Durian : The Forbidden Fruit

By Enrica Edralin, Dolly Jane Ranises, Mhea Repollo, Lenin Mae Vargas

Exceptional large size. Spike-covered husk. Distinct acerbic smell. All these make up the outsized pride of Davao’s luscious delicacy –Durian. The eccentric beauty of durian is that it is a Kingdom of Wealth. Its huge size complements its sharp and fierce appearance that is comparable to a sea urchin’s form. The terrifying thorns of its shell scare people away. But once you get in depth, you can’t resist the pleasure of sucking the nutritious flesh within it. Beneath its hard, spiky husk is a soft, edible, cream-colored pulp that would certainly keep your mouth craving for its sweet taste. It leads you to savoring the striking sensation its flesh bestow. The plump tasty flesh of this tropical fruit is the wing that takes you off from the hell of its aroma and soar you to the heavens.

Some may regard its smell as disagreeable or even causing nausea. While some find its aroma enticing. Those who are foreign to this fruit despise its odor. Many countries have prohibited it on their establishments such as hotels, subways, airports, including public transportation. If the apple is known to be the “forbidden fruit” as what is was said in the bible, in reality, durian is really the “forbidden fruit” because of its smell.


The “King of the Fruits”. That is the very basic way to describe the most loved and the most hated fruit, durian. The name itself implies what kind of fruit it is. Usually, fruits’ names are given without meanings. However, durian is an exception. The word durian comes from the Malay word “duri” which means “thorns”. But its name does not only describe its physical appearance but also its role in the society. It contributes to food production since this fruit can be made into jam, candy and cake. It makes every member of the society healthy because of its high nutritional values. Yet the best quality of durian is its warming effect after eating it. This warming effect makes one’s body in heat which causes an excessive sweating. It is an inimitable delight which activates sensuality to those people who enjoys eating this fruit. Thus, this fruit may be considered as an aphrodisiac. Since, we, humans are very creative, there is a new innovation on how to use or consume durian. Its luscious taste is best not just for cakes, jam and candies. The most recent product of this provoking fruit for sex is the durian-flavored condom, the erotic feeling will still trigger when its fruit is eaten. From its smell, taste, appearance and even the process of eating it will provoke such action.

In Vietnam, the fruit’s native name is sâu riêng, which means “private sorrow”. Vietnamese believe that thorns are representation of sorrow because it causes pain and uneasiness. Durian loathed by many because of its unusual appearance and smell. In other words, this fruit is perceived as an ugly element in the society. Since its smell is very pungent, it’s like an infectious disease that no one wants to be inflicted with. If this fruit has feelings he may have low self-esteem and may pity himself because only few seem to love him. He privately grieves because he cannot do anything as he had no choice when these characteristics were given to him. Through the meaning of its name, one can already make its impression before having eaten it.



People have different ways of selecting durian fruit, to check if it is already mature enough to be eaten. Some people think that durians are ready to eat when its husk begins to crack. Some just rely in their scent by smelling the bottom part of durian. If it emits a strong smell, then it’s ready to eat. While other people use their intuition by using the tapping method. It is when a person hits the fruit with a stick and if he is able to hear a slightly hollow “thunk” sound which means that the fruit is already ripe. However, durian producers pick durians by waiting until the fruits fall 2 to 4 days for it to be fully ripened before eating it. They just wait for it to open since the durian automatically opens when it ripens.

There is a standard way in opening a durian fruit. Since the fruit is covered with spiny spikes, one must be very careful in opening it. Opening a durian fruit is somehow like solving a math problem. In Math, we use perpendicular lines in our trigonometry to create an X-axis and Y-axis. This can be applied in opening the fruit. It means etching an imaginary perpendicular line to the fruit, in one of its section, and following the Y-axis in cutting the fruit. But if you hate mathematics and you want to open it without recalling your trigonometry lessons, the easiest way to determine its opening is through the bulging part of it since the durian automatically opens when it ripens. But if looking for it still seems impossible, there is a star-like formation at the bottom that will help you know how to section the fruit to achieve perfect division.

