An 84-year old man, perhaps one of the oldest to sell wares at Lakeside Park in Angono, Rizal, is a "happy vendor." “Masaya akong may nakikitang tao sa labas habang ako ay nagtitinda. Masaya ang mga taong bumibili sa akin (I feel happy seeing people when I’m outside selling. The people who buy are also happy seeing me),”said Bernardo Magante of Barangay San Vicente in Angono. He was spotted by this reporter pushing his customized rolling cart towards the lakeside park late Sunday afternoon. Although he was already slouching due to a bad back while pushing his cart full of assorted biscuits, Magante was able to reach his favorite spot, the main entrance of the lakeside park, a few meters away from the lakeshore of Laguna De Bai (Laguna Lake). Immediately upon seeing Magante settle down on a chair to wait for customers, this reporter approached the elderly vendor and bought a pack of “puto seko” (dry rice cookie). According to Magante, selling assorted biscuits has been both his source of livelihood and source of enjoyment and fulfillment in his senior years.. “Kapag nasa bahay lang ako, pakiramdam ko, ako ay nanghihina, (If I only stay at home, I feel weak),” the elderly said. A former construction worker and a carpenter before working for 20 years as a seaman, Magante was able to send his daughter and son to college.

Magante said he would buy assorted biscuits from a nearby store. There would be times too that he would ask his son to buy from the public market during weekdays and sell his items on weekends. For him, earning is only secondary. What matters to him is that he could still enjoy the view at the park, watch people come and go, and happily sell his biscuits.