Most Filipinos eat fish or other seafood everyday and some eat fish almost every meal. My wife and our son included.
We are certainly in the right location for eating healthy seafood and at an excellent price for Filipinos and foreigners alike. Fresh oysters, mussels, clams, prawns, shrimp, crabs, scallops, squid, hundreds of different fish, canned sardines and canned tuna are readily available. Western health professionals recommend eating no less than 3 servings of seafood every week. It is easy and affordable to add seafood to your regular diet in Negros Occidental. There are also thousands of different recipes around to kick up all your seafood many notches.
Watch Out
During the past 6 years in the Philippines, I had 3 episodes of gastrointestinal distress. Even though I did not have to see a doctor, it was not fun during any of those occasions. Each time, the last meal I had consumed included a type of seafood.
The first time was after eating oysters from the town of Hinigaran. The second time was after eating frozen fish from Singapore that I bought at Save More Supermarket. The third and last time was after eating grilled blue marlin at a Bacolod restaurant. I will pass on naming the restaurant because the restaurant is well known with an excellent reputation and I had dined there a number of times in the past without problem.
After investigating, my wife and I learned that the oysters had been cultured in a filthy canal. That particular branch of Save More turns off their freezers every evening at closing time. Therefore, the frozen food, including the fish from Singapore that I bought, is thawed and re-frozen again and again. Concerning the restaurant grilled blue marlin, we concluded it had probably been out awhile, on display, without being refrigerated. It was on ice but it may have been on display since the day before.
Since that time, I also learned that due to the possible high mercury content, it is best to limit your consumption of marlin, tanigue, mackeral and sea bass.
Buying Fresh And Prepackaged Seafood
Of course, fresh is much better. The eyes of the fish should be clear and not cloudy. The flesh should be bright and firm. Avoid buying fish or any seafood that has bruising or discoloration. Do not buy shellfish that have open shells, as the shells should be completely closed. I have seen very fresh mussels and clams with shells that open and close. This should be fine, as it means the shellfish is usually alive and about as fresh as you can get. If any seafood smells bad, walk away. Seafood should smell pleasant, like the ocean or a mountain spring.
My wife is an expert in buying fish. She goes to 3 different public markets to buy fresh fish. She knows when the fisher folk arrive with their catch of the day. It doesn't get much fresher than that unless you catch it yourself.
I buy live catfish that are cultured in a rice paddy near La Carlota, Negros Occidental. The farmer also cultures rice paddy eel.
There are probably 50 different brands of canned sardines sold in the Philippines. Local sardines cost P11-P15 per can. Imported sardines may be as much as P60 per can. My 4 favorite brands of Philippine Sardines are Mega, Victorias Spanish Sardines, Ligo and 555. All are export quality. Most canned Philippine sardines are packed in tomato sauce. Victorias Spanish Sardines are canned in Victorias City, Negros Occidental, about one hour outside Bacolod Ctiy.
Century and San Marino are the two most popular brands of canned tuna. San Marino makes and markets corned tuna, with texture similar to corned beef. This brand is great when making a fish taco or fish burrito. I buy Century Tuna when making tuna salad and for making tuna sandwiches. Cans are P23-P36, depending on the size.
I know 100% that SM Supermarket does not allow their frozen food to thaw and be re-frozen due to turning off the freezers at closing time. I have been buying frozen cream dory fish fillets at SM for years and never a problem. Cream Dory is great for making British style Fish & Chips and for making Southern style fried fish.
I grew up eating fish, as my dad was an avid fisherman. I also enjoyed fishing most of my life when I lived in the USA. We ate our catches.
There is no real need to ratchet up more seafood in my regular diet because I often eat seafood. Just last night, I had deep fried bangus fish, southern style. If you want to have a healthier diet, I highly suggest eating more fish and other seafood. You will have hundreds of selections in most areas of the Philippines.
If you buy whole stingray, be sure to keep the tail. Aswangs are deathly afraid of the stingray tails.
Nice article as always Gary and one I can definitely relate to.
I’ve lived over here for 10 years and have had my fair share of ‘Delhi Belly’.