However, how organized it was to open a durian fruit, devouring it is a mere joy and excitement. No standard rules, just how one loves and likes to eat it in his or her own way. Davaoeños as an array of unique individuality have different ways in eating Durian and they are classified into three: pinobre style( fingerlicious), sosyal style (fork&spoon), and the pa-sosyal style( cellophane dependent). The pinobre style eaters are those who prefer to use their bare hands in eating durian since in the Philippines the traditional way of eating our food is through the use of our bare hands. It is believed that our hands make the durian seems to become more tasteful when it is eaten. Since our hands naturally preserves its taste. this kind of durian eaters are also those who can’t get enough of just eating the meat but also sees a pleasure in sucking fingers dipped with the fruit’s creamy flesh. They find it satisfying especially when the taste seemed to absorb in their skin. It can lead to durian addiction.

On the other hand, the sosyal style are those who use spoon and fork in eating durian. These people are often afraid to get their fingers being stuck by the sticky meat of the fruit. Once the meat is stuck unto one’s finger it will leave its pungent smell, thus, making it difficult to expunge after eating. Usually these people are those who hate the smell but love the taste. They sometimes make the “I-Don’t-Know-How-To-Eat-Durian” or “I-Eat-Durian-Like-Eating-My-Favorite-Beefsteak” excuse so to avoid contact with the fruit’s meat. They use fork for piercing the seed and the spoon for scraping the meat out from its seed. Sometimes, this population is comprised of the elite, trying or just too scrupulous to have his or her fingers gets dirty or smelly.

Lastly, the pa-sosyal style eaters are those who are usually seen eating Durian while wearing a plastic bag in one of his or her hands. It is either the cellophane is in color red or white. These eaters are called to have a pa-sosyal style since they carry the both the attributes of the sosyal and pinobre styles. This person has an attribute of a pinobre style since he/she uses his or her hands in eating the fruit. The difference is that his or her hands are covered with cellophane. This person can also have a sosyal style of eating since he or she avoids getting in touch with the fruit’s meat to prevent sticking it into his or her fingers. The only difference is that this eater is just to avoid the smell of the meat to absorb in their skin. But still enjoys the moment of eating durian.

These three styles of eating durian show that the way people eat durian depends on their social status. Though people differ on their styles of eating the fruit, they still feel the same enjoyment of eating durian. Whatever style a person uses he still experience the euphoric excitement of eating it.

Durian is not only known for its distinct taste but famous as well for the pungent and indescribable odor it emits. Durian is compared to have a smell like a 3 week old garbage or 3 week unwashed underarms. The fruit is also compared to have a smell like the civet, sewage, stale vomit, skunk spray or having to eat it would make your breath smell as if you’ve been French-kissing your dead grandmother. It was like an epitome of revenge. It may taste sweet but it stinks.

However, the one who should be blamed and responsible of this pungent and indescribable smells are the chemical compounds found in the fruit called Hydrogen sulfide. Once the chemical is exposed to the air, it creates an odor. These chemical elements can only be found in Durians. Because of this, the smell of Durian seemed to have a distinct smell among the other fruits.

The bible did not really say that the apple is the forbidden fruit, it might have been durian. One can feel the increase body heat as he consumes the durian fruit. It provides an erotic sensation that can be similar to the mood one can get while having sex. If only dogmatic teaching said that Adam and Eve ate durian, we might vividly picture out how passionate it is to commit a sin. Durian is like sex, it gives impulses to one’s body that can create a titillating response.

Opening the hard, thorny crust of durian is like letting a virgin lay down on bed to have sex. It takes time for a virgin to let him unite with her. A man needs to convince, persuade and lure her with all his charm, or he can be like Adam who waited for Eve to offer him the fruit. However, if Adam is too arduous, he can exert much of his vigor to force Eve to let him enter the gate of heaven. All sweat without pain invested by man is paid off as the woman unleashes her most precious treasure, together with her body, her mind, and her souls.

The person who opens the durian would sometimes be wounded by the spiky shell, but with sex, it is different. Adam needs to dig in to Eve’s flesh, he needs to dig deeper to feel her warmth. Eve, on the other hand, feels the pain. The thorns were like needles that intensely prick her soul. She screams out of pain and pleasure. Eve explicitly endow the taste of her flesh as Adam savors the bitter-sweet sensation that nothing else in the world can offer.


