My First Pabili Experience

The Enhanced Community Quarantine made me into an online shopaholic! I get easily influenced to buy whatever I see posted on social media. And when I spotted the seasonal (and rather evasive) star apple on Instagram, I had a sudden strong desire to have some too. After all, summer is never complete without indulging in a few of this delicious fruit. But with our helpers having no access to the market, I had to ask for help online. And here's my kaimito story.

Star Apple or what most Filipinos know as Kaimito is a summer staple. It's so seasonal that it is often out of the market in less than a month. 

I wanted some during the first few weeks of the Manila lockdown and messaged several online fruit stores. Unfortunately, none carry star apple. I got desperate and posted on Let's Eat Pare hoping to get a lead on where to buy. One suggested that I add myself to those pabili Facebook groups. 

I joined one of the Angkas Pabili groups and posted my inquiry. And I quickly got several message requests! And that was when I contacted Kuya Rex. 

Rex mentioned that he was on his way to Farmer's Market to buy something for his other client. He offered to check if there are star apples there too. After finding out that the price of star apple is double in that market, I told him that I'll probably look elsewhere. But Rex was not one to easily give up. He offered to check Katipunan as it was along the way and he knows that there are fruit vendors there too. Sadly, there were none available that day. 

I was about to give up on my star apple craving when Rex offered a solution. He offered to get star apples from his house! Turns out that he has a kaimito tree. 

Sure, it wasn't the purple-colored star apples I wanted but Rex's price was hard to resist! Plus it was freshly picked as shown in our conversation. 

I was so impressed with his proactiveness that I just have to share this story. 

P.S. Be nice to the delivery/pabili guys and gals. They are working so hard to help us with our needs/errands. And please, do not prank them with bogus orders. 

Note: I messaged Kuya Rex prior to posting this article as I wanted to seek for his go signal if I could share my wonderful pabili experience with him.