Petals in season: Inside Dangwa’s Valentine’s rush

MANILA, Philippines – The never-sleeping flower market along Dos Castillas Street in Sampaloc, Manila — better known as Dangwa — is once again in its fluttering rush of bargain hunters and last-minute romantics this Valentine’s Day, Saturday, February 14.

Named after the former Dangwa Transportation Company, the area originally served as a drop-off point for fresh produce from Benguet. In 1976, an influx of flowers from Baguio transformed the street into a thriving floral hub. By the 1980s, Dangwa had outpaced competitors in Quiapo and Baclaran, solidifying its status as Manila’s Bulaklakan.

Today, tulip-shaped lamp posts and pedestrian-friendly pathways frame rows of stalls selling local and imported blooms. Business runs year-round, but February remains its most defining month, a timely symbol of love and commerce in the heart of Manila.

Through blooms and wilts

From the LRT-1 Tayuman station, an approximately 11-minute walk leads customers to Dos Castillas Street, where rows of classic roses and sunflowers signal the entrance to Dangwa. 

Deeper into the stretch, stalls stand side by side, vendors greeting one another by name, sometimes even buying and trading flowers among themselves in a tight-knit, almost family-like ecosystem. For many, Dangwa is not just a marketplace, but a home.

“Twenty years na ako (I’ve been doing this for 20 years),” said Mark, 38, a florist from AC & J. “Bata pa ako, simula na ako dito (I started here when I was a lot younger).” Similarly, Alex, now in his 60s, grew up in Sampaloc and has been in the trade since he was 18.

Both remained for one practical reason: Dangwa is Manila’s wholesale flower hub.

“Kasi ito yung bagsakan talaga ng flowers (Because this is where flowers are usually dropped off),” Mark explained.

Behind the vibrant arrangements, however, lies an unpredictable livelihood. Sales rise and fall with the calendar, and special occasions drive demand. On Undas and Valentine’s Day, florists get to sell bouquets and arrangements left and right. But on a regular day, that isn’t the case.

The work is labor-intensive — calling for florists like Mark and Alex to receive deliveries as early as 2 to 3 am, trim and condition stems, assemble bouquets on the spot, negotiate with customers, and stand for long hours.

“Lahat mahirap,” Alex admitted. “Kailangan mabilis ka.”

(Everything about it is difficult. You have to be quick.)

Despite the physical strain and uncertain income, Mark says the emotional reward sustains him.

“Mas maganda kasi magbenta ng bulaklak… happy sa mata ng mga tao (It’s fulfilling to sell flowers because you can see how happy people are in their eyes),” he said, describing the quiet satisfaction of seeing customers leave with something meant to brighten someone’s day.

Heart’s day

If regular days are unpredictable, Valentine’s Day is the hub’s make-or-break moment. On normal days, bouquets range from P300 to P500, and a lot even less, as a stem sells for around P80. However, as Valentine’s Day approaches, prices surge due to increased demand and higher capital costs.

“Pagdating ng Valentine’s, P1,000 ang pinakamababang bouquet. Wala talagang murang bulaklak ‘pag Valentine’s. Depende na lang sa budget mo,” Mark explained.

(During Valentine’s, the cheapest bouquet you can get is at a P1,000-budget. There are really no cheap flowers for Valentine’s Day. It depends on your budget.)

Imported flowers like tulips and peonies often double in price. Roses remain the perennial bestseller, while carnations and tulips also sell out quickly. 

The crowd is not limited to couples. Students frequently line up to buy bouquets for girlfriends, friends, or mothers, often working within tighter budgets. For Mark, this is where the rush turns personal.

“Naaawa ako sa mga estudyante (I feel bad for the students),” he shared. Some cannot afford the additional labor fee for arrangements.

“Tinutulungan ko sila gumawa ng bouquet, walang bayad (I help them make their bouquets without extra costs).”

The gesture is not exclusive to Valentine’s Day, but it becomes more visible during the season of hearts. While the holiday promises higher earnings, it also demands bigger capital and carries bigger risks as unsold flowers can wilt overnight. The pressure to move quickly and sell efficiently defines the day.

A pure gesture

Beyond business cycles and price surges, flowers carry deeper meaning for those who sell them daily.

“Meaning ng flowers sa akin ay purity,” said Mark, who believes flowers have the power to uplift spirits. “’Pag binigyan mo ng bulaklak, matutuwa sila.”

(Personally, flowers mean purity. If you give someone a flower, they’ll feel happy.)

In Dangwa, vendors witness life’s milestones unfold — proposals, reconciliations, graduations, and even farewells. Through blooms and inevitable wilts, they remain at the center of these moments.

For Mark and Alex, flowers are more than products measured in pesos. They are symbols of livelihood, and amid the Valentine rush of packed sidewalks, rising prices, and endless wrapping, purity, as Mark calls it, continues to bloom quietly in every existing relationship where a person shows their sincerity through flowers. – Rappler.com

Claire Masbad is a Rappler intern studying AB Communication Arts at De La Salle University.