Durian is like sex, the greater the intensity, the more impossible it is to resist the pleasure of sucking the invigorating flesh that it procures. You learn to love the smell as you crave fro more. You can forget that your hand might be stinky after firmly grasping to reach the peak of satisfaction. The bitter-sweet taste is like venom that paralyzes your body and drives the heat to be in control. You would not care if your blood pleasure increases as long as you enjoy the moment. When flesh is devoured, the sucking is over. The ritual is done, but the sizzling sensation lingers within the feeling is like in cloud nine as the process is over. No doubt that eating durian and sex are both addictive.


A saying in Indonesia goes like this, jatuh sarung naik, meaning “the durian fall and the sarongs come up.” When a durian falls on the ground meaning it can be eaten, after consuming it, people feel that hot sensual sensation. In order to release it, they go inside the room, the sarong comes up, the legs are opened, lights are off, and the rest is private.

One sees it. It’s huge, it’s spiky and you know it hurts. Certainly, one would say no! it always has the same effect on most people on their first time. Everybody anticipates pain. In fact, you wouldn’t want to try it if not for the pressure of other people enjoying it already. A person needs persuasion or even force just to let him or her try it. However, once you’ve endured the pain, it will be easier the nest time. And you’ll enjoy the pleasure more and more each time you try it.

If many find pleasure in sucking it, why do other people despise it? Surely, it’s not about the taste, for the taste is sweet and luscious. But its smell makes you nostalgic of the experiences you went through before eating it. It may remind you of striking pain you felt the first time you opened it. Or it may be as simple as reminding you of the person you were with while taking the pleasure in the body bliss it brings.

Durian, with its erotic component can let one feel the euphoric without having his or her body heat up in contact with another. Letting one penetrate durian into one’s body and soul will let you grasp eternal satisfaction. The pain and pleasure it bestows could not be defined through its corporeal attributes. Its horrid smell and sturdy appearance may either be daunting or inviting, but one thing’s for sure, once you’ve tasted the ecstasy it induces, it’s hard to say no the next time. Undeniably, the lustful and luscious feel it leaves makes you an aficionado. If, you want to reach nirvana, you might just have to walk through hell.

Habal-habal: A Different Kind of Ride

By Jennevy Cabiza, Arianne Nemenzo, Aljon Troy Requizo




Your sweat pours as the temperature rises. The heat is killing you. The caress on your arms down to your thighs excites you and the soft whispers in your ears drive you crazy. You press yourself hard on the body trapped between your thighs making sure that you are almost fixed to it. You stay focused but you forget everything along the way. Your grip becomes tighter; you don’t want to lose the moment. And just like anything done in haste, the whole act is over before you know it.

This is how it is riding motorcycle under the battering heat of the sun. Wind is its only relief as it kisses and touches in you. The ride’s rhythm makes you wonder what awaits you. Is it a pending collision, a machine defect, a dried-up-river road or an attempt of the motorcycle driver to make advances on you? In this case, wonder is an understatement because people at times become frantic and even speculative. To fall from the motorcycle is unfortunate thus, one must keep holding on to the seat no matter what. As what older people keep on telling us, riding the motorcycle is like putting one foot in the graveyard. The danger and its fun explain why one tends to be so absorbed by the ride that he or she forgets the road and distance traveled. It is only to realize the disappointing truth that one has arrived the destination. At this point, you must get off the motorcycle but definitely you’ll ride on it again and again and again.

In what they consider as the most livable city in the country – Davao City, this kind of ride is called "habal-habal." "Habal-habal" comes from the Bisaya word “habal” which means sex; a term commonly refers to the mating of pigs. Habal-habal is mainly based on the positions of pigs while mating – the boar on top and leaning on the sow’s behind. For some areas in Visayas, “habal” also refers to the extremely intimate position of two persons. Since in habal-habal the root word is repeated, people might take it literally as sex only in its diminutive form.

