24/09/2026
Roaming around Bongao’s Chinese Pier in search of bulad (dried fish), I found myself walking through more than just a busy waterfront.
Historically, the Chinese Pier was not merely a docking area. It has witnessed centuries of trading, commerce, and cultural exchange that helped shape the Province of Tawi-Tawi. Long before our quick trips to buy dried fish and other local products, this waterfront was already part of the movement of people and goods across the islands.
Today, the scene may look much simpler where boats coming and going, vendors selling their catch, and locals going about their daily lives, but traces of that old trading spirit remain. You can still see them use coconut leaves basket for their agri products and they still sell their fish not per kilo but by “tapok”.
Sometimes, the best way to appreciate a place is simply to walk around, look closely, and let its everyday scenes tell you a little bit of its history.
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