In Iloilo’s bustling markets and across Antique’s coasts, the air is thick with the scent of bulád – dried fish. Locals call these sun-cured catches ugá or pinakas. (In Hiligaynon, ugá simply means “dry” or “sun-dried” fish.) Vendors display rows of fish split open, heavily salted, and left to bake on bamboo racks under the tropic sun.
This age-old preservation method, known throughout the Philippines as daing or buwád, transforms ordinary fish into a salty, long-lasting delicacy. Short mackerel (guma-a) is the most prized species for pinakas, but you’ll also find dried danggit (rabbitfish), sardines (tunsoy), and threadfin bream (bisugo) among the offerings.
Pinakas: The Butterflied Fish Treat
Pinakas (from the Hiligaynon verb pakas, “to butterfly-cut”) is simply fish that has been gutted, split in half lengthwise, salted, and sun-dried. To prepare it, the fisher removes the innards and makes a long belly cut (the pakas), then lays the fish flat on a drying mat. The intense sun and salt draw out moisture and concentrate the flavor. In essence, pinakas is the same idea as daing – any fish can become pinakas so long as it’s split, salted, and cured. The result is a firm, deeply savory fish that keeps for weeks. Ilonggos often use oily fishes like guma-a or tamban (herring) for pinakas, because the extra fat makes the dried fish rich and satisfying. When fried crisp at home, a piece of pinakas is hard to resist – traditionally enjoyed with warm garlic rice and a dip of spiced vinegar.
On the breakfast table, a fried fillet of pinakas looks simple, but its flavor is anything but plain. Filipinos often squeeze calamansi or garlic vinegar over the fish, which balances the deep saltiness. In fact, pairing fried dried fish with sinangág (garlic fried rice) is a classic pamahaw (breakfast) combo. Many visitors describe that first bite as unforgettable: the brittle, savory fish alongside tart, garlicky sinangág. As one food writer puts it, “Unlike the uga that can taste like an NaCl mine, the lamayo has a most divine flavor” – the principle is similar for pinakas too. For Ilonggo families, the humble pinakas is more than breakfast fare; it’s comfort food and heritage on a plate.
Uga and Lamayo: Fully Dried vs. Partly Dried
Ilonggos make a distinction between uga and lamayo based on how dry the fish is. Ugá (literally “dry” in Hiligaynon) refers to fish that has been cured completely under the sun. This is the super-salty, rock-hard version – imagine danggit or tamban left out all day until it’s cracker-crisp. Lamayo, by contrast, is only partially dried. The fish (often bangús or tilápia) is butterflied and marinated briefly in a mixture of vinegar, garlic, salt, and other spices. Then it’s laid out for just a few hours under the morning sun. The light curing keeps the flesh moist and colorful (malána in Ilonggo terms). Lamayo therefore tastes much milder than uga. One Iloilo journalist notes that lamayo’s flavor is “divine” compared to uga’s briny kick. In short, uga is the tuyo-level dried fish that can stand salty on its own, while lamayo is halfway between fresh and bulad – richly seasoned but still juicy.
Antique’s Pinakas Tradition
On Antique’s shores, the same traditions thrive. In Culasi and nearby coastal towns (including Batbatan and Mararison islands), fishing is a way of life, and every catch often ends up dried under the sun. The dried fillets there are also called pinakas (or simply daing), made exactly like in Iloilo: gutted, halved, salted, and sun-dried. According to local research, *“the Pinakas or Daing in Tagalog… is produced in the island of Batbatan and all coastal towns in Antique”*. Visitors strolling Antique fish markets will find tables of bulad similar to Iloilo’s, even if the exact recipes vary. (In Antique you may also hear about pinindang – ring-shaped dried anchovies – a related delicacy.) Clearly, whether in Antique or Iloilo, families have passed down the art of drying fish for generations, making it a shared coastal heritage.
A Filipino Comfort Food
From the wet markets of Iloilo City to the fishing villages of Antique, dried fish is woven into local life. It may humble on the surface – just fish and salt – but it carries deep flavor and history. Filipinos often enjoy daing or bulad with rice and vinegar for breakfast; one food writer even calls it a beloved “comfort food” rather than mere survival fare. For tourists, tasting pinakas or lamayo can be a highlight of Panay Island cuisine: they may come looking for sweets like piaya, but many leave with pinakas tucked into their bags. In the end, these sun-dried fishes – uggily salty though they might smell – are symbols of Filipino ingenuity and flavor. They remind every eater of the sea, the sun, and the community that gathers to share simple, delicious food.
Ilonggo Traveler 
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