Actually, habal-habal is just a wee term used for a brawny vehicle but it should never be taken as a joke. It is not a laughing matter at all to take notice the intimacy of positions of the driver and the passenger, the touch and feel that arouses two parties but without the sexual penetration or the so-called “union of two bodies.” However in any way we see it, riding habal-habal is more than sex. This act is more daring, more adventurous and definitely unpredictable. It is pleasure in its own right.

However, habal-habals are illegal. The City Ordinance No. 0189-06 series of 2006 states that single motorcycles should not be used as public transport units and drivers are not allowed to solicit passengers for a fee. In addition, all drivers and riders of all single motorcycles along the city streets and National Highway within the territorial jurisdiction of Davao City are required to wear helmets while operating or driving the said motorcycles. This ordinance also limits the number of backriders or riders to only one person. It also requires the riders to wear crash helmet or other protective head gear when riding on the motorcycles and not to allow minors less than eight years old to ride on the motorcycle.
Habal-habal is synonymous to accident. Because of the rough, steep, and narrow terrain that a habal-habal usually overcome, habal-habal became a favored vehicle of misfortunes and death. When riding habal-habal, expect to encounter accidents, especially when it is raining, the road is very slippery. Many people have met accidents and even worse, met Death on the road. What can you expect from a two-wheeled vehicle in which a wrong move – just one wrong turn on a bumpy road can be a very vital act that can bring one to final destination – death.

So, if habal-habal is like the “caravan of death and demise” why do a lot of people still let themselves be transported on this particular mode of transportation? The answer is pretty simple. For people, especially those who live in the mountains where the road is very challenging for automobile, habal-habal serves as their only way of transportation. Passengers greatly know the dangers of riding habal-habal, but they have no choice but to ride on these motor vehicles. Due to the limited number of jeepneys and other modes of transportation, habal-habal has become a necessity.

As diverse as the motorcycles they drive, habal-habal drivers are relatively distinct from each other. Habal-habal drivers smell different from other ordinary people. The stimuli coming from their natural beings will probably make your heads blow like an erupting volcano or a boiling water from a whistling kettle. These supernatural scents mixed with air crashes on your face causing suffocation. You could long for the grim reaper to take your life. Some of them smell like kids, baby powder scented with natural flowers blended with their stinky sweat. Some are like peeled red native onions and nothing could ever keep your tears from falling. Some seem soaked in concentrated vinegar. It is as if you were craving for something to eat. However, not all habal-habal drivers smell this horrible. But most of them do especially on a day where sun is at its peak. Their unique fragrance adds to the challenge and excitement of your joyride.

Also, these drivers also have their own standard rate of fare, no uniformity. Standard fare is based on their own understanding about the world. Their rates are highly dependent of their self-evaluation on their performance, styles, vigor and balance. Drivers take the initiative to demand additional amount and to give change. A not-so-adamant passenger would just have to wait for the driver’s hint. If the driver starts the engine and leaves, it is understood that what you’ve given is enough or even more than enough.

Riding habal-habal is an addiction that drowns you in pleasure without knowing it. It gives you the thrill and feeling of no boundaries. Danger as an essential ingredient of riding habal-habal has been long instilled in our minds. It creates an image of fear in the passengers but still they do not fret. It is as a matter of fact a source of a different kind of high that is more appealing to the young people and to those who still feel that years have never left them.

What entices people to ride habal-habal is its leaning to high speed. It is best suited for the fast-paced world we are living and this is basically how people perceive it. People tend to create this illusion of having their own time at their very palm. The power to fast forward and to slow down the world’s tempo seems possible. They also tend to use speed as a way out of the dragging and stressful day.

Try riding habal-habal that runs 120 kilometers per hour and it will blow your mind off. It's just like you were with the person with a special ability to travel in space with just a blink of an eye. It is as if there is a continuous clash of flesh and gushing air and as a result, leaving a part of your whole being, your consciousness, your problems and worries. This triggers the feeling of addiction, the dependency of riding habal-habal. One feels the detachment to reality. The existence of habal-habal is a gift in itself. There is the long-awaited relief that urges your hands to enjoy involuntarily spread out in the air. It causes euphoria, the kind that makes you look up the sky, appreciate its beauty even though it’s about to rain, and then you scream on top of your lungs “I am the King (Queen) of the world!” No one can stop you.

