By Ben Garcia

Formerly known as 'old Souq Salmiya', Barayeh Salem has become an enclave for Filipino workers in Kuwait since it reopened in mid-2018. Barayeh Salem is located in the heart of Salmiya along the famous Salem Al-Mubarak Street. In an interview with Kuwait Times, Barayeh Salem CEO Abdulrahman Jassim Al-Fawaz said the old Souq Salmiya was refurbished in line with Kuwait's 2035 vision to create a new commercial hub for all nationalities.

Spread over an area of 24,000 square meters, Barayeh Salem sealed a deal in April 2019 to manage the area. Barayeh Salem houses 13 commercial establishments, which are currently occupied by around 570 companies. "The development of this area is basically connected to Kuwait's 2035 vision, wherein the government will enter into joint ventures with the private sector, hoping to earn revenue from other sources other than oil," he said.

"Barayeh Salem is the first major joint venture with the Kuwaiti government, represented by the Municipality - the owners of Barayeh Salem - and the national fund supporting small and medium enterprises," Fawaz said. Fawaz's mission is to oversee the day-to-day operations of the area, including programs and activities suitable for the newly-renovated market.

Little Manila

While people know this place as Old Souq Salmiya or Barayeh Salem, many Filipinos have named it 'Little Manila', as from morning till evening, Filipinos are all over the place, eating, jogging, walking or shopping. When the souq reopened in 2018, many restaurants and shops sprouted like mushrooms. But during the pandemic, many shops also closed down - however, when one shop closes, another opens. A mall inside the old souq is named 'Little Manila' to woo Filipino customers. Indeed, the mall and the alleys inside the old souq have attracted Filipino small businesses, including supermarkets owned by Indians and patronized by many Filipinos.

The souq has become a favorite shopping destination and gathering place for Filipinos living and working in Kuwait. The shops and establishments here include cosmetics and beauty shops, hypermarkets, restaurants and cafes, bakeries, cargo movers, gold shops, salons for men and women, remittance firms, souvenir shops, etc. The enclave offers OFWs a few moments of 'home' in the form of local food, culture and camaraderie. Graffiti in Tagalog is seen on the walls and on weekends, Tagalog can be heard up and down the street as kabayans gather in large numbers to meet their friends, relatives and others from their homeland.

From the corner of Salem Al-Mubarak Street at the tip of the Fourth Ring Road up until Al-Salam Mall are rows of restaurants with names familiar to Filipinos, such as Bahay Kubo (under Golden Meal), Binalot sa Sarap (located Inside Big C Hypermarket), Jerry's Grill, Asia's Grill, Queen Inasal, Gimikan, Tapsi Republic, Bubble Tea, Samalamig, Tia Maria, Goto King, Kusina ni Nanay, Chicken King, Kusina ni Inday, Bubble Street, Mini Joy Tea, Kalye Hugot, Meal Box, Da Gucci, Koko Restaurant, Dampa Restaurant, Laila Bakery, Makulay Restaurant, Kim's Restaurant, Aristocrat Restaurant, Asia Wrap & Roll, Wok Grill and many more.

Some of these restaurants are located inside malls. There are hypermarkets and grocery stores too, such as Big C Hypermarket, Grand Hyper, Ambassador Hypermarket and Kabayan Hypermarket, where you can buy frozen meat and fish products imported from the Philippines. Behind McDonalds are other Filipino-inspired restaurants like iTEA, Tia Maria Restaurant and Nature's Taste Bakery, all serving specialty Filipino food.

Graffiti

Just a few meters away from the main Salem Al-Mubarak St is a small street with a large concentration of Filipinos - the street is dubbed Makulay Street, short for Malikhaing Kulturang Layag (artists' guild). The graffiti on this street is collaboratively done by Filipino artists, who have made this street very colorful and attractive. It has become a selfie spot, not just for Filipinos, but those of other nationalities as well. Makulay Street is dedicated to towns and cities in the Philippines - representing the major islands of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao - scrawled using colorful paint.

Next to it is the Little Manila mall - here you'll find Jollibee and Chowking, famous Filipino fast food chains. Jollibee has seven stores in Kuwait and caters to Filipinos in general. In the same building, you can visit a Filipino grooming salon called Kuwentong Barbero, which takes pride in having the best Filipino hairdressers who are experts in various hairstyles for men. If you go further, Al-Salam Mall has several Filipino restaurants inside its food court, as does Marina Mall.

"I opened my first restaurant in 2013 near Old Souq Salmiya but it was a bit far from the main old souq. So in 2019, when I got space, I took advantage of it. It was a hit, but in 2020 and 2021 the pandemic hit. But we are now slowly going back to normal," said Meliza Cinco, owner of Bahay Kubo restaurant. "When the country reopened and dining was allowed, I slowly got back my pre-COVID customers. Hopefully this will continue," she said.

Jerry Sedeno, a Filipino businessman who used to own cargo and electronic shops in Kuwait City, decided to shift all his businesses to Salmiya. "When I saw the burgeoning number of Filipinos in Salmiya, I realized the old souq will be a big thing for Filipinos. So I rented my first shop for electronics in the old souq in 2019. During the pandemic, when all businesses were dead, I took the chance to rent more shops. I took one shop near Al-Mughira Street (also in Salmiya), and then when the Little Manila mall opened, I took an additional five units there," he said.

"I took the entire sixth floor for my restaurant (Jerry's Grill), and on the ground floor I have a bakeshop and a barbershop. I shifted my cargo company here too, including my electronics shop (Extreme Electronic), from Kuwait City. Many of my Filipino friends who formerly lived around Kuwait have now shifted to Salmiya, so I am sure everything will be here now," Sedeno added.

The demographic shift

Many Filipinos previously living in Fahaheel, Jahra and Farwaniya have moved to Salmiya to be nearer to their kababayans. The family of Chanong Chris Enriquez, who lived in Farwaniya for a decade, recently moved to Salmiya to be among the Filipino community. "My reason for moving is deeply related to my countrymen. I love being in the community of Filipinos. I also want my only child to be raised in a community where many Filipino kids reside, so they can play here freely. So I told my wife we needed to shift. She agreed, so last month we finally moved," Chanong said.

Beatrice and her husband also shifted to Salmiya from Fahaheel recently. "I have a small family business making Filipino food and supplying to some restaurants in Salmiya. I wanted to be closer to my clients, so I told my husband to look for a better place near the old souq. We moved here in June 2021," he said.