palengke
{{Short description|Filipino permanent wet market}}
{{about|public markets in the Philippines|the pre–Columbian Maya archaeological site in Chiapas, Mexico|Palenque|other uses and related spellings|Palenque (disambiguation)}}
File:Palengke - Danao City 01 by Hulagway.jpg, locally known as a "palengke" in the Philippines]]
A palengke (Chavacano: palenque) is a permanent wet market in the Philippines (differentiated from periodic wet markets called talipapa).{{Cite journal |last1=Romo |first1=Glory Dee |last2=Digal |first2=Larry |last3=Reardon |first3=Thomas |title=The Transformation of Food Retail in the Philippines |journal=Asian Journal of Agriculture and Development |year=2009 |volume=6 |issue=2 |page=54 |doi=10.22004/ag.econ.199076 |quote=The wet market is a set of stalls selling fruits and vegetables, either grouped outside or under one roof, either periodic (called a talipapa) or permanent (called a palengke)}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FZDQAgAAQBAJ |title=Survival Tagalog: How to Communicate without Fuss or Fear - Instantly! |publisher=Tuttle Publishing |year=2012 |isbn=9781462910373 |last=Barrios |first=Joi}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DxA9BAAAQBAJ |title=Tagalog for Beginners: An Introduction to Filipino, the National Language of the Philippines |publisher=Tuttle Publishing |year=2014 |isbn=9781462910397 |last=Barrios |first=Joi}}{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OdPZAwAAQBAJ |title=Elementary Tagalog: Tara, Mag-Tagalog Tayo! Come On, Let's Speak Tagalog! |publisher=Tuttle Publishing |year=2014 |page=245 |isbn=9781462910397 |first1=Jiedson R. |last1=Domigpe |first2=Nenita Pambid |last2=Domingo}}
Etymology
The word palengke is a local variant of the Spanish word {{lang|es|palenque}}, literally meaning "(wooden) palisade or stockade" and by extension the area enclosed by such a structure for defense, public festivals or some other purpose.{{cite encyclopedia |year=2001 |title=Palenque |url=http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/SrvltConsulta?TIPO_BUS=3&LEMA=palenque |format=online version|encyclopedia=Diccionario de la lengua española |edition=22nd |publisher=Real Academia Española |location=Madrid |access-date=2009-01-07|language=es}} The Spanish word is also used to describe a pathway or cluster of tables set up at some place of gathering such as a theatre, tournament or market, and it is from this latter sense that palengke likely derives its usage in the Filipino context.
In the former Spanish colonies of New Spain in the Americas palenque also described a gathering-place of indios. One false etymology for palengke/palenque appearing in some popular sources mistakenly presumes that palenque is instead a word from the indigenous Mayan languages of Central America meaning "gathering place",{{cite book |author=Chris Rowthorn, Monique Choy & Michael Grosberg |title=Philippines: 7000 Islands, Endless Possibilities |year=2003 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3XUy3bUTNQsC&q=Palenque+Palengke&pg=PA461 |publisher=Lonely Planet |page=461 |isbn=9781740592109 }}{{cite news |author=Rene P. Ciria-Cruz |title=Beyond Pacquaio-De La Hoya, Two People's Long-lost Ties |url=http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=3094d7ea576c61edc9af913503e20cdb |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415124649/http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=3094d7ea576c61edc9af913503e20cdb |url-status=usurped |archive-date=April 15, 2013 |publisher=New America Media |date=2008-12-27 |access-date=2009-01-05 }} and that in colonial times the Spanish adopted it to describe a gathering of indigenous groups. While its use in Latin America to describe such a gathering is attested, the word itself originates from Spanish and not any of the indigenous languages; the mistaken belief of the word's indigenous origin is probably reinforced by Palenque—the famous Maya archaeological site in Chiapas, Mexico—which was named after the nearby Spanish village when the site was rediscovered in the mid-18th century. {{Citation needed|date=January 2022}}
Description
A palengke is usually composed of several dozen stalls arranged in rows under a shared roof. Management is usually by the local governmental units whose jurisdiction encompasses the physical location of the markets. Certain pieces of legislation, however, such as the Cooperatives Code (RA 7160) and the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (RA 8435) have prescribed that management of the markets be accomplished through cooperatives.{{cite web|url=http://www.pcij.org/imag/Society/palengke.html|title=Death of the Palengke|last=Pabico|first=Alecks P.|year=2002|publisher=Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism|access-date=2009-01-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131223110845/http://pcij.org/imag/Society/palengke.html|archive-date=2013-12-23|url-status=dead}} There is little control over the day-to-day management of individual stalls, including commodity pricing. This has resulted in what has been called "palengke mechanics". A cited example would be the price of chicken during the local 2007 holiday season; lack of demand for the product resulted in prices going up rather than down. It was stated that this was the result of local retailers raising prices to recover financial losses from low demand.