There is still hope for the sagging local florist industry.
Despite its current dormant state, local florist-entreprenuer Jade Polizon remains confident Davao’s floriculture industry will get a new lease of life considering that the city is abundant with many species of indigenous flora including the rare Waling-Waling orchid.
In an interview, Polizon cited among the reasons why the industry florists have missed a lot of opportunities to showcase and develop their skills is due to lack of platforms and facility.
“We know that Davao City has lots of talented florists. I think it is lack of access to education and also the facility for this kind of industry. Unlike in Europe there are a lot of schools and organizations catering to florists and every now and then there are big events organized for all flower enthusiasts. In Davao, we only have the Kadayawan sa Davao,” he said.
Davao City is known for its Waling-Waling, cutflowers and ornamental plants. It has also become the source of supply by other garden installers in the country.
“When I was in college I used to join competitions organized by Arlene “Jing” Puentespina of Peuntespina Orchids and Tropical Plants but eventually they are not active anymore,” he said.
Polizon is a curator-business proprietor who has built a name for himself and for his Cameo brand as among Davao’s best florists and event designers. He has worked in countries like Saudi Arabia and Europe.
During the Kadayawan sa Davao, Polizon was given the opportunity to showcase his flower installation for Waterfront Insular Hotel’s Visual and Wearable Art Exhibition along with artista Elenita Dumlao and accessory designer Kathryn Fanlo.
For his Kadayawan installation titled “Tahamaling Ug Mahomanay”, he paid homage to the ‘Diwata’ of Philippine Flowers: Hamali and the Malumanay of the Bagobo Tribe.
“It was a flower arrangement interpreting the diwata of flowers where I used different techniques for floristy like tubes that I learned from a London- based school. I highlighted the Waling Waling and used other endemic flowers and foliage I got from the mountains and remote parts of the city,” he said.
Although, he is in the industry for 15 years already but it was the first time that Polizon did an installation in Davao.
“I was really fortunate that Jennifer Romero of Waterfront Insular Hotel has given me the opportunity to showcase my talent,” he said.
Polizon also does seminars and demonstrations such as basic bouquet arrangement.
“I’ve seen and realized that some florists in Davao who have been in the industry for the longest time they lack basic knowledge and elements on bouquet making,” he said.
He also wants to raise the ante in floristry in Davao and Mindanao as the industry has becoming underrated.