Iza Aldana
Feb 17, 2026
Youth-led night market turns Butihin St. into hub for livelihood, food, and community pride
BARANGAY CONCEPCION UNO — No speeches, no red tape—just work, food, and opportunity. Sangguniang Kabataan Chair Yuri Edullan on Wednesday pushed forward with the opening of the Banchetto at Butihin Street, a grassroots night market aimed squarely at helping small vendors earn and residents come together.
Edullan admitted he was nervous on the program’s opening nights, his first major activity in the barangay. But that quickly faded as crowds gathered and stalls sold out.
“When you’re serving and you see people happy, the feeling is different,” Edullan said. “This isn’t about me—it’s about the SK Council, the volunteers, and the community.”
OPEN TO ALL, NO FAVORITISM
Unlike tightly controlled markets, the Banchetto was deliberately opened to any local seller willing to work, with no selective approvals.
“Choosing only a few is not right,” Edullan said. “This is for everyone.”
He stressed that supporting small vendors—many of whom rely on daily income—is a direct boost to the local economy, noting his own roots in a family of small entrepreneurs.
SOLD OUT, STRAIGHT AWAY
The results were immediate. During the soft opening, nearly all stalls sold out, with strong foot traffic continuing into the second night.
“People are happy. People are full. And they won’t forget this,” Edullan said, calling the event the first of its kind in Barangay Concepcion Uno.
NO BIG FUNDS—JUST COMMUNITY
Edullan made it clear the program was not powered by large government budgets.
“The barangay has no big money. SK has no big money,” he said. “What we have are people who support us. That’s enough to make a community happy.”
CLEAR MESSAGE
Ending on a firm note, Edullan vowed to keep pushing people-centered programs.
“This may be a small office, but I have a big heart to serve,” he said. “My goal is to make Concepcion Uno number one—through real service, not empty promises.”
The Banchetto now stands as a blunt message from the youth sector: give people space to work, and the community will rise on its own.