Specifically, "Bagoong Alamang" is Filipino shrimp paste, made from minute shrimp or krill and is commonly eaten as a topping on green mangoes or served on the side of "Kare-kare".

Another variation of Bagoong is called Bagoong Balayan, which is thick Fish Sauce of pouring consistency. So called because it has been made for over a hundred years in the town of Balayan, Batangas. There are two types, the special bagoong, which is made purely from dilis, and the regular type made from galunggong and other kinds of fish, or a mixture of both. Fresh fish is the key to the making of good bagoong. Fish come from Nasugbu, Batangas and as far as Quezon Province.

The processing usually starts in the months of March, April or May, when dilis, galunggong and inglis are abundant.