It is a race of your life only without any material prize or even satisfaction. There is no such thing in life as satisfactory and so does in riding habal-habal. Commuters couldn’t get enough of the ride like human beings in persistent search of life’s meaning. Thus, they will take habal-habal as means of transportation as long as they are capable of riding on it.



Riding habal-habal is more than sex, a means of transportation, and an addiction. It is a poetry of motion and a perfect reflection of life. Just like living life, one must go through the comfort, the obstacles and the nuances of the ride. Truly, habal-habal is a proof of Dabawenyo’s ingenuity. A clear example of how creative we are in paving our way to be able to reach our destination.

Chasing Pavements

By Sergei Reyes, Jewel Rose Torotoro and Maxine Alexandra Villas

Today he is taken. Tomorrow he is not. And suddenly he is taken again. Every now and then, he changes: directions, locations, on and off relationships; no one could predict him except the one who occupies him. Sometimes he chooses whom he likes to be with and he refuses to take a look at other people. However, he dashes to the crowd and pushes himself to catch the attention of the people and assures your security and convenience. He, sometimes, is snobbish and pretends to be busy. He makes other people who run after him wait in vain when he is already taken. Yet, he makes everybody happy. He takes the one inside him on a journey full of commitment and leads you to the right destination. However, you could not foretell whom he likes: men and women of all ages. He always wears a headband and he never takes it off. His headband tells you his identity and inside of it carves his name: TAXI, the taxis of Davao.

They have a life of their own, apart from all the public vehicles in the city. They choose to be different. The fare may be slightly higher than the others’ but it guarantees you a faster way out! But unlike any other city, Davao has two kinds of taxis, one of which is in danger of becoming extinct. The non air-conditioned taxi is required to close its windows very soon, and not too long from now, they will be converted to be just like any other taxi in town! Nothing shall remain of it, maybe not even the warm body driving it.

Despite its awaited death, the non air-conditioned taxis remain to be one of the things today that complete one’s Davao experience. As soon as you open the door, the taxi driver immediately gives you the royal treatment fit for someone who stepped foot in the Kingdom of Royalties. He lets you in to sit on the cushion of the car. The soft padding relaxes your butt and helps release the tension from your body. You then choose to lie back, hoping it could massage your neck, until all that is left for you to do is to let go. The vehicle then takes speed. You feel warm air blowing on your face, and then you realize that the windows are open. Just when you wanted to roll them up, you noticed that the window roller is gone! The driver does not bother to explain why; he just lets the air come inside to caress your face until you fall asleep. But just like any other luxury, the services of the taxi come with a price. The “tax” paid by the “I”, who is more than willing to shell out for the fee of royalty, is a very lucrative compensation to fund the facelift of the taxi. Soon, the driver will have to close the windows of his cab to welcome an air-conditioning system. One that can definitely put a passenger to slumber and he or she would not have to worry about inhaling soot. The driver needs to save up to reinvent the vehicle so as to entice more people in dire need to feel princes and princesses for a day. It is truly a selfish deed, but then people would just refer to it as Davao beginning to improve their standards of living. A portion of purchases going to beautification and improvement!

The taxi is really different from other vehicles because its chain of command as it operates is linear. Taxis are all equipped with meters, which are electronic devices installed in taxicabs that calculate passenger fares based on a combination of distance traveled and waiting time. This controls the journey desired by the passenger, as it serves as a reminder that more than one drop-off point or destination will mean an additional flag-down charge. The passenger, on the other hand, controls the driver. He or she commands the driver to stop, to take him or her in, and to bring him or her to the desired destination. Finally, the driver sits on the cushion to hold onto the taxi’s steering wheel, steps on its accelerator, makes a brake when the car is over speeding, maneuvers its clutch, and grips the shifter lever. He controls the vehicle.

Basically, the first priority of a taxi driver is to bring you to the location of your choice safe and sound. Some would stay true to this ideal, but others would refuse to. In fact, the passengers would not even savor the word “rest” or close their eyes to take a nap because of a very nosy driver. Instead of just bringing you to the place where you want to go, they torment you with penetrating questions, thus, depriving you of relaxation. You bet you want to stop him from talking and wish you have a duct tape with you. It is just so annoying to be with a taxi driver who never stops digging the story of your life. They are most commonly known as “chismoso”.

