Do you know what a “Suki” is? How about a “Suki Relationship”? It is something that is very important and beneficial if you plan to live in the Philippines.
A Suki Relationship is the relationship between a customer and a trusted supplier. It is a relationship of mutual respect between these two people. If you develop a suki relationship with some vendors, you will get the best prices, the best quality, and a true friend who will look out for you.
I enjoy shopping at the public markets in the Philippines. In Tagalog speaking areas, the market is also known as the “Palengke”. In the Bisaya speaking areas of the Philippines, the market is called the “Merkado”. In Davao, where I live, both “Palengke” and “Merkado” are used frequently. I like to go there and the number of unique items I find there seems almost limitless.
I have a lot of Sukis at the Merkado too. I have a preferred vendor for fish, for meat, for vegetables. For each type of product that I buy regularly, I have a suki that I go to. These vendors know me, because they see me regularly.
For example, as I said, I have a suki for fish. Now, if my trusted vendor knows that I like a certain type of fish, he might hold it for me when he gets something really special that matches my favorite. He won’t sell it to others that he does not know and deal with regularly. But, if I show up, he will pull that out from the back and show it to me, because I am a regular customer, and he wants to take good care of me.
A lot of foreigners complain that vendors here do not treat them well. Vendors overcharge them, because they are a foreigner.. or so these foreigners say. I don’t find that to be the case! Because I have suki relationships with the vendors that I use, they look out for me. They would not want to risk our relationship of trust and respect by charging me an extra P20 or whatever. They can make more money from me by treating me right, and ensuring that I will be back time and again!
Shop around, find your sukis and stick with them!
Hi Bob,
“Suki” sure is the way to go, although it’s alien to many foreigners.
I was brought up in the UK “Suki” culture, lol.
It was always a way of getting the best deal, and often you could negotiate too.
I’m also a big believer in reciprocal business for business folk.
100% behind you on that, Chas!
Nice tip!
Thanks, Dave.
I really miss those good times in Mindanao. “Mom” would go to the market 3 times a day. Coming back all smiles. I am guessing that gossip was being traded along with fresh fish, fresh fruit, and baked goods.
No need to guess! Gossip always changes hands at the Palengke! 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAi4B9LQmlU
Suki relationships can be a lot of fun. Many can become “friends” of sorts and will even hold the best things for you. My fish suki gave me his number so I can call in advance to see if the types and size of fish I want are available 🙂
Yep, friendship and taking care of you is what the Suki relationship is all about!
Bob;
This is so true. It takes awhile and to spend some time at it but well worth the effort. In the small place I live there is a smallish public market. (a large one on Sunday mornings across from the church) During the week there are about 3-4 meat vendors in the market. I have one that will save certain cuts of baboy or beef when they have it. She always tells me when and where it was butchered. Even if I am walking by and only down for fruit she will actually come out so she doesn’t have to yell and tell me when good meat will be in… Needless to say.. I do not buy my meat anywhere else…lol
Hi Richard – Yep, it sounds like you have the Suki routine down! That’s how it works. Makes it kind of fun to go shopping, because you are dealing with friends!
Hi Richard,
The first time I went to an authentic Filipino market, the Manga Market, Bohol, my then pen-pal and I entered as a live hog was being brought in, We were there for fish so we shopped in the fish area. A couple of minutes later we heard loud squealing. After purchasing our fish. We walked past the fresh pork displayed for sale. There was no need for anyone to tel us when and where that pig was killed and butchered. Enjoyed the article, Bob!
Peace
Jay
We have had several for a long time now.
Naturally! Anybody who has been here for a relatively long stay develops Sukis in different areas… meat, fish, whatever it is that you buy regularly! Good morning, Jim!
Bob Martin Your correct Bob mostly in the local wet market.
Valuable Information, Bob. Thanks.
Thank you, Rusty.
god bless you bob.
but i’m still wondering why i’m not as luky as your are in the pilipinas. I wonder why????????????????????????..john martyn.. in Darwin Australia..
Hi John. Hard to know for sure. Try to go into everything with a positive attitude and an open mind, I find it that’s the best way to get good results. Good luck to you.
My own favorite suki is a lobster suki about 5 houses away. Can’t beat that one if you like lobsters! I also have one for fish and another for pork.
Ken M,
I Love Lobster, What area do you stay?
I remember one of my relatives did not know what the lobster is and that its good to eat and they nailed it to a tree (for some strange reason I don’t know). But I quickly corrected them on that. LOL I will be in the Clarin (outside Ozamis City ) area for a while.
My wife and I have a house in Eastern Samar near Salcedo. Completely off the tourist track. I’ve been more or less adopted by the locals.
Reading on, I see where people feel they are getting ripped off to some extent. It takes a while to get accepted. Keep a smile on your face. People will thaw to a person that is genuine.
Probably the best way to become “adopted” into the local society is by learning at least a little bit of the local language.
Wow! I’d love to have a lobster suki! I am jealous!
