Feature by Rafaela Baluyut | May 16, 2024
Image: Students of the University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB) buying and selling at the Alumni Center Lobby of UPB, as an extension of UPBids and Bargains. (Abigail Romualdo)

From endlessly scrolling through each post and sighing in despair at seeing someone claiming clothes that would have fitted nicely to your wardrobe to actually sifting through multiple hung clothes in a rack with an excited voice urging you to check out more items, the UPBids and Bargains (UPBB) now has its second run of its physical thrift market after its first successful run last May 3 and 4, 2024 in collaboration with the UP Baguio Beta Sigma Ladies Corps (UPB BSLC).

The UPBB is a Facebook group exclusive to the students, faculty, and even alumni of University of the Philippines Baguio (UPB). In this group, members could buy and sell products and even seek out or provide services to their peers. Commonly sold items in UPBB are secondhand clothing items.

The thrift market at the Alumni Center Lobby is loaded with clothes, bags, accessories, food, stickers, and other miscellaneous items. It is open to everyone in the UPB, from students to faculty members and even to non-teaching personnel.

Humble Beginnings

“I need to sell my clothes.”

That was what Michelle Valenciano, a second year BASS Anthropology student, had thought of one day. However, burdened by the necessities required in handling an online shop of her own, Valenciano figured it would be best to just start selling her preloved clothing to her friends until she was reminded of ELBids, an online selling platform exclusive to the community University of the Philippines Los Baños.

“So ‘yong UPBids is sort of like inspired by ELBids pero it rooted from my pursuit of selling my own clothes,” said Valenciano.

And that was the beginning of it all. From a simple want of selling her own clothes, it created and cultivated a whole new community in UPB.

From then on, the community formed by UPBB continued to grow in number and the culture of selling and buying secondhand clothes from fellow peers integrated itself into UPB. Besides clothes, other miscellaneous items are also sold by UPB students; from makeup, skincare products, stuffed toys, food to even gadgets. UPBB has become an avenue where students of UPB give a renewed purpose and life to their old items, be it clothes or something else.

A Change of Pace

Just like any member of UPBB, Katrina Villano from UPB BSLC wanted to sell her clothes online. However, she had just one problem; she had too many clothes.
To solve her problem, Villano thought of selling her clothes in person at the university, “Why not mag-pwesto somewhere here in UPB tas ibenta ko nalang siya in person?”

From that simple thought came the idea of opening a thrift market where other members of UPBB could also sell their clothes and other items. And thus, the collaboration of UPB BSLC and UPBB was made.

A total of ten booths were present at the thrift shop; all of them providing various styles of clothes for different aesthetics, trinkets, stickers, and even food. The thrift market also included a dropping area for the convenience of other UPBB sellers and buyers.

Thrifting and Sustainability in UPB

Studying in a city where ukay-ukay or wagwagan, as the locals would call it, is prevalent, it is no surprise that such a culture is present among UPB students.

For Villano, she wholeheartedly supports this booming culture as she believes it has become a way for students to practice sustainable fashion.

“I actually support it a lot as someone who is an advocate rin for sustainable practices kasi as much as I am also a victim of fast fashion, I also like the idea of parang ‘yon nga sustainable practice na bibili ka na lang na kung maganda pa naman ‘yong condition ng damit,” she said.

Villano also mentioned that such sustainable practices were not just for clothes; other miscellaneous items like perfumes and books were also included.

Valenciano, on the other hand, believes that the thrifting culture seen among UPB students has already been present before; it only lacked an avenue.

“Actually feeling ko before pa may thrifting culture na. Wala lang siyang avenue to like thrive on so ‘yong UPBids ‘yong naging avenue for the thrifting culture to thrive and at the same time na-enrich siya ng mga events like this,” Valenciano said.

She also mentioned that this thriving thrifting culture is no surprise at all since UPB students are already into fashion.

Valenciano also brought up the comments some have made about the consumerism culture of UPBB. “On some level you would understand ‘yong sentiments niya but at the same time this is the way of coping to that consumerism culture,” she stated
“The way to avoid overpriced clothing is to actually pick something that came from other people as well,” Valenciano also shared.

For her, seeing and appreciating beauty gives meaning to the product, “So it really means na produkto siya ng isang bagay na merong pinaglaanan.”

Inch for more

Truly, there is no room for argument on the success of the UPBids Thrift Market. Both the online platform of UPBB and UPB BSLC have allowed the already tight-knit community of UPB to become closer through means of sustainable fashion and practices.

For those who missed out on the opportunity to check out the thrift market last week, there is still one more day left to check out what our fellow students have to offer. Who knows, you might be able to find that one piece of clothing perfect for your wardrobe.

Editor's Note: This article was updated on May 16, 2024 at 10:15 PM to correct that the thrift market at the Alumni Center Lobby is a platform of both UPBB and UPB BSLC.