Farmer’s son takes cue from traders, sets business

HE  grew up watching several traders visiting their flower farm in a mountain barangay in Cebu City to buy their flowers to sell in the city for the All Souls’ and All Saints’ Day celebrations.

The scene in the early 90s encouraged him to go into the retail business when he would grow up.

A decade later, Gigi Leyson, then 23, went down from his home in the mountain barangay of Adlaon to the city to look for opportunities to earn.

He found a spot in Mandaue City along A.C. Cortes Avenue and started his retail business.

Leyson, who only finished 2nd year high school because of financial constraints, borrowed money from friends to start selling fruits and buy his rolling makeshift stall (kariton).

Leyson said he started with a small capital of only P2,000 to start the business selling fruits like watermelon, lanzones, apples, oranges and many other fruits in season in 2002.

He chose selling fruits there because he believed that it was a viable business considering the many vehicles and pedestrians passing by the area.

“People just pass by and buy fruits from me in kilos. I’ve been doing that for years now. I now have patrons who would request for specific fruits for me to sell,” said Leyson.

He said he would earn at least P500 a day selling fruits.

Aside from fruits, Leyson would also sell flowers during the All Souls Day celebration.

This year, he started selling flowers last Oct. 31 at his corner in Mandaue City.

His flower displays include chrysanthemums, babies breath, carnations, gladiola that he puts in baskets or bouquet.

“My area is in proximity to the Man Park Cemetery, St. Joseph’s, Rose Mar and the public cemetery here in Mandaue City so I decided to sell flowers starting October 31 onwards November 2,” said Leyson.

He is banking on the longer weekend to sell his flowers, believing that this would give more people more time to visit their departed loved ones in the cemeteries.

He said this year he prepared a capital of P10,000 to buy flowers from farmers he knew from Pung-ol, Sibugay.

He said last year he earned an average of P2,000 a day from the flowers. He said he hoped this year would be better and he could earn more especially that his wife was expecting their third child.

This year he sells his flowers from P50 to P250 for a vase to a bouquet.