Six Spots in Southern Metro Manila for Thrifty Christmas Shopping Southern Metro Manila is home to some of the biggest and most luxurious establishments in the megacity. There is the enormous SM Mall of Asia, the upscale Entertainment City, and the commercial districts of Ayala Center and Bonifacio Global City. But aside from these fancy malls, the South is also full of places where one can make the most out of a tight budget. With Christmas only a few months away, ShoppersGuide listed six shopping hot spots in Southern Manila where locals score the best items for a budget-friendly Yuletide celebration.
1. Baclaran
Baclaran is the go-to place of locals most especially during Yuletide season. (Image: My Mall’s Facebook Page)
If Manila has the well-known Divisoria, Pasay and ParaĂąaque have good old Baclaran. Located between the borders of the two cities, Baclaran is the go-to place of most locals and nearby cities wanting to score cheap Christmas finds. In the tiangge (bazaar) along its streets, bags and clothes are sold for as low as PhP150 for every two tops or two pairs of leggings while various kinds of toys start at PhP50. Traditional Christmas decors such as Christmas lights sold at PhP100 onwards are also found in the area. Different air-conditioned malls are also present in the area for people who want to score great bargains without breaking a sweat. How to Get There: From EDSA, take a bus bound for Baclaran. If coming from Manila City, ride LRT Line 1 and get off at Baclaran station. Read: Revisiting an All-Time Favorite: Early Christmas Shopping in Divisoria
2. Starmall Alabang
Several retail stores found in Starmall Alabang’s second level. (Image: Starmall Alabang’s Facebook Page) Another hot spot for southerners looking for affordable Christmas items is Starmall Alabang. This five-level mall is dotted with different kinds of stores for every shopper’s Christmas needs. Cheap fashion items are found in the lower ground floor where stalls sell tops and shoes for as low as PhP150. Christmas gift hunting is also made easier in the second level where a series of retail stores are found. People looking for new items for their homes wouldn’t be troubled as All Shoppe and All Home, located at the third and fourth levels, offer affordable home appliances and Christmas decors. How to Get There: From EDSA, ride a bus bound for Alabang and get off at the last stop. Starmall Alabang is the last destination of city buses.
3. Market! Market!
It may not be as glitzy as its neighbors, but Market! Market! will not make one less glamorous. (Image: Market! Market!’s Facebook Page)
Bonifacio Global City may be visited for its upscale malls, but most locals frequent the place because of budget-friendly Market! Market! Contrary to its posh counterparts, this five-level mall offers cheap fashion finds starting at PhP75 in its second and third levels. The place has also become a go-to place of Taguigeños for affordable gift hunting because of the handful of lifestyle stores scattered throughout the mall with offerings as low as PhP88. Homemakers wouldn’t have a problem with Christmas decor and noche buena(Christmas eve dinner) shopping as the place also houses a supermarket, department store, and dry market. How to Get There: From EDSA, ride a bus passing by Ayala and get off at MRT Ayala station. Go to the station’s north exit and walk towards the jeepney terminal bound for Market! Market! or ride the BGC Bus and get off at Market! Market! Read: 9 Supermarkets for your Noche Buena Grocery Shopping
4. Metro Point Mall
Fashion finds are the most common items sold in Metro Point Mall’s tiangge. (Image: Rubylyn Maik) It is mostly known as a walkway of commuters transferring from LRT Line 1 to MRT Line 3 and vice versa, but Metro Point Mall is more than that; it is also a shopping haven. In the mall’s second floor is a tiangge selling mostly fashion items starting at PhP150. Shoppers can also score branded items at the local retail stores without expensive price tags as a problem. Techies can drop by the fourth floor to take home cheap gadgets and accessories. To make Christmas shopping complete, shoppers can go to Wellcome Supermarket at the ground floor for a budget-friendly noche buenashopping. How to Get There: Take MRT Line 3 and get off at Taft Avenue station. Walk towards the exit leading to LRT Line 1 to reach Metro Point Mall. If taking LRT Line 1, get off at EDSA station and walk towards the exit leading to MRT Line 3.
5. Good Shepherd Bazaar
Trendsetters can update their wardrobe at the Ruins for the sweater weather season. (Images: L, CHICK FLICK Collection; R, Scaira - Skin Essentials, Cosmetics & Clothing) Aside from Baclaran, Parañaquenos also have another budget-friendly go-to place for Christmas shopping. Found along President Avenue in BF Homes Parañaque, Good Shepherd Bazaar or Ruins as most people call it is the locals’ mini-Divisoria and Greenhills Shopping Center . From fashion items, gadgets to toys, one can take home an item from the tiangge even with just PhP50 in the wallet. Shoppers can also dine after a day of shopping as there are lines of affordable food stalls found in the area. How to Get There: From EDSA, ride a bus bound for Alabang and alight at Sucat. Ride a jeepney passing by SM City BF Parañaque, then ride a tricycle. Ask the driver to drop you off at Good Shepherd Bazaar. Check out our list of tiangges for women’s fashion or browse the ShoppersGuide Directory for more options!
6. Victory Pasay Mall
Victory Pasay Mall’s tiangge is a must visit this Christmas season. (Image: Victory Pasay Mall’s Facebook Page) A usual food stop for people departing from the nearby LRT Libertad station, Victory Pasay Mall along Arnaiz Avenue is another gem for thrifty shopping. Starting from PhP100, one can already take home a top or a mobile accessory from the stalls that sell fashion items and gadgets in the mall’s second floor. For non-bazaar fans, different local retail stores are found in the mall such as stationery store, Expressions, which does not only offer stationery products to shoppers but also novelty items which can be perfect Christmas gifts for friends and officemates. How to Get There: Take LRT Line 1 and get off at Libertad station and follow the exit leading to Victory Pasay Mall. Tips! • Visit these shopping spots during their non-peak times. With Christmas season just around the corner, it is best to go shopping now, not just to avoid the surge of people but to score cheaper items as well.
• Wear comfortable clothing when shopping. • Opt to bring a sling bag so you can secure your essential belongings and easily carry the items you’ve purchased. Don’t forget to bring an eco bag as well. • Haggle, haggle, haggle. Southern Manila may be home to the biggest and most luxurious malls in the country but nothing can beat the pleasure brought by saving money in the small-scale shopping centers found in the shadows of these glitzy establishments.