CEBU, Philippines - Being one of the preferred tourist destination in the Philippines, Cebu has a relatively buoyant demand for its finest native delicacies, which aside from giving boost to the province's tourism sector, has also sustained the livelihood of many delicacy traders.
These various delicacies are sold in grocery stores, "pasalubong" shops, public markets and even on the streets. The Taboan Market is where most of the delicacies of the province are sold. It is the buying center of various dried fishes that come from the island of Bantayan as well as other pasalubong snacks only found in Cebu.
Mely Desamparado, a 53-year-old trader, who owns a store in Taboan, shared to The Freeman how her family sustained their business for the past 30 years.
Desamparado's family owns Niño & Khristy Dried Fish and Pasalubong Shop, one of the largest delicacy sellers in the market.
She said she owes the success of her family business to her loyal customers or "suki" stressing that it is important for entrepreneurs like her to maintain trust and good relationship with patrons.
"Ang ako man gud ginabuhat, mangunay gyud ko sa akong negosyo," she said. "Ako ang cashier ug nag-guide sab ko sa operations dinhi kay importante na aron makahibawo ko unsay angay i-develop sa business." (I am very hands-on when it comes to the business. I am the cashier at the same time I supervise the operations so I can see first-hand what needs to be developed in the business.)
Meanwhile, other sellers in Taboan said that "Tagalog" people and other local tourists make up most of their buyers of dried fishes especially the famous "Danggit." What foreigners usually buy, they said, are the delicious "pasalubong" snacks, one of the in-demand is dried mango.
Product Development
Dr. Elias Tecson, business development chief of Cebu's Department of Trade and Industry, said they are teaching local manufacturers on food safety and product packaging as these are not only traded locally but are also exported to the international market.
"The DTI and local government units are helping each other in teaching Small and Medium Entrepreneurs (SMEs) to further improve their products," Tecson said.
DTI's other program includes good manufacturing practices and labeling, however, Taboan vendors said they don't apply labeling because it adds to their production cost.
Meanwhile, the government's One Town One Product (OTOP) program aims to help cities and municipalities to establish their own native products. For instance, he said Carcar City has been known for its OTOP products chicharon and footwear.
Here are the top 10 famous Cebu delicacies:
1. Lechon. Considered as the "Lechon Capital of the World," Cebu offers the best kind of lechon. One of the public's favorites, Zubuchon has been known for its unique style of making lechon with no MSG and no artificial painting of the skin. "Our lechon probably costs more than any other lechon for sale in the City of Cebu because of all the ingredients and the care we put into the lechon we call Zubuchon," said Mary Joan Danao, the company's general manager. A kilo of its lechon is sold at P530; the whole lechon is at P4,900 and the medium at P5,900. Nevertheless, she believed that more than making money, their business was created to generate employment in Cebu.
2. Danggit. It is the most popular dried fish in the province among tourists and locals. Other dried seafood products include Pusit, Dilis, Tapa, Buwad Pinikas — are all available in Taboan. These come from the Bantayan Island, the leading dried fish producer in the region, and the province of Leyte. A kilo of Danggit would normally costs P550.
3. Dried Mango. Deemed as one of the Philippines' most famous export product, dried mangoes come in two varieties: the ripe and green. Guadalupe of Cebu City is known for producing sweet mangoes. The price of this product ranges from P40 to P350, depending on the quantity and brand.
4. Chicharon. Carcar City is the major buying center for the best chicharon, a deep fried pork's back fat or pork rind.It is best eaten with spiced vinegar. Chicharon can be bought for P600 a kilo or a quarter of a kilo is pegged at P150.
5. Otap. Otap is an oval-shaped crunchy baked biscuit sprinkled with sugar. It is one of Cebu's trademarks and in-demand pasalubong snacks. Otap's price ranges from P50 to P300, it varies on the quantity and brand.
6. Chorizo de Cebu. It is a special kind of the native Filipino sausage or "longganisa," Cebu-made chorizo is known for its sweet, spicy taste. A dozen of large Chorizo costs P50 and the small one sells at P25.
7. Mazareal. Mandaue City is where the best Mazareal products come from. These are rectangular bars of mixed ground peanuts and sugar, packed in white papers. A small pack can be bought at P20 and P40 for big ones.
8. Torta. The one made in Argao in southern Cebu is still the best although torta are available in many bakeshops in Cebu. Argao's previous Pitlagong Festival was replaced in 2011 by La Torta Festival, a feast mainly dedicated to its famous delicacy. The cheapest Argao-made torta is sold at P15 to P20; the large sells at P35 but one can buy 3 for P100.
9. Rosquillos. Originally made in Liloan Cebu, Rosquillos, a circular shape cookie with a hole at the center, is now one of the favorite snacks among locals and visiting tourists. A pack of Rosquillos would cost P115.
10. Bibingka. This type of rice cake is available in many parts of the country, but Mandaue City is known for its special bibingka as it is baked in a special oven locally known as "Urnohan." Each is sold at P10. (FREEMAN)