Super Palengke

Super Palengke has been here since we moved to Project 8 in 1968. Those early days, it was called Village Market. It was a simple partly finished wet market building then with a giant water tank at its back. The construction was gradually finished and when it was completed, a public high school was included within its premise--the GSIS Village High School, which we jokingly called "UP," or University of Palengke. Later, when I was in grade 7 in St Patrick School, Village Market partly burned down and the public school was transferred to its present site in Mendoza Village. For a while, Village Market was not operational, laying there dormant.

Then, after a few years, it was rebuilt and renamed Super Palengke. A lot of businesses tried their luck with it but only a few flourished. Sales in the market was said to be slow and the place didn't look good enough and the items sold were not satisfying enough  to attract local customers. besides, many food items were not available. So, most residents would rather go straight to Munoz Market along EDSA to do their one-stop wet marketing.

Transportation is easily available.

Then recently, another renovation happened, and this time SM Save More got involved. According to Super Palengke Administrator, Nida Morales, several other known and big supermarket companies tried to set up business with them but didn't materialize. Only the young executives of SM Save More were aggressive and serious enough to push through with their venture. Thus, Save More in Super Palengke was born, which seemed to be a key factor for the apparent progress of the whole establishment. There are more businesses renting spaces at Super Palengke now, and the place is so tidy and impressive that even the wet market uses classy tiled flooring cleaned and wiped now and then. No wonder there are no flies hanging around.

Clean pasillio with shiny floor
at the dry goods section.

Clean and attractive garments and accessories
section.

Fish and meat stalls at the wet section.

Fish, meat, and vegetables stalls
at the wet section. Notice the clean, tiled floor.

Fruits store in the vicinity of Super Palengke.
Colorful stores like this surround the establishment.

I tried doing some wet marketing recently. I bought veggies and pork for my Pinakbet, and also bought Salay-Salay fish. The prices were competitive and so with the food quality. They have a wide range of food items being sold, and I especially enjoyed the fresh Kalabasa leaves and flowers, big ripe tomatoes, small eggplants and amplaya. They have a variety of fresh water fish and seafoods, like big Talakitok and Maya-Maya, and squid. You'd also enjoy different options for fresh fruits.

Best of all, transportation is just a few steps away, either take a public jeep or tricycle.

It's really a modern and clean wet market you can be proud of. If you haven't tried doing your wet marketing here, try it this Saturday! Moreover, you can always do your grocery shopping afterwards at the SM Save More. A story on this big grocery store soon! See you there soon!

Barangay Bahay Toro

Bahay Toro Center along Road 3
near Short Horn.

In the time of President Ferdinand Marcos, during martial law, city districts were subdivided into barangays which were something like a town. Some barangays were smaller than a regular town, some were bigger, like Barangay Bahay Toro in Project 8. It is said to be the biggest barangay in Quezon City. As of this writing, the barangay captain is Dennis Caboboy who won the local barangay elections last year. Prior to this, he was replaced for a while by another captain but managed to recapture the seat.

Anyway, this is where I live, Barangay Bahay Toro, which is one of the barangays that touch on Project 8. The other barangay is said to be located somewhere in Mendoza Village. I've never been to that barangay yet but I'd soon be when I start securing the barangay clearance and permit of our laboratory business. Bahay Toro covers the three-bedroom area of Project 8 and upwards going to Congressional Avenue and parts near Pagasa, Project 6.

If you'd look closer you'd see the
signage saying "Bahay Toro."

Why the name Bahay Toro? This barangay is one of the oldest in Quezon City. From what I gathered, it used to be the area where carabaos or local water buffaloes were grazed as early as the Katipunan days. Thus the name Bahay Toro or literally Carabao House, insinuating a place where the farm animals were mostly found roaming. A nearby locality, called Banlat along Tandang Sora Avenue, was the place where skins of slaughtered carabaos were said to be dried under the sun. The resultant leather was then made into bolo sheaths. A bolo was a native short sword used for both working and artful fighting.

Today, dropping by the Barangay Bahat Toro center along Road 3 near the intersection of Short Horn and Congressional Avenue, one witnesses a busy office building were local constituents, visitors, and barangay office staff work to accomplish documents, clearances, and other paper works. You also see pupils and mothers walking past from the nearby Toro Hills Elementary School.

McDonald's Project 8: First Major Fast Food Store

McDonald's with a coffee-shop look.

McDonald's is the first fast food company that set up a major fast food store in Project 8. And I must say, they were brave enough to risk doing a business venture here. And they seem to be doing good business. They have even extended their pedestrian market reach by setting up an outlet nearer passersby who love sundaes, especially passengers getting off at the McDonald's corner from public jeeps and cabs.

Small Sundae Outlet to reach more
passersby

And they chose a strategic spot. The corner--Short Horn and Road 20--is near AMA and other smaller grade schools like Elysium, Rogerian, and Baptist Learning Center. Glendale, Village Montessori, and St. Patrick School are also possible customers. Besides, as I've said, it's a get off point from public vehicles by residents nearby and those taking tricycle rides from there. McDonald's couldn't have chosen a more apt spot in Project 8. To think that once upon a time, this corner used to be a rugged looking machine shop.

A New Look

Last year the fast food store also took on a new look, from being a kiddie food outlet to having a coffee-shop corporate look. But the kiddie features were never totally abandoned. You can still bring your kids there and enjoy the same happy ambiance. But mostly, people go there to meet for business or use the WiFi access to tinker with their iPhones or laptops.

Is the food crew efficient and friendly? Well, depends on the team shifts you chance upon. So far, I have found them generally friendly. Sometimes though, the person manning the small sundae outlet outside late at night looks haggard and barely able to force a smile. And I hope they also find a way to prevent their signage post base from being a hangout of vendors.