Pasalubong: A Pinoy Tradition

“Pasalubong, ha?”

When travelers from other cultures leave, the usual send-off greeting by friends and family is, “Bon voyage!” or “Have a nice trip!” But in the Filipino culture, it is “Pasalubong!” Although it might be said out of jest, their fingers are most likely crossed. So what is this pasalubong thing?

Image Source: Spread Some Awesome

Pasalubong is a deeply-entrenched tradition where a Pinoy brings home gifts for family, friends and co-workers from one’s travels. The last three syllables mean “welcome” or “meet” in Filipino. So pasalubong is a gift given by the returning traveler upon welcome or meeting with people back home. Pinoys have different reasons for doing it on top of it being a tradition. Some give perfunctorily, as a token of appreciation, a show of hospitality, and a way to share the travel experience. For the recipients, it is a thoughtful gesture on the part of the traveler that shows how he remembered them during his trip.

Most of the time, the recipients are family members, close relatives, close friends, and co-workers. For those who do it out of duty, they give something to everyone, being careful not to forget anybody lest they be offended. But most of the time, Pinoys give out of the goodness of their heart that it would not be surprising if the luggage contains more pasalubong than personal effects.

The most preferred pasalubong are ethnic foods that are not readily available back home or that which represents the destination well. For example, Japan's Blueberry Cheesecake flavoured Kitkat, or Laoag's bagnet. Other popular gifts are souvenir T-shirts and office display for as long as budget and baggage limit will allow.

Another concept of pasalubong is when a balikbayan (returning Filipino) or Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) returns to the Philippines after a prolonged stay abroad. This is where it gets tricky as the entire clan, if not the barangay, is eagerly expecting something. The most common pasalubong in this case would be chocolates, Spam, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, shoes, purses, cosmetics, and clothes. Sometimes, the balikbayan himself need not return but simply ships his pasalubong to his family and friends back home. Pinoys living abroad have become so skillful in packaging and filling up the balikbayan box with their constant shipping as no minute air space inside the box is spared.

Now if you are a foreigner with Filipino friends and relatives abroad and you are here on vacation, nothing will touch their hearts more than you bringing them pasalubong. Not only will they be happy to see reminders of home but you are also showing respect to one of the most cherished Pinoy traditions for bonding. It need not be expensive as in any gift-giving, it is the thought that counts. Mabuhay! (Long life!)

-The Paranoid Traveler