Hi Bob, Although I am not currently living there I can say that both are true. Many vendors take advantage of the foreigner and then many do not. I think those that do do so because they foreigner may be new or just visiting and the vendor has not seen them regularly or frequently enough. I think that once it is established with the vendor through frequent meetings or sightings that this exchange may change into a suki type relationship. Cant say that I blame the vendor for trying to take advantage of some foreign visitor either. In many countries there is a blatant display of this as the norm, such as in India where many vendors and govt offices have posted separate charges, 1 for natives and 1 for foreigners. All in all I trust what you have mentioned with the Suki relationship hold true once it is known or aware that the foreigner is a mainstay. I mean it would be foolish for the vendor at that point to not establish a good relationship. I hope my assumption is fairly accurate.
Hi Chris, thanks for sharing that. It might give some perspective to people, and help some foreigners understand that there are good and bad vendors.
I always go to the Palengke with my wife Anne. We have suki’s for veggies, pork, chicken and tuna. Sometimes for pork we have to use another vendor as our suki may not have any lomo(pork tenderloin) as that is mostly the kind of pork we eat. When Anne goes to the market alone all the vendor’s always ask Anne where i am.
Ha ha… sounds like you have some friends there and they are concerned if they don’t see you!
Really fun article, Bob. In particular I am always fascinated by the large percentage of foreigners who come to the Philippines with the attitude “they” are going to cheat me. I’m always tempted to write to these folks, or ask them if we are face to face, “Why in the heck are you moving here then”? “Do you like living in an environment where you are going to be cheated 24/7?
I sure don’t and in the Philippines it doesn’t happen that way for me.
I’ll tell you how far the “suki” thing can go. My wife likes to stop at a palengke in a provincial town where she went to high school. We often buy tuna from a “fish lady” there.
One day my son was visiting from the USA and he and I took a drive to the province. My wife asked me to stop by the “fish lady’s” stall and get some yellow fin tuna.
Easy enough. My son was fascinated by the market and by the people we met and I picked up 2 kilos of tuna, luscious and fresh, and paid the vendor P140 (about $3.00 USD) per kilo. That’s what she asked and it seemed fair to me so I paid it.
By the time my son and I reached home a few hours later, the fish vendor had already called one of my wife’s classmates who lived in that town and had her pass on the message to my wife that my wife should not allow me to roam around untrained. The vendor was embarrassed because I had just paid her “asking” price without bargaining, and she was afraid my wife would think she was cheating me.
I caught a little hell when I got home becuase I should have known better … in the Philippines as in most other Asian countries, bargaining is not only part of the sales processes, it’s an important social “dance”. Be sociable.
Hi Dave,
Like you, it really bothers me the amount of complaints that I hear about getting ripped off, being on guard for rip offs and such. If these worried folks would just take the time to establish a Suki relationship, be friendly, etc. they can not only not be ripped off, but actually get the best prices and the best quality from their suki! And, had a lot of fun at the same time!
To me, the bargaining (called “hangyo” in Bisaya areas) is the majority of the fun of dealing with vendors at the market! It is a bit “playful” the negotiation, and I enjoy it.
Another thing about bargaining, is that if you don’t try to bargain you will be considered somewhat of a push over, and it will actually encourage the vendor to raise the price on you the next time! 🙂
Hope you didn’t get into too much trouble with your wife, though! 🙂
Bob;
I think quite a bit of “foreigner” problems result from foreigners isolating themselves from the people around them. A person MUST make themselves a part of the area they live in to be accepted. Gated communities and locked doors are a barrier.
That said, I had a leg up as my wife is loved and respected by her local barrio. Her success even before she came to the US has become a role model.
I contribute. I bought two piglets for the barrio so they could make a living on those and their descendants. It’s going well. (BTW, those piglets were expensive. Double what they would cost in the US. No way the locals couldn’t afford that grubstake.) We also established a library and supplied it with books.
Little things mean a lot.
I totally agree with you, Ken.
Bob,
I’ll say Good Morning, or something else simple in Visayan, and many think I can understand complex sentences. They’ll talk away as if I really understand everything they are saying.
I’ll just smile and move on.
Absolutely correct. I naturally prefer those who treat me honestly, decently, and soon enough as much friend as customer, and the reciprocation is mutual. Example, a couple of years ago, I asked my preferred baboy (pork) vendor to make me some european-style dinner sausages. They provided a few kilos of nice pork, casing, and the needed ‘stuffer’ since they already make and sell Pinoy longaniza. I provided the spices and recipe. They did the work and asked a fair price for the batch. I was one happy camper, I gave them a few of the links to try at their own table and passed a few more links around to my other preferred palengke tindera’s.
Cost – much MUCH less than grocery-store prices which only stock ultra-expensive sausages and nothing produced in the Philippines. Yes I know it’s different in the three mega-metropolises, but here it’s a great solution. Mutual good-will – priceless.
That sounds like a good idea, Ed. Glad it worked out for you.