No more chocolates from UAE, as Filipinos return home with onions instead 

MANILA: When she traveled to the Philippines to see her family last month, Dina Gacula Odo did not bring any branded Emirati chocolates or fragrant soaps as gifts but something that her loved ones now value much more: onions.

Odo, an administration worker at a hypermarket in Dubai, joined scores of other Filipino expats in the UAE, who are redefining the traditional homecoming presents, or pasalubong, and are now filling their luggage with the staple that is reaching skyrocketing prices of up to $12 per kg.

“It’s really very expensive here ... it’s now like gold because of its price,” she told Arab News. “In Dubai, it’s only 3 dirhams (80 US cents) per kg.” 

Philippine authorities have been warning of dwindling supplies since August and the price of onions — widely used in many local dishes — has more than quadrupled in the past four months. 

The government has also launched an investigation into cartels after lawmakers filed resolutions against illegal onion trading.

To immediately address the situation, the purchase of over 21,000 metric tons of the vegetable was approved by President Ferdinand Marcos this week and is expected to arrive in the Philippines by the end of January. 

But currently, the price of 1 kg of onion remains up to three times higher than the price of meat and overseas Filipinos are mobilizing to help their families.

April Manuel, who also works in Dubai, said onions are “very handy and worth carrying” and advised everyone to bring them when they are traveling home. 

“It’s no longer chocolates that will make the family happy, but onions!” she added. 

Some, like Mitzi Panganiban, a dental assistant who has been in Dubai for the past 16 years, regretted that had not bought more onions when she recently hosted her mother-in-law and for the first time did not stuff her bags with chocolate upon return. 

“I packed 2 kg for her to bring home; that’s about 6 dirhams,” she said. “I should have made it 4 kg.”