But there are also some of them whom you have just met, yet you feel like you have known each other for a long time. Maybe because you have things in common, may it be experiences, emotions, or acquaintances. Then and there you become more relaxed and comfortable, and as a bonus you add a new friend to your list!

On the other hand, there are some taxi drivers who are introverts. They are called the “unsociables”. Once you get in, you cannot tell him to stop and to just drop you by somewhere when the only reason is that he doesn’t want to talk to you. That would be the stupidest thing one would ever try to do. You just have no choice but to keep in silence and to contemplate. It may be an advantage if you yourself, are also apprehensive or an introvert! You need not then to be annoyed nor try to utter some words. You’d just have to shut your mouth, sit back, relax, and enjoy the extremity of silence along the way.

Meanwhile, if you are such an extrovert person, who undyingly need to talk and mumble things, well, you better bring with you your mobile phone and talk to somebody to have something worthwhile to do when you’re with a very shy and non- talkative type of taxi driver. Or else, you would suffer from deep agony of preventing your saliva to do its job.

In choosing your taxi driver, one would need to be careful somehow in choosing a driver, because, somewhat, somehow, there are those kinds of taxi drivers in the city. Those who ask for a contract instead of relying on the taxi meter. They would just ask you to pay a given amount in order for you to hop in. The reason is not just because they feel like doing it or so. But it is due to the fact that Davao is such a wide and large city; it is difficult to reach uptowns and suburb areas. Instead of using the taximeter, some would probably ask you a hundred pesos or more. Or they may likely use the meter yet ask for additional ten to thirty pesos.


Taxi drivers cut corners. Thus, it does not go through the busy streets of the city, especially in places like Bajada, San Pedro, and Matina. It goes to the safest and most convenient places in order for you to arrive at the desired time. Although it may seem to be a lot more expensive than the other public transportations, still, it’s worth it. Davao taxi drivers cater to the needs of every individual and serve the public with an equality of zeal, thus, reflecting the distinct traits of Dabawenyos.

Davao boasts of its uniqueness, and taxis are not exempted. Unlike in any other city, the taxis of Davao feel a need to be identified. This makes them completely different from any other public transport in the city because of the major franchises that manage them. The giants of the business are Holiday, Maligaya and Mabuhay, and each of them gives you a distinct journey.

The name Holiday is a contraction of two Middle English terms that have Old English origins, hālig that means holy and d¿g that refers to day. The word stands for a religious observance, but today, people have expanded the definition by associating it with vacation, a day of no classes, and et cetera. In Davao, the term would be associated to the Festival of Festivals – Kadayawan, a weeklong thanksgiving festivity of bountiful harvests. In addition to that, it can be the name of a public vehicle. Riding this taxi that is of yellow and black color combination assures you of the fastest way around Davao, which is perfect when there is massive traffic especially during events.

The taxi known as Maligaya traces the origin of its name to a Tagalog word that means “joyful”. This taxi separates itself from the rest of its kind by not having to paint its body white. Instead, it greets its potential passengers especially tourists visiting Davao for the Kadayawan with yellow and red, which suggests the mood of the festivity. Riding it assures you of a joyful trip around Davao, especially during its biggest festival!

Lastly, Mabuhay Taxi derives its name from the Filipino equivalent of the statement, “long live”. At first, it appears to be a remark of congratulations for the achievements of Dabawenyos. But then, it also serves as an encouragement to the people and the city’s visitors to continue exploring what Davao has to offer. Riding Mabuhay assures you of some sort of optimism, that you will find what you are looking for in the city! It shall promise you a fruitful travel.Having said these, the names of the known local taxi franchise in Davao seem to suggest three moods or experiences that a passenger can choose from. It is up to him or her if she opts to be in a “fast”, “joyful”, or “optimistic” feeling while travelling around the city. Furthermore, the three names also mirror Davao’s characteristics: Fast Development, Joyful Celebrations, and Optimistic People.

Taxi chases pavements as if it has a life of its own. It is different from any other public vehicles. They can reflect DAVAO – Its culture and its people.