Where To Find Seafoods In Bongao

Sometime in August 2008 I was given a work assignment in Bongao, Tawitawi. At first I was hesitant because when I looked at the map, it is almost not part of the Philippine Archipelago.

The thought of being able to be in a place where not so many people would be able to go motivated me to accept the project. It would be a pleasure to say that I have been to Bongao, Tawi-tawi one day.

I was accompanied by my supervisor the first time I went there. I had to be properly endorsed to the people that I will be working closely with.

On our way, my supervisor bragged about the sea foods that are available in Bongao. But I wasn’t so excited about sea foods. I was served endlessly with sea foods in my work assignment in Roxas City and Surigao City.

We arrived at lunch time. I was surprised at what I saw. It was certainly not what I expected. There were hotels and resorts. There were more people than what I had in mind.

We went around finding a place to have lunch. Food shops were everywhere, but all I saw were chicken and beef in their menu. Fish was a rare find.

Back at the hotel’s restaurant, I tried to peek at their menu. They were all the same, chicken and beef in the menu. I couldn’t help but asked about the sea foods. The lady who works at the hotel told me that there are cheap and fresh sea foods at the market area. They are seldom served in restaurants because people in Bongao were already tired of eating them.

If there are tourists in Bongao, they are very few. Most of the people that visit the island were there to work, just like me. Also, there were few of us. The people patronizing the food establishments were from the island also, who are tired of eating sea foods.

If you want to eat sea foods in Bongao, you have to buy them fresh at the market and have them cooked at the hotel you are staying. You only have to pay for the cooking and service charges. Not economical for a lone traveler like me.