Wild Figs in the Mountains of Benguet

This is a wild fig tree that we often encounter during hikes in Benguet's mountains. Local terms for it include 𝘁𝗲𝗯𝗯𝗲𝗴, 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗮𝘆, 𝘁𝗲𝗯𝗯𝗲𝗹, and 𝗹𝗮𝗶. It's a major source of food for native wildlife like birds and mammals so this tree plays an important role in keeping ecological balance.

It's edible for humans but it has a rather bland taste so it's usually just ignored. During a trek in Bokod, a local showed us how to make them more palatable to human taste buds. He said pick the very ripe ones. He means the fruits na medyo squishy when you press them and parang nagse-separate yung skin if you apply pressure. 

He then cleaned the skins, cut up the flesh in small pieces, then mixed them with good amounts of muscovado sugar. Tastes nice because the muscovado gave it a sweet flavor. He also said that wild figs can be preserved by pickling them in a jar.