{{cite news|url=http://business.inquirer.net/money/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=100731|title=Chicken falls prey to 'palengke' mechanics |last=Remo|first=Amy R.|date=2007-11-14|work=Money/ Breaking News|publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer|access-date=2009-01-07}} The Philippine government retains some control over the price of some commodities sold in palengke, especially critical foods such as rice.{{cite news|url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20080328-127024/6-Cebu-rice-retailers-suspended-for-violations|title=6 Cebu rice retailers suspended for violations|last=Napallacan|first=Jhunnex|date=2008-03-28|work=Breaking News / Regions|publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer|access-date=2009-01-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091006040134/http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20080328-127024/6-Cebu-rice-retailers-suspended-for-violations|archive-date=2009-10-06|url-status=dead}} The National Food Authority calls this regulation campaign (specifically for rice), Palengke Watch.{{cite news|url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2007/04/21/bus/food.agency.intensifies.palengke.watch..html|title=Food agency intensifies 'Palengke Watch'|last=Garcia|first=Bong|date=2007-04-21|publisher=Sun.Star Zamboanga|access-date=2009-01-07}}
Issues
The concept has its criticisms, citing several drawbacks. Some are known to use wells, some illegally constructed, as water sources leading to possibly unsanitary water conditions.{{cite news|url=http://www.articlearchives.com/government-public-administration/government-bodies/458144-1.html|title='Patubig sa Palengke' launched in east Metro.|date=2005-06-18|publisher=Manila Bulletin|access-date=2009-01-07}} Another criticism of the traditional palengke is that it is an old concept that must make way for modern development; a Pasig mayor once opined that the palengke was outdated.
A few local politicians have used as their nicknames, such as "Mr. Palengke" (Tagalog: Palengkero; or some iteration) to signify affinity with the masses.{{cite news|url=http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/mar/18/yehey/career/20070318car1.html |title=Garlic vendor turned 'Mr. Palengke ng Calamba' |last=Go |first=Kendrick |date=2007-03-18 |work=Career Times |publisher=The Manila Times |access-date=2009-01-05 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070705025902/http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/mar/18/yehey/career/20070318car1.html |archive-date=July 5, 2007 }} Prominent local politician Mar Roxas used the nickname Mr. Palengke to his advantage, gaining a Senate seat in the 2004 Philippine general election.{{cite news|url=http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/bac/2007/11/29/oped/erwin.ambo.delilan.the.buzz.html|title=Delilan: Is Mr. Palengke for real?|last=Delilan|first=Erwin Ambo|date=2007-11-29|work=The Buzz|publisher=Sun Star Bacolod|access-date=2009-01-05}}
=Competition=
In recent years, the typical palengke has been supplanted by larger, more commercialized shopping centers. The rise of shopping malls and supermarkets have also been cited as threats to the old-school public markets. In a 2002 article, the president of the National Federation of Market Vendors Cooperatives, a cooperative of market vendors throughout the country, stated that the concept of the palengke was an integral part of Philippine culture. He stressed that the public market instilled a sense of community that was not evident in the more-commercialized shopping malls. In spite of this, at least one traditional market has been renovated to appeal to more commercialized consumers. A specific case is the "Mutya ng Pasig Market" which was renovated in late 2008, from a traditional palengke into more of a shopping mall.{{cite news|url=http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20081118-172778/Pasig-market-now-feels-like-a-mall|title=Pasig market now feels like a mall|last=Yap|first=DJ|date=2008-11-18|work=Inquirer Headlines / Metro|publisher=Philippine Daily Inquirer|access-date=2009-01-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002225443/http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/metro/view/20081118-172778/Pasig-market-now-feels-like-a-mall|archive-date=2009-10-02|url-status=dead}}
Gallery
File:Star Market Palengke in Novaliches.jpg|Typical wet market scene in Novaliches, Quezon City taken at dawn when the palengke is most active.
File:Palengke - Danao City Public Market 02 by Hulagway.jpg|Produce being sold on the ground at the Danao City public market
File:Palengke - Danao City Public Market 03 by Hulagway.jpg|A scombrid, being chopped into fillets at the Danao City Public Market in Cebu
File:Palengke - Dalaguete Public Market 01 by Flypegassus.jpg|Some Chanos chanos, a chunk of Makaira indica, several scombrids and a stingray, Dasyatis kuhlii at a palengke in Dalaguete, Cebu