The thriving "buwad" business in Cebu

Who would have thought that Cebu, in terms of food, is not only known for Otap and dried mangoes? But Cebu is also best known for its tasty dried/salted fishes and squids, or famous in its Cebuano term as "buwad".

Rogelyn Store, 16 years standing at the Tabo-an market. "before gyud sari-sari store ni siya." (this was a convenience store before) said the female storeowner, who is acting as the cashier as well.

"20,000 pesos" according to her, was the initial capital when she started to convert the sari-sari store into a "buwaran"- a store selling dried/salted fishes and squids. "o.. ni convert nalang ko kay diri tanan, halos tanan kuan naman… buwaran." (yes, I converted it because almost all the stores here are selling dried/salted fishes and squids) she said without any hesitation.

She was convinced that it''s high time for her to shift to another business since there was a great deal of demand aside from the fact that she was in the right location, managing a buwaran business won''t be a problem to her because she already has an experience in handling such commercial activity in Bantayan where she came from.

Buwaran stalls are everywhere in the Tabo-an market, undeniably. And since there is a variety of choices as to where one can buy a bulad. Without thinking twice, she said "First class man gyud ni among mga buwad diri." (We have first class dried/salted fishes and squids here) With a source from Bantayan Island she assures that her stocks have an edge among tough competitors in the market.

"Dali siya, dali ka maka earn." (It''s easy to earn in this business) she admits that it''s easier for her to earn in this kind of business compared to her old sari-sari store.

"Among mga customers diri usually mga tagalog, mga taga Luzon… Manila." (We usually have customers from Manila) the stocks they purchase are usually brought to their place to be retailed.

Even the restaurants in Cebu get their supply of dried/salted fishes and squids from her store to complete their breakfast menu.

Festivities such as the Sinulog and big conventions are the events that they consider as the peak season of their business since it is during this time that many orders would come in.

Danggit, pusit and nukos, three words that are commonly heard in Tabo-an market, these three items are the ones that really sell. A reasonable price with a satisfying food is what the storeowner provides to their customers. A kilo of nukos would cost less than 400 pesos; prices can be lowered down depending on the kilo.

The Buwaran business of Rogelyn Store has been going on for five years now and the storeowner didn''t feel any regret for the risk she had taken for a preferable business.

"Foods are not judged by how they smell but what they taste like." Indeed, Cebu is blessed, since people coming from different places, from different walks of life would take the effort of stopping by and not only to see Cebu, but to taste what delicacies Cebu has in store for them.