The Bankerohan Public Market of Davao City
Posted on Friday, 10 March 2017
The Bankerohan Public Market of Davao City
By Apolinario Villalobos
Literally, “bankerohan” has a connotation as a place where boatmen converge as “bankero” means “boatman”. Appropriately,
the public market is located by the bank of the main river that traverses the
city. As in any Philippine community and historically, the river or a coastal
village are considered as the center of trading. Unfortunately, lately,
Bankerohan, the bustling riverside trading community of Davao City, gets
inundated during the worst onslaught of heavy rains without let up for days.
Unlike other cities, Bankerohan has
maintained its typical Oriental bazaar atmosphere to which the city dwellers
have melded well. Spread throughout its periphery, various products from
neighboring towns are sold side by side with local delicacies, prominent among
which is the “puto maya”. The delicacy is actually two kinds of sticky rice,
the white and the “tapul” which has a delectably purple color partner. The two
varieties of rice are steamed separately. “Puto maya’s” is best eaten with
“sikwate” (hot chocolate with thick consistency) prepared and cooked in
“hornio”. While it slowly cooks to the right consistency, a half-submerged
“baterol” (wooden stirrer) is rolled between the palms to keep the preparation
from going into a rolling boil. A serving of “puto maya” costs Php10, while a
cup of “sikwate” can be had for Php15.
If the durian is in season, a whole ripe
fruit can be purchased from any of the stalls and eaten on the spot, for Php30
while marang would cost as low as Php20. Other local fruits that fill the fruit
stalls are big-sized guava, golden pomelo, rambutan, papaya, several varieties
of papaya. Durian preserves such as candies, jams and jellies also fill the
shelves of the fruit stalls. Vegetables and marine products are strictly
controlled to maintain their prices, as well as, those of rice and corn grits.
As dusk falls, makeshift stalls for used
clothing begin to dot the area near the Mercury Drug Store. Practically, all
kinds of clothing merchandise are priced between Php10-20. Hectic trading
activity reaches its climax as midnight approaches. But, the traders do not
fold up their stalls until 6AM hoping for the coming of last-minute buyers.
In the evening, the market resonates with warbles
from wannabe singers who try their best to garner a “10” verdict from videokes
that are the come-ons of carinderias. Everybody enjoys for as long as the
no-smoking policy is observed. Aside from the videoke machines, the carinderias
also pride in their cheap foods displayed in trays. Prices range between Php15
to Php35, with the vegetable dishes being the cheapest and those of beef and
pork the more expensive. Grilled fish, especially tuna belly, head, and its
innards are also available which go well with the beer or tuba (coco wine).
From Bankerohan, the cheap hotels along
Claveria are a few meters away. Public transportations can be taken at several
designated jeepney stops distributed around the market, so that strangers need
not worry. And, most especially, there is nothing to fear while commuting from
this busy section of the city to any part, even the suburbs, as taxi drivers of
Davao City are the most trustworthy in the whole Philippines!
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