.

Items found in 168 are so diverse you'll never know what to find! Thus, it is wise to go around if you're not sure what to give to your office mates and scout for vendors who'll offer wholesale prices for just three pieces for added savings at the same time.

Bottled wet ones at 3 for 100 pesos! 

                                                                                                                                                   #3 Bring a small notebook or notepad with you.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            You'll need the notebook to list down the things you need to buy. Since 168 or 999 or 1188 are enormous, it's more fun to go around to check out the things they offer and find what you need along the way. It's better to enjoy walking around than looking straight for what you need- it'll be exhausting.

You'll also need the notebook to jot down the aisle number  or in Divi's case, Pasilio, in case you want to return to a certain vendor later.

#4 Avoid keeping all of your money in your wallet. It is better to bring a coin purse and to pocket some cash as well.

How can you haggle if your suki can see plenty of 500-hundred bills folded in your wallet? Kidding aside, some individuals may just be pretending to shop around but are actually pickpockets. By putting your cash in different places, you minimize exposing how much money you actually have and avoid the prying eyes of thieves. 

#5 Dress casually and avoid wearing jewelry. 

Again, shop wisely and safely. If you can, wear a messenger bag and put it in front of you at all times.

#6 Bring a reusable bag to hold all of your purchases for convenience.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               It can be quite a hassle to lug around several bags of purchases. You might drop a bag while paying for a new item or the tight bags may hurt your hands as the weight pull them down.

Invest in sturdy reusable bags which are washable as well.

#7 In a rush and don't have the time to look around? You may find these locations helpful:

For your party needs and give way ideas, visit the Pasilio 2HB in 168.

Support local brands such as Juana, which has several stalls in 168. Find one along Pasilio 2D. More fashionable wear can be found at the fifth floor.

For your gadget and accessories needs, head over to the fourth floor. 

For cheaper medicines, search for the biggest pharmacy in 999 at the ground floor near the escalator.

Need a nice dress with an affordable price tag? Scout the shop along 999 mall, along Pasilio 2AI.

Need to buy bulk candles such as scented varieties and tea light? Look for Columbia wax along Soler street in front of 999 mall.

Hungry, starving, famished? Proceed to the food court at the fifth floor for affordable chows like Turks and Henlin. Over at the Soler Wing, the food court at the same floor offers a more expensive variety such as Chowking and Wendys'.