Divisoria's best kept secrets

I started going to Divisoria when I was a UP Diliman student more than 30 years ago, so in all these years, I have discovered the nooks and crannies of Manila's biggest market. To start the new year, I have decided to share with you what I have learned on where to buy the best stuff. It will be a long list, so for starters, let me begin with a few ...

Curtain materials - Larry's Curtains on Recto near the corner of J. Abad Santos Avenue. Larry's has a wide selection of drapes and curtain materials and all the fittings and accessories to install curtains -- rods, hooks, pins, etc. Name it, Larry has it. Most curtain makers in Metro Manila (notably Julie Habacon, tel. 63-2 658-7560) go to Larry's for fabrics and accessories. If your requirements are upscale, I suggest you go to the main store of Larry's Curtains which is on the South Superhighway, right side facing south. In the main store, you will find imported textile fabrics, rugs, etc. But the shop in Divisoria has a lot of stuff to choose from too.

Beddings - Aling Ising's is near Security Bank on the ground floor of the A. Ledesma building on Tabora St. To get there, walk through the Ilaya alleys (pasilio) until you come out to the street parallel to it. Enter another block and find your way to the Security Bank area. Behind it you will find Aling Ising's. It is a maze and if you get lost, don't fret. Just ask the nearby shops for directions. At this store, you will find a wide range of bed sheets, bed spreads, comforters, pillow cases, blankets, pillows and towels of every size and color imaginable. It is a great place for buying wedding presents. The prices are fixed and many traders and retailers from nearby provinces buy their stuff from Aling Ising's. My favorite buy here is Serene pillows. A 20 x 30 inch or XL size costs only P230. The pillow contains 100% hypoallergenic polyester fiberfill which doesn't flatten even after years of use.

Plastic bags - For your plastic bag needs, head to Carmen Planas St. Why this fuss about plastic bags? Well, my son lives in a condominium unit in Makati where recycling and segregating is the way of life. Consider these: Recyclable bottles, soda cans, and plastic containers go into a transparent plastic bag; non-recyclable poisonous wastes like batteries, chemicals, acids, etc. must go into a red bag and placed on the floor of the refuse room. Food scraps, kitchen refuse and leftover should be placed in a plastic container and picked up from outside the door of one's unit at 0600 to 0900 every morning, etc. I know that my son will just buy plastic bags in his favorite supermarket and not mind the price. So I make sure to stock up on these.

Parallel to Ilaya St., Carmen L. Planas St. is where you will see atis trees growing near the top of some of the buildings. Just look up and if you see atis trees, this is the street. Go to Tong Yak Grocery & Gen. Merchandise at No. 811-813 of this street. Telephone numbers are 02-241-9086, 241-9088. It has no sign board but it's the third shop on the left side of Carmen Planas St. coming from Divisoria Mall. It displays the different types, colors, sizes, and thicknesses of plastic bags and food containers that they sell. Based on my own canvass, it offers the cheapest prices in Divisoria.

No-battery flashlights - I first bought this type of flashlight in Yiwu in Zhejiang province. This small hand-pressing flashlight can be quite handy, especially during a power outage, when you frantically search for a candle or a flashlight whose batteries may have been drained. As the name suggests, this type of flashlight doesn't need any battery for illumination. All you need to do is to press it a few times. It runs pretty much like the way dynamo bicycle lights work. You can find this in 168 Mall in Divisoria. If you buy one piece, the Chinese seller would usually quote 50 pesos but many shops sell it for 35 pesos or 3 for 100 pesos if you buy wholesale (read: at least 6 pieces). When you buy it, test each one yourself. Don't leave the testing to the salesgirls because they can slip in a defective unit.

Fabrics - Ilaya still remains as the place to go for good quality fabrics, usually imported from Japan or Korea. For men's fabrics, go to Benson's in Ilaya. To find it, enter the alley just under the Divine Mart signage. On the other side of Recto Ave. , there are also textile shops worth exploring. Look for the "Carolina's Lace" signboard and walk through the narrow alley. Unless the seller is your suki, be extra alert as some sellers may shortchange you and shave off an inch or two from the fabric you bought. A good deterrent is either to ask if their measurement is accurate (Tama ba ang sukat nyo?) or show the tape measure you brought and say that you will measure it again after the fabric has been cut (Susukatin ko uli kung tama ang sukat.).

Mugs and decorative plates - Here's reader Jojo Agot's tip: i found a place where you can order mugs and decorative plates with your name and personal messages handwritten on them. The artists are so good that you can order as many mugs as you want without ever having two identical designs. Perfect for giveaways to friends and officemates. it's found below Carriedo Station of LRT1.

To be continued .... In the mean time, tell us about your favorite shop or suki in Divisoria and share it with us.