While I was in SM City Iloilo to buy Biscocho Haus products, I visited the grocery section (there is whole section devoted to pasalubong) to check new products and to compare prices of pasalubong from Iloilo. I realized that some Iloilo and Bacolod products that successfully made it to Metro Manila groceries are 40% to 50% more expensive than those available in Iloilo. It is understandable. What is not understandable is the urge to hoard more pasalubong, which makes me behave like a child of war. Before I spill more erratic behavior, here are some pasalubong from my beautiful and wonderful province of Iloilo*. 🙂
For more pasalubong from Iloilo, please read Pasalubong – Iloilo, Part I, Pasalubong – Iloilo, Part II, Cream Horn – Reunited and It Feels So Good, and Pasalubong – Iloilo, Part III (Biscocho Haus Edition).
Wewin’s Special Biscocho, P120.00 (US $2.26), Angelina’s Buttered Toasts, P43.00 (US $0.81), Deocampo’s Toasted Round Cake, P90.00 (US $1.69), and Chicharon, P89.00 (US $1.68)
Wewin’s Egg Crackers, P66.00 (US $1.24), Wewin’s Otap, P58.00 (US $1.09), Wewin’s Ugoy-Ugoy, and Wewin’s Merengue, P81.00 (US $1.52). Wewin’s Merengue is my favorite merengue. ☺
BongBong’s Barquillos, P47.00 (US $0.88), BongBong’s Butterscotch, P66.00 (US $1.24), BongBong’s Otap, P40.00 (US $0.75), and BongBong’s Piaya, P62.00 (US $1.17)
BongBong’s Piaya, P62.00 (US $1.17) and BongBong’s Ube Piaya, P64.00 (US $1.20). BongBong’s Ube Piaya is my favorite piaya. Their flat piaya has more filling than the other brands and their ube is full and round in flavor.
JD Bakeshop’s Otap, P13.00 (US $0.24), JD Bakeshop’s Butter Cookies, P16.00 (US $0.30), JD Bakeshop’s Galletas, P9.00 (US $0.17), and Delifranz’s Egg Crackers, P30.00 (US $0.56)
Tot’s Piaya, P45.00 (US $0.85) and Barquillos, P96.00 (US $1.81). I tried Tot’s Piaya once mainly because it was almost half the price of BongBong’s Piaya (Metro Manila prices). It needs more filling and less outer layer to be competitive with other brands.
Goldilocks’ Polvoron, Tot’s products, Ya Yammy, and Emy’s products. I had Tot’s Bukayo and Coco Bar. They were better than I expected them to be. The coconut in bukayo was a little hard but the overall taste was good (the citrus flavor helped a lot!).
Teddy Bear Treats Pinasugbo, P57.50 (US $1.08), Tot’s Banana Chips, P30.50 (US $0.57), and Serafina. Serafina was one of my childhood favorites. I lost at least one tooth eating them, but it did not deter me from enjoying the sugar coated brown balls.
*Exchange Rate: US $1.00 = P53.13