Pasalubong (Tagalog, "[something] for when you welcome me") is the Filipino tradition of travellers bringing gifts from their destination to people back home. Pasalubong can be any gift or souvenir brought for family or friends after being away for a period of time. It can also be any gift given by someone arriving from a distant place. Pasalubong are also associated with the balikbayan, Overseas Filipinos returning to the Philippines, and may refer to items that migrant workers bring home to their families, friends, relatives or even non-relatives that they feel especially close with. Description Pasalubong is a Tagalog word, a variant of the word pansalubong or pangsalubong. It comes from the root word "salubong" which means "(to) welcome", "to meet", or "reception". The prefix "pa-" is a contraction of "pang-", roughly equivalent to the English suffix "-er". Thus, the word "pasalubong" can be roughly translated as "welcomer", or "something meant for you when you welcome me back." The word has minor celebratory connotations, as in rejoicing the safe homecoming of someone who was away for a time. In Visayan languages, pasalubong is also referred to as tinabuan in Cebuano and sinugatan in Hiligaynon. Both of which have the same meanings as the Tagalog word. The Philippine English acronym B.H. (for "Bring Home") is also frequently used. Pasalubong, in general, is a "gift for a relation or friend brought by a traveler returning from a trip," and could also refer to "anything given as a gift to someone on the way home to a certain place." It could also mean "homecoming gift" or any present which signifies appreciation to the services rendered by the recipient. The pasalubong usually consists of native delicacies or indigenous things from the region or country where the traveler came from. For example, a vacationer coming back from Negros might bring home some piaya to his family, while someone coming home from Hawaii might bring macadamia nuts. The length of time the person is away is inconsequential. A pasalubong can be given coming home from work each day to returning to one's hometown after decades of being in another country. Cultural significance The tradition of giving a pasalubong is of great cultural importance for Filipinos as it strengthens the bond with the immediate family, relatives, and friends. In rarer instances, it can even be used to forge stronger relationships with someone you may not know that