--- title: An Earthly Ritual in Manila description: If you're in the Philippine capital and looking for original gifts for the folks back home, bypass the barong shops and head for Ritual. Located... canonical: https://time.com/archive/6938446/an-earthly-ritual-in-manila/ author: Hans Villarica article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2010-10-21T04:00:00.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-22T07:28:05.150Z og:title: An Earthly Ritual in Manila og:description: If you're in the Philippine capital and looking for original gifts for the folks back home, bypass the barong shops and head for Ritual. 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Its journalism is reported and edited by a professional newsroom led by Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs, with named correspondents on politics, climate, health, technology and culture. It reaches 1 million US print subscribers and 1.15 million globally, plus more than 1.1 million newsletter readers. #### How do I subscribe to TIME magazine? Subscriptions are at time.com/subscribe-agent. Choose digital only at $20 a year, or print and digital from $29 a year or $49 for two years. TIME also publishes seven free email newsletters at time.com/newsletters, which do not require a subscription. #### Can I cancel a TIME subscription? Yes. TIME states that subscriptions can be cancelled at any time. #### Does TIME have free newsletters? Yes. TIME publishes seven free email newsletters reaching more than 1.1 million readers, covering daily news, Washington politics, health, AI, climate and energy, culture, and the newsroom itself. They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-sub-2026q3/newsletters?i=dea8f602-3bec-4b7e-865f-316157a74802&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) * TIME Subscriptions: [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-sub-2026q3/subscribe?i=dea8f602-3bec-4b7e-865f-316157a74802&cr=time-sub-2026q3-v1) by [Hans Villarica](https://time.com/author/hans-villarica/) Oct 21, 2010 4:00 AM UTC  Out of the bag At Ritual, many goods are sold loose Out of the bag At Ritual, many goods are sold loose Hans Villarica by [Hans Villarica](https://time.com/author/hans-villarica/) Oct 21, 2010 4:00 AM UTC If you’re in the Philippine capital and looking for original gifts for the folks back home, bypass the _barong_ shops and head for Ritual. Located on the periphery of Makati, Metro Manila’s frenetic financial district, this alternative grocery bursts with smart gift choices in the form of organic goods sourced from all over the archipelago. The gourmet in your life will thank you for one-of-a-kind cooking ingredients like organic sea salt from southern Sarangani province. There are seasonal food items like _balayang_, an indigenous banana from the northern Ilocos region that’s pickled in black cane vinegar and served as a tangy garnish. There are even some time-tested holistic products like _tawas_ (potassium alum), used in traditional local medicine as an antiseptic, deodorant and moisturizer. “Each of our products has its own story,” says co-owner Rob Crisostomo. “It’s when we give importance to that story, that ritual, that we help protect the environment that made it all possible.” [(Watch TIME”s video “Extreme Couponers Get Groceries for (Almost) Free.”)](https://www.time.com/time/video/player/0,32068,180388296001%5F2005364,00.html) Ritual’s prices are cheap, with most of the stock sourced straight from local farms and forests. Pieces of _tawas_ are on offer at just 34 cents each. And the much ballyhooed civet coffee beans — the ones “processed” by wild jungle cats and famously gathered in Indonesia but also in the Philippines — are just $200 a kilo, a steal compared with typical export prices of $500 and beyond. After browsing, visitors can chill on Ritual’s shaded patio while indulging in desserts made with fresh local ingredients (don’t miss the frozen _calamansi_ yogurt with honey). Plans are also under way to transform the second floor of this cozy 20-sq-m space into a traditional _hilot_ (Filipino massage) area. There won’t be too much relaxation for Crisostomo and his partner Bea Misa, however. The two eco-entrepreneurs first worked together six years ago when they sold reusable bags in college. Today they are piloting programs with the advocacy group Hapinoy to help the country’s small convenience stores — known as _sari-sari_ stores — go green. One of their objectives is to persuade store owners, who sell most of their wares in plastic sachets, to adopt Ritual’s practice of selling everything from shampoo to sugar in loose form. Not only does the lack of packaging mean lower costs, it also allows customers to purchase the precise quantities required. Which reminds us: if you’re planning on a visit to Ritual, cadge a few containers and cloth bags from your hotel first. For the store’s address and opening hours, call (63-2) 400 4326. [See 25 authentic Asian experiences.](https://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1934455%5F1934447,00.html) [See TIME’s Global Adviser for exotic, beautiful and interesting getaways.](https://www.time.com/time/travel/tipsadvice/globaladviser) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/archive/6938446/an-earthly-ritual-in-manila/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/archive/6938446/an-earthly-ritual-in-manila/"},"headline":"An Earthly Ritual in Manila","datePublished":"2010-10-21T04:00:00.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-22T07:28:05.150Z","description":"If you're in the Philippine capital and looking for original gifts for the folks back home, bypass the barong shops and head for Ritual. 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