PAGPAG - Garbage Chicken a grim staple for Manila's poor

For Nomads, eating leftovers from supermarkets and garbage disposals is something normal. There is even a term for that “dumpster diving”. In the past few years, some even started the “freeganism” movement, a way of living like a vegan and eating from dumpsters.

But for people in the Philippines, leftovers are all what they can afford. The Philippines are known as a poor nation, which is why some people source their food from dumpsters and leftovers.

The documentary, part of the Meal of the Day series, tells that story of “pagpag”. The term, used in the Philippines describes leftover food usually from restaurants and household wastes. The leftovers are thrown away in dumpsites, where scavengers cook them and sell them to the poor population.

In the past few years, “pagpag” has become a staple in the kitchen menu for the poor population, despite the health issues. But some people firmly believe in dumpster diving and eating leftovers. In the past, worldwide, dumpster diving was reserved for the poor population. Nowadays, however, it has become an organized way of living. There are even scavengers that organize via internet forums.

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