Press Release
February 23, 2007

MR. SIPAG AT TIYAGA WOWS BULAKENOS
WITH HIS PALENGKE SKILLS

Senate President Manny Villar, President of the Nacionalista Party, showed Bulakenos that he is not only Mr. Sipag at Tiyaga but Mr. Palengke as well as he demonstrated to market-goers and vendors his fish-cleaning and other market-vending skills.

A seafood vendor in Divisoria before, Villar went around the public markets of Bulacan yesterday (February 23). In one of his stops, at the Sampol Market, Villar gamely cleaned and removed the scales of some milkfish (bangus) to the delight of market folks in the oldest wet market in San Jose Del Monte.

This is no gimmick, bata pa lang ako, marunong na talaga akong maglinis at magkaliskis ng isda. Assistant ako ng nanay ko noon sa Divisoria sa pagtitinda ng mga hipon at isda. My brothers and sisters and I were able to continue our schooling because of the earnings of my mother, however meager it was, from selling seafood, narrates Villar.

A self-confessed laking palengke, Villar recalls how he had to wake up in the wee hours of the morning back then in order to accompany his mother (Nanay Curing) in getting the fish from the bagsakan (drop-off zone for fish, meat and vegetables). After which, they would sell them to their stall in Divisoria Market.

According to Villar, I know how hard it is to be a market vendor. It is really a back-breaking job. That is why, market people are really close to my heart. I have been one and am proud of it. It is a decent way of earning a living.

Besides Sampol Market, Villar also made the rounds of public markets of Muzon, Sta. Maria, Bocaue, Balagtas and other towns and cities of Bulacan. Recently, he also visited public markets in Pangasinan. He intends to continue his public market sortie in other parts of the country.

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