Strangers in our own land

It’s summertime and the fruit picking are easy... (apologies to George Gershwin). But truly, we in the Philippines are blessed with a wide variety of fruits to enjoy in the summer. Mangoes are just exploding literally on our rooftops, as they are so abundant, and we can’t seem to pick them fast enough as they ripen. In our subdivision, we have vacant lots where duhat trees were planted years ago. They are so abundant our helpers have been having a great time gathering them by the basket daily for the past two weeks.

So, I bring them to our gatherings and to work in the hospital where our Pathology residents exclaim, “Oh grapes!” or “Wow, blueberries!” to my amusement. But seriously, our younger generations are now oblivious to our native fruits, and that is a crying shame.

According to Dr. Roberto Coronel, top horticulturist and author of “Promising Fruits of the Philippines,” due to the introduction of various fruit and nut species from all over the world, our truly endemic species have been relegated to the background. Of 32 fruits and nuts of economic importance, only one major fruit, calamansi, is native to the Philippines. Of the minor fruits, only the mabolo, marang, and pili nut are indigenous to the Philippines.

Why is this an important discussion? From the conservation point of view, we stand to lose much of our edible biodiversity by neglecting our native fruit species. In fact, there are many more waiting to be discovered, yet we are rapidly decimating our forests, and we will lose them forever without even recognizing their existence, much less their economic worth and possible health benefits.

When we cultivate fruits that are widespread, there is no economic advantage other than to be the cheapest provider or exporter. Whereas if we have a unique product, we can put a premium on its price. The emphasis nowadays is on premium, unique, and esoteric products. Having a fruit that is endemic and has many health benefits and unique taste gives us an added advantage in the world market.

There is a long list of research articles (http://www.scopus.com) that show the many positive health effects of the duhat tree (scientific name: Syzygiumcumini). Its fruit, leaves, and bark have pharmacological properties, such as antibacterial, anti-fungal, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcerogenic, cardioprotective (triterpenoids content), anti-allergic, anti-cancer, antioxidant, hepatoprotective, antidiarrheal, and anti-diabetic (hypoglycemic) effects (due to its oleanolic acid content). It’s also a good source of iron; thus, it aids in production of hemoglobin. Its high calcium content improves bone health.

It’s a shame we don’t exploit this fruit to the hilt. Yes, it’s been turned into a wine, but we should gear up and mass-produce duhat trees for commercial use in the local pharmaceutical industry, rather than keep importing expensive drugs.

If duhat is in abundance, we can enjoy its fruits for a month or more during its season; and take note, it’s low in sugar, unlike other fruits like bananas, oranges, grapes, etc.

I’m sure our creative chefs can find ways to use duhat in desserts that will create a culinary sensation around the world.

Yet, there are many more endemic fruits that many Filipinos don’t know about. In my childhood in Quezon, we would feast on not only duhat but its relatives — lipote and kalumpit — which were plentiful and cheap. Now I see duhat being advertised on Facebook for over ₱300!

Then there are other indigenous fruits like bignay, paho, binukaw, as-is, kamansi, sampinit, kolongkolong, and niyog-niyogan, which, according to the UP Los Baños chemists, are rich in anti-oxidants (phenolics) that have strong anticancer, anti-diabetic, and antiinflammatory properties. Let’s not forget iba, katmon, galo, and hagis, which have been endorsed by the DENR in “Food from the Wilderness,” along with many other plants whose flowers, leaves, or roots are edible as well.

Now, how many of these fruits do you know? I must admit I don’t know many of them, in spite of being raised in Quezon province. Let’s not be strangers in our own land. It is time we get to know our very own plants that could very well be our salvation not only to keep us healthy but also to lift our people up from poverty, disease, and ignorance.

If we start planting fruit trees that are in season at different times of the year in vacant lots, along the roadsides, in backyards, and wherever we can, then, should the unimaginable happen, like massive famine, our fruit trees can be our salvation.

Let us exploit our native plant resources, many of which are unique, and produce our own medicine, food, and supplements that are affordable to Filipinos. At the same time, they can be exported for additional foreign exchange. Enough of these mindless importations!

When we cultivate fruits that are widespread, there is no economic advantage other than to be the cheapest provider or exporter. Whereas if we have a unique product, we can put a premium on its price.