Ultimate Souvenir Guide to the Philippines

The Philippines has a very rich pasalubong culture. The term literally translates to “something for when you welcome me” and shows the giving spirit of Filipinos when it comes to bringing something from their destination for friends and family back home. Whenever I travel, I try not to skip the usual t-shirts and magnets, but look for something unique to the place. It could be anything from processed food, a local delicacy you can only find in that place, arts and crafts or home decor.

When it comes to souvenir shopping, there are many options to choose from. Each of the 17 regions and 81 provinces of the Philippines has its own local industry and native product they can be proud of. The products range from fruits, processed food, specialty dishes, or handmade items that showcase the expertise or skill of the locals. Some examples that immediately come to mind are coffee from the Cordillera region, lanzones from Camiguin, or handwoven items from tribal communities in Mindanao. These items are usually at the top of the my pasalubong list.

Here are just some of souvenir products unique to each destination that you can look out for when you travel.

National Capital Region

• Metro Manila: mini-jeepney figurines, native fans, hats, caps, mugs, any product from Kultura, pop culture stickers on Manila traffic and landmarks

Cordillera Administrative Region

• Abra – bamboo products, Abel-Abra loomwoven products, Abra coffee, camote chips, tabungaw hat
• Baguio City – strawberry products, ube jam, sundot kulangot, peanut brittle, choco flakes, coffee, vegetables, peanut and cashew brittle, wood-carved products
• Benguet – fresh strawberries, vegetables
• Ifugao – Ifugao textiles, Ikat table runners, Bul-ol, mountain rice, taro products
• Kalinga – Kalinga coffee, Kalinga Unoy (heirloom rice)
• Apayao – cassava products, binatog
• Mountain Province – woven products, mountain tea, Sagada oranges, pottery

Ilocos Region

• Ilocos Norte – chichacorn, garlic, bagnet, miki noodles
• Ilocos Sur – Vigan longganisa, Pagburnayan jars, Basi (surgarcane wine), Sukang Iloko, loomwoven products, wooden chests, furniture, Inabel blankets
• La Union – handloom weaving, basi, dried fish, pebbles from Luna, home furnishings
• Pangasinan – bangus or milk fish, tupig, Puto Calasiao, bagoong, salt, dried fish

Cagayan Valley

• Batanes – Vakul, Chavayanas, native bags, “Blow ur Horn” and Sabtang stone house magnets, local artwork
• Cagayan – Carabeef longganiza and tapa, Chicharabao, milk candy, peanut candy
• Isabela – corn products, corn husk bags, native bags, handicrafts
• Nueva Vizcaya – citrus, fruit wine, buko pie
• Quirino – decor made from fossilized flowers, wood carvings, native handcrafted baskets and bags, mountain rice

Central Luzon

• Bataan – coffee, cashews, capiz products, dried fish (tinapa and danggit)
• Bulacan – specialized garments (gowns and barongs), pastillas de leche, fireworks
• Nueva Ecija – footwear (slippers and sandals), Cabanatuan longganisa, Carabao milk dairy products
• Pampanga – Christmas lanterns, kakanin, buko pandan, yema, sisig
• Tarlac – crochet and knitted products, binalay, grilled suman, dried kamias
• Zambales – fresh and processed sweet potato, pastillas, mangoes, ginipang, sesame candies
• Aurora – Sabutan woven products, peanut butter from Baler, pako, Dingalan lobsters
  

CALABARZON

• Cavite – coffee, buko pie, piaya
• Laguna – espasol, buko pie, papier-mâché products, pandan crafts, kesong puti, Puto Binan
• Batangas – kapeng barako, panocha, tableya, balisong, embroidery
• Rizal – kasuy, suman, kalamay, houseware and holiday décor, religious items
• Quezon – lambanog (distilled coconut wine), Lucban longganisa
  

MIMAROPA/Southwestern Tagalog

• Oriental Mindoro – Mangyan-made baskets and wood products, suman sa lihiya, banana chips, cassava cake, kamote pastillas
• Occidental Mindoro – mariculture and iodized salt, dried fish
• Marinduque – loomweaving, arrowroot cookies,
• Romblon – marble sculptures and products, mortar & pestle
• Palawan – cashew, wood-carved products, pearl jewelry

Bicol Region

• Albay – abaca products, handicrafts, pinangat, Tiwi pottery, sili key chains
• Camarines Norte – Piña Fiber Products, pineapple products, pili nuts, pili tarts, santan
• Camarines Sur – Hinabol (handloom woven products), santol sa gata, pili nut products, native abaca bags, abaca footwear
• Sorsogon – pili nut products, baluko, kinagang
• Catanduanes – lasa (tiger grass), abaca handicraft products, pili nut delicacies
• Masbate – beef products, carmelado, molido, cowboy hats, leather boots, belts, wallets, rodeo-inspired accessories & furniture

