Page 147 - Tagalog for Beginners: An Introduction to Filipino, the National Language of the Philippines
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Mga Tala Sa Kultura
When buying fruits and produce in the Philippines, one can go to a supermarket or
to the more popular palengke or open-air “wet market.” In Metro Manila, among
the most popular palengkes are Farmers’ Market and Nepa Q-Mart in Quezon City,
and Central Market and Divisoria in Manila.
Why is it called a wet market? While most parts of the market are dry, some
parts, such as the fish-selling area, are literally wet because of the constant cleaning
of the stalls.
Wet markets are known for their fresh items; in most cases fish, shellfish,
chicken and meat are delivered at dawn, straight from the ocean or the farms. Prices
are also relatively low.
While most sellers sell their items by the kilogram, some also make small piles
called the tumpok. One tumpok for example of chiles can cost a certain amount.
Fruit sellers sometimes make sign indicating where the fruit is from, taking
advantage of the popularity of a specific town known for a specific fruit. For
example, mangoes from Cebu are popular, and the best lanzones comes from Paete.
There are also signs that urge the buyer to taste the fruit by saying “Libre tikim”
(It is free to have a taste of the fruit).
In recent years, the tiangge or farmers’ market, usually held in parks or other
open spaces, has been extremely popular. One of the open-air tiangges is the one
near the Lung Center. Here, sellers sell all kinds of wares from baked goods,
delicacies, meat, herbal medicine, cooked food, and fruits from the sellers’ own
farms.
In both the palengke and the tiangge, it is customary to bargain for a better
price. The discount is called “tawad.” For many, it is less about saving money than
it is about feeling successful at the art of bargaining.
Pagbabasa
Read the following passage, and then answer the questions that follow. This popular
