Pasalubong

Pasalubong(Tagalog, "[something] for when you welcome me") is theFilipinotradition of travellers bringing gifts from their destination to people back home.Pasalubongcan be any gift orsouvenirbrought for family or friends after being away for a period of time.It can also be any gift given by someone arriving from a distant place.
Pasalubongare also associated with thebalikbayan,Overseas Filipinosreturning to thePhilippines, and may refer to  items that migrant workers bring home to their families, friends, relatives or even non-relatives that they feel especially close with.
Pasalubongis aTagalogword, a variant of the wordpansalubongorpangsalubong. It comes from the root word "salubong" which means "(to) welcome", "to meet", or "reception".The prefix "pa-" is a contraction of "pang-", roughly equivalent to theEnglishsuffix "-er".  Thus, the word "pasalubong" can be roughly translated as "welcomer", or "something meant for you when you welcome me back." The word has minor celebratory connotations, as in rejoicing the safe homecoming of someone who was away for a time.
InVisayan languages,pasalubongis also referred to astinabuaninCebuanoandsinugataninHiligaynon. Both of which have the same meanings as the Tagalog word.ThePhilippine EnglishacronymB.H. (for "Bring Home") is also frequently used.
Pasalubong, in general, is a "gift for a relation or friend brought by a traveler returning from a trip", and could also refer to "anything given as a gift to someone on the way home to a certain place."It could also mean "homecoming gift" or any present which signifies appreciation to the services rendered by the recipient.
Thepasalubongusually consists of native delicacies or indigenous things from the region or country where the traveler came from.For example, a vacationer coming back fromNegrosmight bring home somepiayato his family, while someone coming home fromHawaiimight bringmacadamia nuts.The length of time the person is away is inconsequential. Apasalubongcan be given coming home from work each day to returning to one's hometown after decades of being in another country.
The tradition of giving apasalubongis of great cultural importance for Filipinos as it strengthens the bond with the immediate family, relatives, and friends.In rarer instances, it can even be used to forge stronger relationships with someone you may not know that well, as with someone you may be meeting for the first time.
The gesture of handing outpasalubongemphasizes the gladness at reuniting with one's loved ones and the relief at being back home safe. It is also a sign of thoughtfulness.Whilepasalubongare not compulsory or even expected, failing to bringpasalubongfor someone can sometimes be perceived negatively.Particular importance is given to gifts for children, and the anticipation of gettingpasalubongfrom a parent coming home is often a cherished childhood memory for most Filipinos.
By bringing gifts with regional significance (e.g. things that cannot be acquired locally), the person coming home can also share part of his travels. It similar to the western concept of souvenirs except that it is not meant for personal remembrance but for sharing the experience with others,especially as the different islands and regions of the Philippines can have different languages, local customs, and cuisine specialties. Thepasalubongserves as a 'sample' of another region's specialty, bringing different Filipino cultures closer together. They can also simply be gifts likely to be appreciated.
Unlike western gifts,pasalubongare not wrapped, but are given as is. The person who gives thepasalubongcan also freely partake of the gift.
Various regions in the Philippines have their own specialties in food, handicrafts, and the like. These are promoted to local tourists via thepasalubongcustom. It is not unusual for bus stops to have stalls nearby which sell the specialtypasalubongof the respective regions they are located in.
They don't always have to be regionally significant, however.Pasalubongcan range from ordinary sweets (likechocolates),regional delicacies, to importedconfectionerygoods. They can also be other items like clothing, accessories, novelty items, ornaments, handicraft items, artwork, and toys, among others.They can even be ordinary things that may be hard to acquire in a given region.
Pasalubongcan be as mundane asfast-food take-outs,toys, snacks or fruit given to children below 10 years of age by a parent coming home from work.It can also be as exotic as abalikbayan boxfilled with gifts from a foreign country; it is an adaptation of the idea of thepasalubongfor theFilipino diaspora. Unlike traditionalpasalubong, these are not usually given in person but are sent byair freight.
Typicalpasalubongspecialties of different regions in the Philippines include the following:
Similar concepts exist in other culture. InJapanMeibutsurefers to regional specialties andomiyageto souvenirs. InKuwait, a gift brought by travellers is called aصوغةṣōḡa, itself taken fromPersianسوغاتsowğātwhich refers to the same concept.