Western Visayas

• Aklan – loomweaving (Piña, Abaca, Raffia), beachwear, necklaces
• Antique – muscovado sugar, patadyong, gem and decorative stone crafts, crystals and uncut stones
• Capiz – capiz products, Kapis Aligue, canned seafood, fresh seafood, frozen scallops
• Guimaras – fresh mangoes & mango-based products, fruits and nuts
• Iloilo – butterscotch bars, biscocho (butter toast), galletas (thin and crisp cookies), barquillos (wafer rolls), handicrafts
• Negros Occidental- Masskara festival-inspired souvenirs and masks, home furnishings & houseware
  

Central Visayas

• Cebu – dried mango, rosquillos, peanut broas, danggit, chicharon, Lechon de Cebu, guitars
• Bohol – Peanut Kisses, tarsier magnets and stuffed toys, Bohol Bee Farm spreads, broas, kalamay, tableya
• Negros Oriental – pandan bags, Dumaguete’s Best Sylvannas and Sans Rival, butterscotch, barquillos
• Siquijor – charms, love potions, voodoo dolls
  

Eastern Visayas

• Leyte – binagol, chocolate moron, sagmani, Carigara’s pastillas
• Southern Leyte – abaca products, processed food
• Samar – mussel products (tahong crackers, tahong chips, adobong tahong), corioso (crunchy butter cookies), torta (an ensaymada-like cake), roscas, woven banig products from Basey
• Eastern Samar – processed food, seaweeds
• Northern Samar – processed seafood (bangus & milk fish, crabs)
• Biliran – nito products, special binagol, Higatangan mats, Suman Tinambiran, coco-based products
  

Zamboanga Peninsula

• Zamboanga City – Yakan woven products, curacha, lobster, Alavar sauce, mini-vinta figurines, pearl jewelry, seaweeds, barter products, malongs
• Zamboanga del Sur – seaweeds
• Zamboanga del Norte – bottled sardines
• Zamboanga Sibugay – lokot-lokot
• Isabela City – Yakan products, native musical instruments
  

Northern Mindanao

• Bukidnon – high-value vegetables & fruits, pineapple, marang
• Camiguin – lanzones, pastel, processed abaca, recycled seaglass products, arts & crafts
• Misamis Occidental – suman from Clarin House of Suman, banana products
• Misamis Oriental – Missy Bon Bon pastel, Slers Chicharon, cashew, muron, Cheding’s peanuts
• Lanao del Norte – Cheding’s peanuts, Suka Pinakurat, palapa, Piaya de Iligan

Davao Region

• Davao City – fresh durian, pomelo, durian candies, banana chips, Malagos Farm House cheese and chocolates, malongs
• Davao Del Norte – banana chips
• Davao Del Sur – fresh and processed mango
• Davao Oriental – coconut-based products
• Compostela Valley – gold and silver jewelry
• Sarangani – fresh and frozen tuna products
  

Socckskargen

• General Santos City – fresh and frozen tuna products, tuna chicharon, local Chocolates
• North Cotabato – fresh banana
• Sultan Kudarat – muscovado
• South Cotabato – fresh and processed fruits, tnalak woven products, tilapia products
• Cotabato City – crabs

CARAGA

• Agusan Del Norte – abaca fiber products, processed foods and drinks from mango
• Agusan Del Sur – turmeric juice and powder, handicrafts
• Surigao Del Norte – nipa rum, Sayongsong, surf & beach inspired accessories, dreamcatchers
• Surigao Del Sur – seaweeds, steamed rice cakes

Bangsamoro

• Cotabato City – baye-baye, sugar-coated peanuts, tinagtag, pastil,  lanzones, mangosten, rambutan
• Basilan – Yakan woven products, Yakan banig
• Lanao del Sur – palapa, citrus products
• Maguindanao – Mt. Kalatungan banana, pineapple
• Sulu – Royal Coffee, coco sugar
• Tawi-Tawi – handwoven mats woven by Sama and Badjao women, native delicacies, dried marine products, “Hot moro, Hot chili” sauce

NOTE: These suggestions are based on my personal trips, tips from other travel bloggers, and additional research from the OTOP (One Town, One Product) program. I’m sure I missed something, so feel free to suggest what the best and most unique souvenirs that you can take from your province for the reference of other travelers.