7 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
A taste of the Philippines in Macau: bold flavours
Walk down Rua da Alfândega and you hear Tagalog. You smell garlic, vinegar and pork frying on stoves. You see queues outside bakeries and canteens serving unfamiliar treats. Here, in the heart of Macau, the Filipino community has built a home.
Filipinos are Macau's largest non-Chinese nationality. It was estimated earlier this year that close to 31,000 live and work in the city, making up about 4.5 per cent of the total population. Many are domestic workers. Others are teachers, musicians, business owners and healthcare staff. Their presence shapes many aspects of the city's daily life.
Why do so many Filipinos come to Macau? Proximity matters. Manila is a two-and-a-half-hour flight away. Macau's visa rules are friendly. The city is walkable, less hectic than Hong Kong or Tokyo. Most of all, Macau is open. People practise their faith, celebrate their festivals and find space to breathe.
The Filipino community here is tight-knit. The bayanihan spirit – helping each other, working for the common good – runs deep. Edna May Lazaro, Philippine consul general, calls it 'part of our DNA'. You see it in the way Filipinos organise festivals, support each other and keep traditions alive.
Rua da Alfândega stands at the centre. Locals call it Pinoy Street, and it is only a short stroll from tourist hotspot Senado Square. Here you find sari-sari shops – convenience stores – remittance agencies, salons and, above all, food. Food is the glue, comforting, connecting and telling the story of migration.
Arak Philippine Bread supplies the community with pandesal and more. Photo: Jocelyn Tam
Take Anak Philippine Bread. Open since 2003, it sells pandesal, the soft bread roll that tastes like home to many Filipinos. One pataca (approximately HK$1) buys you a roll. Ube cheese pandesal costs a bit more. Ari Calangi, a musician born in Macau, remembers the excitement when the bakery opened. 'We finally had a steady supply of pandesal,' he says. For many, a bite brings back memories of family breakfasts and childhood.