It’s not just an issue for the Philippines though as my worst case of food poisoning was actually in Hawaii after eating at McDonalds. That was so bad that I was sitting on the toilet with my head over the sink, for almost 5 days. Probably should have seen a doctor but as a backpacker on a budget, I didn’t have much in the way of a healthcare plan.
Steve
This is an extremely helpful story since I absolutely love seafood and would eat it (and chicken) every single day if I could. I guess that salmon is not really a part of the staple of fish there since I have not heard mention of it in the article. Anyway, thanks for this informative statement sir, I for one definitely appreciate it!
Calvin,
I am glad you enjoyed my article. Thanks!
Metro Supermarket in Bacolod has salmon on ice. If not sold the first day, it is found in the frozen section. Canned salmon is also available. Two brands I buy are Bumble Bee and Century.
~ Gary ~
Salmon is a cold water fish. The colder the water the better they taste. The best salmon I ever had was on a fishing trip thru the inner passage of Alaska.
Hi Gary,
Good article. This was a concern of mine as a new arrival in the Philippines. I have just moved here about a month ago, and was concerned about seeing fish, chicken and pork in the markets without refrigeration. Is this a concern as this is not the norm back in the US. I have had zero problems with gastro issues and have eaten all local food for a month now, even attending a local party, with food out for awhile. I couldn’t go two days in Mexico without having gastro issues. Also I have noticed eggs and milk in the aisle of the grocery stores, without being refrigerated. Can someone educate me as to why back in the US, all this is refrigerated? Once again I have consumed the eggs and milk without gastro issues. I just find this very interesting. Can anyone give me a suggestion on a mild fish here. I have eaten several different fish here, and all are a little on the strong tasting side. Is there a lighter tasting fish that anyone can suggest. Thank you for your articles Gary, always enjoy them and the responses.
Hi Dale,
Thank you for your kind words, as they are much appreciated.
I also haven’t had any problems with fresh meat and seafood purchased at public markets, however, my wife shops early. I would not shop at a public market to buy meat that has been outside a ref from early morning until afternoon. That’s just me.
Shelf milk does not have to be in a ref or cooler, although some supermarkets put some in for those who want to buy and drink cold milk right away. Once we buy eggs, they go in the ref once we get home with them.
This time of year is the Dog Days of Summer and be careful with food you buy and where you eat. May is the hottest month in Bacolod. One hour and food in the open starts collecting bacteria.
Have you tried cream dory fish? If not, give it a try. It is known in some locations as pangasius.
~ Gary ~
Gary,
I currently live in Australia but am married to a pinay lady I met in Bacolod in 2008. We have 2 children and plan to retire in the Philipipines in about 2020.
You mentioned that you did a lot of fishing in the U.S.A. Have you been fishing in the Philippines?
Rod,
Bacolod is home of the Negros Sport Fishing Club and it is easy to go out fishing in a boat. Around Bacolod and in southern Negros Occidental around Sipalay.. Locally, a boat rental is only P1,000, including the captain.. You can find them on Facebook.
~ Gary ~
Interesting article, but I do have one comment. If a walk-in freezer is well insulated I doubt very much that the contents will thaw overnight of power is lost or shut off. In the US, I used to keep 4 large plastic coffee containers filled with ice in the freezer section of my refrigerator. When we would get a rare hurricane or other storm that took out the power, the “massive” blocks of ice were enough to keep everything in the freezer frozen and items in the refrigerator cold for over 24 hours. Imagine massive crates of frozen seafood and meats, along with, possibly, cow and pig carcasses in a well insulated room. The following is from the Minnesota Health Department regarding food safety in food establishments during power outages: “Leave the freezer door closed. A full freezer should keep food safe about two days — a half-full freezer, about one day. Add bags of ice or dry ice to the freezer if it appears the power will be off for an extended time. You can safely re-freeze thawed foods that still contain ice crystals and are 41°F or less.” I am more concerned with non-refrigerated eggs that are sold. S&R actually has pallets of eggs high on a shelf, apparently stored there to replenish refrigerated stock as necessary.