The Pasalubong concept: thoughtfulness in travel

“Saan ang pasalubong ko?”

The phrase above, roughly translated to English, means “Where’s my pasalubong?” This is the usual question most Filipinos would ask you, either teasingly or demandingly, once they know you’ve been recently on a trip.

Pasalubong is part of the Filipino culture and means a token or a gift you hand over to your friends and loved ones upon arriving home – whether you came from a grand vacation in Europe or a 3-day business affair in Subic. It could be a famous food or delicacy of the place you visited or one of their native handcrafted souvenirs. Other usual pasalubongs are chocolates, clothing especially T-shirts, key chains, bags, baseball caps and all sorts of interesting keepsakes.

The pasalubong is a travelers’ thoughtful way of cheering up family and friends when visiting them. It’s also a way of bringing home a part of the journey to those left behind.