Pagpag, also called second-hand fried chicken, has suddenly become a trend on Chinese social media. Influencers started filming themselves tasting.
The dish has long been a staple in slums in the Philippines, where families rely on it as a cheap source of protein.
It is made from discarded scraps that are cleaned and re-cooked. Its roots date back to the 1960s, when economic hardship forced many people to migrate to overcrowded cities.
Scavengers look for food scraps every morning. They then sell them to small retailers. These vendors chop the pieces, add spices and fry everything to create a filling meal.
For many households, the low cost is 20-30 pesos (approx ₹150) is the only option they can afford. However, the viral videos have become the subject of controversy.
The controversy started with Chinese travel influencer Baozou Brother. With more than 6.5 million followers, the vlogger posted a video of himself trying “second-hand fried chicken” in some poor areas of the Philippines, the South China Morning Post reported.
His video went viral. He admitted that while the taste was “acceptable”, the idea behind the food made it difficult for him to eat.
An influencer reviews a viral dish
Another Chinese influencer, known as “20 and I’ve never been to Starbucks,” tried it. He mentally prepared himself by imagining that he had been starving for days.
“After all, I’m an experienced lifestyle blogger and I have to do what I say. The local people really eat this. Look at this piece of meat, only half is left. I’m just imagining that I’ve been in the desert for 10 days and nights and I have nothing to eat,” SCMP quoted him as saying.
A few local children joined him while eating. Everyone shared the food. He ended his video by pointing out the harsh reality.
“This is the inequality of the world. What the rich throw away as scraps is treasure here,” he said.
The video caused strong reactions on the Internet. Many viewers felt uneasy watching influencers try pagpag. Some begged them to stop eating it because the sight was unbearable.
Others pointed to a harsher truth. Many poor families in the Philippines cannot even afford this second-hand fried chicken. Some manage to buy a small box only for the child’s birthday.
