Bakoko (Silver grunt)

Bakoko, Silver grunt, Pomadasys argenteus, is commonly known in local markets as a type of fish, often associated with sea bream or porgy in English references. Local fish names can vary depending on the province, market, and seller, so I always think it is good to ask the vendor how they usually cook it and where it came from.

Today, I bought bakoko from a fish vendor under the tree.

It was not from a supermarket, not from a fancy seafood market, and not from an online delivery app. It was just a simple local scene: fresh fish, a seller, a tree for shade, and people buying what they need for the day.

For me, this kind of moment says a lot about life in the Philippines.

Of course, buying food from a small roadside or neighborhood seller also requires judgment. You need to check if the fish looks fresh, whether it is properly iced or recently caught, and whether the place looks reasonably clean. Cheap food is not always good food. But when you find a reliable local seller, it can become part of your daily routine.

This is one thing I am slowly learning in the Philippines: daily life is not only found in malls and restaurants. It is also found under a tree, beside the road, in a wet market, in a small sari-sari store, or through a short conversation with someone selling food.

For foreigners, especially Koreans who are used to very organized markets and supermarkets, this can feel unfamiliar at first. But this is also part of the charm of living here. The Philippines still has many direct, human, and local ways of buying food.

I bought the bakoko because I was curious. I wanted to try something ordinary, something local, something that people here actually eat. This is how I want to understand the Philippines—not only through big news, retirement rankings, travel destinations, or business opportunities, but also through simple daily experiences.

Maybe I will steam it with ginger, onion, soy sauce, and a little sesame oil. Maybe I will fry it simply and eat it with rice. Some Filipino and Chinese-style home recipes use bakoko for steamed fish dishes, so it seems like a good fish for a simple meal.

Small moments like this make me appreciate local life more. A fish bought under a tree is not just food. It is a reminder that the Philippines is best understood slowly, through markets, people, conversations, and ordinary days.