When in Manila: Divisoria 101

Divisoria is a mecca for bargain hunters. Whether you are looking for clothes, school/office supplies, christmas decors, etc.this is the place where you can get it at a very low price and perhaps lower still if you are really good at haggling.

Divisoria is at Claro M. Recto Avenue , which you can commute via MRT or LRT-2. You can also get there thru jeepneys and FXs from Taft Ave., Espana and Cubao.


There are 3 malls in Divisoria: Divisoria Mall, Tutuban Mall, Meisic and 168 Mall. If this is your first time to shop there, consider the following tips:

 1. Bring a big shopping bag. It will help you carry all the numerous individual items that you have purchased.

2. Dress in a simple and comfortable attire. This is not Greenbelt, Promenade etc. wherein you can strut your stuff in high heels. There would be a lot of people in the area and wearing uncomfortable shoes can deter you from looking for more good bargains.

3. Avoid wearing jewelry or showing off expensive gadgets etc. Unfortunately, the place is also full of thieves and snatchers. There are even street kids who snatch the earrings from your ear while you are riding a jeepney.

4. Do not immediately settle on an item. Having identical items in different shops are a common occurrence. Who knows you might have gotten a better price on another stall.

5. Flex your bargaining muscles. Haggling is a usual practice in Divisoria. They are even more than willing to give discounts if you buy in bulk.

6. Try to shop early morning and on weekdays. Vendors are more gracious of the first customers and are more generous on giving discounts to them. You can even observe that they 'baptize' your money on their other goods for better luck on their stall.

7. Bring some water and some snacks. With all the walking that you would be doing, chances are you would be hungry .Although there are some stalls that sell snacks, you might prefer to spend it on other things like clothes, shoes etc.

8. Plan ahead and bring only cash that you can afford to spend within budget. The temptations are sometimes too good to pass up that you may spend more than you actually needed,so it would be wise to get a list and be on budget.