Stuff Filipinos Like

kalinangan-atbp:

vivafilipinas:

Sawsawan

Sawsawan loosely translates to ‘dip’, and it is taken from the word ‘sawsaw’ which means ‘to dip’. Filipinos often use a combination of vegetables, condiments, and sauces to make their own signature sawsawan that would compliment the food they’re having and maybe even just to make their rice tastier.

What’s your favorite sawsawan combination?

The sawsawan is a very Southeast Asian trait that we all love and can’t live without. I cannot live without Chili Tagalog… which is spicy soy sauce with onions and red chili. Sometimes I have it with lechon, sometimes with fried chicken, sometimes it’s my viand! The real charm of the sawsawan is that it differs from culture to culture, and the experience is totally different as well.

Hmmm… this inspires me to do a cross-cultural analysis of different soy sauce variants in Luzon… if I had time. But yes it does sound like a good idea.

(via ascottyfollower)

(via dearoldcharm)

okaeri:

When you’re in the Philippines, you expect to get chocolates from abroad.

When you’re in the States, Choc-Nut is enough to make you happy. (x

(Source: lunaraine)

threeestarsandasun:

Are you guys done christmas shopping :)?

This is Trinoma Shopping mall, on christmas day in the philippines.

Lechon

Nitpicking.

Exhibit A: DOT’s ‘Pilipinas Kay Ganda’ not so pretty

Exhibit B:  Scientific names on new peso bills written incorrectly

T-shirts with names of American cities/states.

Every time you take public transportation, you’ll find someone wearing one.

vivafilipinas:

Pasalubong

The closest literal translation of pasalubong in English would be “souvenir”. However, “souvenir” does not even approximate its contextual meaning. The root of the word is the word “salubong” which means “(to) welcome” or “reception”, and “pa-” would assume the function of the word. Thus, the word “pasalubong” may be translated as “something meant for you when you welcome me back.”

The term can describe any gift one gives upon a return from any journey, no matter how short or how long, and it is usually indigenous foods or things from the region or country where the traveler came from. The gesture of handing out pasalubong conveys that loved ones are being remembered while away. But sometimes, forgetting or not giving out pasalubong can be perceived as a sign of ill will or stinginess! :P