Visit The Philippines

I've been asked by friends who live abroad what the Philippines today is like. Are there any new infrastructure developments worth seeing? Any new resort or tourist spot to boast of? I tell them, there are lots of new things to see here, but they are second only to what they will enjoy from the people.

I mean, watching how the simple life goes on here on a daily basis is the real treasure tourists should see and learn from.

Most people here would take their tourist friends to the malls or exotic resorts or dive spots when they visit the Philippines. Or, they may take them to museums to show what Philippine culture is like. I do it differently; I take them to the nearest Sari-Sari Store (or small street corner store). It's there where you see real-life Philippine culture at its best. So, when you visit the Philippines, the first thing you do is visit these unique people's stores.

Where are they located? Just go out into the streets and you'll never miss them. Well, stay out of posh subdivisions and condominiums and opt to stay in the suburbs; places like Pandacan, Sampaloc, Taguig, Bicutan, La Loma, and the like. Oh, some subdivisions--second rate ones--have good sari-sari stores scattered around them in strategic spots. So, opt for these subdivisions, too.

Museums and historical spots are too well-ordered and well arranged to get any accurate clue of what real Philippine culture is like. They're too formal--and too much formality cannot represent true life in the Philippines. In general, we Filipinos in the Philippines are not comfortable with formalities. We shout just to tell simple stories with friends, we love to LOL (laugh out loud) not just online but more offline, we love to eat using our hands, we love to sip soup straight from the bowl (and with a relishing sipping noise), we love to sit on benches with one leg raised and the foot stepping on the bench--we love to do things very informally.

So I take my tourist friends out of the house and show them a sari-sari store. "When you see a sari-sari store, you get a good idea of what life in the Philippines is all about," I tell them. "You get accurate points on Philippine culture. So, when you visit the Philippines to see what makes it tick and function smoothly, go to a sari-sari store," I add.

What are sari-sari stores? They are small community stores built just outside a residence--often a garage converted into one--and where you find everything under the sun available for sale. Find snacks, breakfast, dinner, lunch, seasonings and spices, canned goods, hard and soft drinks, candles, bulbs, lamps, needles and threads, stamps and envelopes, ice cream, ice, candies and chocolates (even imported ones), gums, shoe shiine, soap for bathing and laundry, shampoo, newspapers, magazines, slippers, office and school supplies, and many more.

You see the saleable stuffs in abundant clusters all around the store, hanging and crowding in shelves, sometimes hiding the store seller, in full color, arranged with artistic sense, and with lots of colorful banners and posters hanging or fixed on walls. The whole thing looks like a mini-fiesta, especially with the community folks hanging around most times of the day, often in cheerful spirits.

Ah yes, the regular folks that hang out there!

Sari-sari stores are where village folks, young and old, spend most mornings and afternoons sharing stories and anecdotes, or even news updates locally and internationally. It's where serious things are taken lightly, always with a jest and laugh, so that people come out of the conversations refreshed and ready to take on life's challenges anew. Sari-sari stores are where you re-charge for life or take a more positive view of it.

It's also where light things are taken seriously. Folks there may talk about a neighbor's cat or dog or mouse like it's about global climate change they're talking about. You may hear of a ghost story, a boy who fell from his bike, how Mr. so and so has been going home late at night, or how the pandesal at the neighborhood bakery has been shrinking in size.

When you see a sari-sari store, just sit around, order some food and share it with the folks around, and listen politely. Then in no time, you find yourself among them as a long-time friend. Actually, there are no strangers in sari-sari stores. Only friends and neighbors. Soon, too, you get a neighborhood nickname. If you're a foreigner, they'd start calling you "The foreigner." Or the "mestiza" or "mestizo." If you're bald and named Frank, then Frank the bald, or "Frank na kalbo" in the vernacular. And that, in a fondly way.

That's Philippine culture in action. It's getting various items altogether to arrange into a colorful whole, and then invite neighbors to share it and other stuffs with, if possible the whole day, put in some interesting conversations, lots of laughter while nibbling on snacks, make some profits out of that, and all these to strengthen ties among themselves. You see this principle in jeepneys, tricycles, barbershops, and street eateries or carinderias. It's been Philippine culture for centuries.

So the next time you plan to visit the Philippines (by the way, we have lots of natural wonders here found no where else on earth), visit first a sari-sari store. Then you get a good picture of what Philippine culture is.