With hundreds of thousands of devotees at one venue, enterprising Cebuanos found a ready market to sell their Calungsod-themed wares and commercial goods.
Kulas T-shirt entrepreneur Gilfrancis Maningo said this was a way of blending faith and business acumen.
Maningo said the items he sells encourage buyers, mostly young people, to follow the example of San Pedro Calungsod and be near the Lord.
“Faith is the inspiration for our line called ‘Devotion’,” he said.
In his stall at the back of the templete, he sold souvenirs and religious items like P50 keychains and religious images priced as high P3,000.
The bestsellers were shirts that cost P150 to P250.
CD copies of the Pedro Calungsod movie, where Maningo portrayed the role of Padre Diego, were also sold.
At the far end of the South Road Properties (SRP), 16-year-old Inday braved the heat to sell towels for P30 each or three pieces for P100.
The senior from Bulacao National High School said she’s been a San Pedro devotee since she was 13.
Inday said she’s been praying for San Pedro’s intercession to help her father find a job and that selling towels was her way of paying back for all the blessings she’s received.
Tents were put up by vendors even before devotees flocked to the 27-hectare Mass venue at the SRP.
San Pedro Calungsod T-shirts were sold in white, black and pink for P180 to P200.
Customers asking for a discount were turned away.
Other vendors sold barbecue, mineral water and donuts, among others. Some tents bore the names of drink and food companies. Correspondents Caryl Baylon and Jhunnex Napallacan