5 Proudly Filipino Local Products and Where to Find Them in the City

With the proliferation of hotels in Muntinlupa, casinos in Pasay, and businesses in Makati, it is quite difficult to find something cultural in the metro—a common dilemma among people with foreign friends visiting the Philippines. While museums and parks allow for some historical learning, most people wouldn’t really go out on a limb and endure Manila traffic. Luckily, we’ve come to offer a solution. What better way is there to introduce our culture than through locally made proudly Filipino products? After all, Filipinos are branded to be generous and hospitable.

Here’s a list of 5 native Filipino products and where you can find them in the city.

1. Native Décor

From wooden salad sets to home décor made of capiz, there’s a wide array of handcrafted Pinoy products to choose from. These products, like the ones showcased by Saffy Handicrafts, puts a spotlight on Filipinos’ skill in intricacies and attention to detail. Apart from promoting our heritage, they also help empower local artisans from all over the Philippines by giving them a platform to sell their products.

2. Wooden Bags and Accessories

If there’s one thing Filipinos are proud of, it’s the ability to make the most of the resources around us. Locally manufactured handbags made of acacia wood, pineapple and abaca fiber, pearls, and semi-precious gems are a validation to this ingenuity. Wooden slippers or what we call bakya have also evolved into modern forms, and can also be a good reflection of our history.

3. Hand-woven Grass and Buri Bags

A testament to Filipino resilience, Abre Linea bags came about from the destruction caused by Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). It was initially launched as a project that aimed to assist people in various towns in Samar and Leyte, where the typhoon had the biggest impact. Woven with such sophistication and class, who would have thought that ticog grass and buri can be turned into such artful products?

4. Water Hyacinth Bags

What was once responsible for severe flooding is now the source of a community livelihood. These water lily bags are carefully crafted to bring forth export-quality products that are infused with our country’s beautiful and traditional weaves; a rather genius revival of a Filipino art for that has gone in remission with the modernization of the country.

5. Chocolate Coated Dried Mangoes

When we say world-class, we don’t only refer to talent; we also mean cuisine. Parallel to our rich culture is the richness of our palettes that is evident in the different dishes and delicacies each of our provinces take pride in. A product of innovation and creativity, these widely exported chocolate-coated dried mangoes have since been the top choice for airline snacks, diplomatic gifts, and even presidential flight treats.

Itching to get your hands on these products? You need not go far. These and a lot more are available at the Acacia Hotel Manila in Alabang, Muntinlupa, where they have a Souk, dedicated to promote innovative Filipino products while supporting the country’s marginalized communities.

Things to Do When You’ve Only Got 24 Hours to Explore Penang

I don’t know why you’ll give yourself only 24 hours to tour a whole island. Maybe you’re doing multiple city visits in a limited time or this is just a spontaneous trip. Whatever it is, it’s done. So how can you fully experience the perfect mix of the cosmopolitan and heritage in a place such as Penang?

Well, we’ve got a few ideas.

Choose the most ideal Penang accommodation

One of the first things you need to do is find a hotel with access to all the most important destinations in Penang. For instance, Rainbow Paradise Beach Resort is minutes away from restaurants, shopping centres, and heritage sites. You can’t afford to lose time commuting long distances.

Temple run

Picture from Picture from http://www.constructionplusasia.com/cheah-kongsi/

Start your tour early in the morning, and do it with temples. The reason being that it can get completely overcrowded and might not get to appreciate the architecture and the spiritual significance of the differing temples.

Make sure to visit Kapitan Keling Mosque, Penang Khoo Kongsi, and Kuan Yin Temple.

Memorials and ancestral mansions

From morning to mid-day, make your way to the memorial sites and the preserved mansions. Places like the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, Peranakan Museum,  Fort Cornwallis, and the Queen Victoria Memorial.

Restaurants and the Clan Jetties

At mid-day, around 11:00 AM at least so it’s not exactly lunchtime, treat yourself to some local delights. The reason you want to grab lunch early is so you can get seats before the rush.  Visit Penang’s best hawker centres like New Lane Hawker Centre, Gurney Drive Hawker Centre, or the Long Beach Food Court.

Then just as the food centres are thick with people, you can jettison out of there and visit the Clan Jetties. Take a relaxing stroll and see rustic houses standing on stilts over water. There are at least 6 jetties you can visit here, named after the surnames of Chinese families who owned them before.

Shopping centres

By this time, it’s already evening, and you’re probably tired of touring. You can start draining your remaining adrenaline by shopping!

Make your way to Gurney Plaza Shopping Mall or Paragon Mall for your unique bargains.

Explore the Penang nightlife

Now that the day is drawing to an end, you can just chill at the local bars and pubs to get a dose of Penang’s nightlife. Head over to the Penang Upper Road and check out all the places lined along the street.

Drop by Slippery Senoritas, Three Sixty Rooftop Bar, or Soho Free House.

That’s your 24-hour itinerary! Make your Penang trip extra special when you take advantage of Rainbow Paradise Beach Resort's website exclusive offers!

Enjoy taking that odd trip!