Nepa Q Mart

Why would one shop at a public market in Quezon City which has a wet and dry market that does not offer the convenience of a hypermart modern shoppers are comfortable with?

It is bounded by informal settlers at the East side (K-H connecting to Cambridge in a bridge) and at the South side (portion of Ermin Garcia st. at Barangay Pinagkaisahan.)

Limited street parking is hotly competed by large delivery trucks, private vehicles, trikes with delivery side cars every minute particularly early in the morning.

The narrow and uneven pedestrian walkway at the complex is shared with vendors, delivery aides pushing all sorts of carts, shoppers of all ages across all income group and mendicants restricting mobility.

Payment is of course cash. There are no carts on loan to the shoppers. One has to bring his own.

There is something about this National Economic Protectionism Association (NEPA) Q Mart that attracts thousands of shoppers every day not only from Quezon City but from other nearby Metro Manila cities as well.

It is a complete market. Fruits from Mindanao, Bicol and the provinces of Quezon, Bulacan, Pangasinan are dropped in commercial quantities from the transporting vehicles loaded at source at different times of the day. The best and the freshest of suha, avocado, guyabano, mango, bananas all varieties (saba, lacatan, latundan), papaya, indian mango, naranghita, pineapple, watermelon are always available for the picking to the discriminating fruit lover. When in season, jeepneys loaded with naranghita from Vizcaya and Quezon park at Ermin Garcia st. selling them in 5 kilo packs at P10.0 per kilo.

Nepa Q also has a wide section of vegetables sourced from North and South Luzon. When media reports on vegetable prices, Nepa Q has already been the barometer of the lowest price in Metro Manila.

Quezon City – Tumaas ng P10 hanggang P30 ang presyo ng manok at isda sa nepa Q-Mart sa Quezon City.

Mula sa dating P140 kada kilo, nasa P150 na ngayon ang presyo ng bawat kilo ng manok.

Ang bangus naman na medium size ay P120 na ang kilo at P150 naman ang malalaki, na mas mataas kumpara sa P100 to P120 lamang dati ang kada kilo.

P60 hanggang P70 ang bawat kilo ng sibuyas, ang bawang ay P120 hanggang P150 ang bawat kilo at ang kamatis ay P40 ang bawat kilo.

Sa presyo naman ng gulay, ang patatas ay mabibili ng P60 bawat kilo, ang petchay P70, ang reployo naman ay P60 habang ang luya ay mabibili sa halagang P60 kada kilo.

https://rmn.ph/presyo-ng-manok-at-isda-sa-nepa-q-mart-sa-quezon-city-tumaas/

Undoubtedly, the prices are among the lowest in Metro Manila but one must have an established suki connection to ensure a good buy.

Nepa Q is popular for fresh water fish like bangus from Dagupan, hipon, tilapia, dalag, hito. Variety of fish is available but early in the morning including sea water fish. There is a small stall towards the middle which sells alimasag from Bicol at P420 per kilo. All day, there is a supply of tuna, salmon and bangus. Towards the EDSA side, a large portion of the complex is devoted to fresh meats and poultry. At the back of Ermin Garcia street, live goats are kept. For the kambing, tuna and salmon, Nepa Q is drinkers’ preferred market.

There are still other unexplored sections still to be discovered. Recently, I spotted where to source balut, pulang itlog, crushed ice, charcoal, puto, kutsinta. To complete the shopping, Super 8 opened a branch at the back of the complex open from 5:30 AM to 9:00 PM accepting storage for fresh market purchased bags and credit cards.

For all the inconvenience, Nepa Q to me offers a good value for money. It takes getting used to appreciate what it has. The true test is when diners appreciate what is served at the table.

More than what the market features, I shop because I want to patronize the produce of the tillers of the soil and the lords of the sea. I have a soft spot for farmers, fisherman and those close to the soil and bodies of water. Marginalized, but what they produce is what makes us alive.