Sagada Coffee wins international award for the second time in Milan, Italy

Photo Courtesy || SGD Coffee FB

Cordillera - The SGD Coffee grown in Northern Sagada and the Mirabueno Coffee of Bukidnon won top awards at the 5th International Contest of Coffees Roasted in Milan on October 21, 2019. 

The two Philippine coffee firms bested 700 other coffee producers from 25 countries for the Gourmet and Bronze prizes in different categories. 

The award has proved that coffee from the Philippines are top-notched in terms of quality and are one of the finest in the world.

"We hope that with this recognition, we are able to highlight Philippines' coffee and the great work of Filipino coffee farmers like those behind Mirabueno Coffee and SGD Coffee, growing one of the finest coffees in the world to be true artisans of the Philippines' coffee industry," CHP official Richard Watanabe said.

The award was given by the Agency pour la Valorisation des Produits Agricoles (AVPA) to Chargé d'Affaires Mersole J. Mellejor of the Philippine Consul General's Office in Milan. 

AVPA is a Paris-based "non-governmental, non-profit organization, mainly composed of producers and taste enthusiasts. The association's goal is to enhance the value of agricultural products and to recognize the excellence of some producers, to often forgotten in the midst of mass marketing."

READ ALSO: Sagada organic coffee wins international award in Paris

This marks the second time for the Philippine coffee to bagged top awards in the coffee contest since Bana's Coffee from Sagada won the Gourmet prize in 2017. 

Coffee Heritage Project officer Butch Acop said the coffee competition is a way for them to showcase their work in the development of land through sustainable and ecological integration of coffee. 

"The coffee competition helps us showcase the broader work we do to reforest land with sustainable and ecological integration of coffee, the high returns and quality of life offered to coffee growers, and our endless pursuit of the next frontiers in coffee roasting and taste," Acop said.

READ ALSO:  Where to find the "best bread in the Philippines"? Answer: In SAGADA

The Department of Trade and Industry said Sagada Coffee and Mirabueno Coffee are part of The Coffee Heritage Project (TCHP) in the Philippines which takes 'quality-focused approaches in coffee production."

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Unlimited coffee to be served during La Trinidad's Coffee Festival 2020 set on Feb. 4-8

Coffee || Pixabay.com

Cordillera -- Are you a coffee lover and enthusiast who absolutely looking for opportunities to drink your favorite caffeinated drinks serves fresh and unlimited?

Well, here is your chance to satisfy your craving of coffee because Benguet's capital La Trinidad is going to celebrate it's coffee festival this year slated on February 4 to 8 with the theme "Aroma of Coffee, Harmony of Community".

You will also have  the opportunity to buy local coffee products directly from the coffee growers so you are 100 percent guaranteed to get the best and fresh coffee from Benguet.

Calendar of activities during the said festival includes coffee facilities and farm visit, coffee education and conference, barista demonstration, coffee cupping, roasting and showcasing of different coffee products of Benguet province including unlimited coffee drinking.

The festival was just launched last 2018 and it aims to promote coffee farming in the town of La Trinidad.

In can be recalled that Benguet is one of the source of the best Arabica in the Philippines. Last year, the locally grown Arabica coffee in Benguet emerged as the champion and named as the best coffee in the Philippines during the 3rd Philippines Coffee Conference held in Baguio on March 21 - 22.

So, marked these dates in your calendar and don't forget to bring your cup so you can have a taste of the best coffee in the country. 

Read Also: Benguet has the best Arabica Coffee in the Philippines - coffee experts say

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Where to find the "best bread in the Philippines"? Answer: In SAGADA

Photo Courtesy || Kulas

Cordillera - "It was the best bread I have had in the Philippines. It was like European bread", that was the statement of Jun Jun when he first tasted the bread of 'Ma'am Jane' in her bakeshop in Sagada. 

Jun Jun was the travel buddy of Canadian vlogger Kyle Jennerman popularly known in his local name as "Kulas". They are currently traveling north of Luzon and they are now exploring Cordillera particularly Sagada, Kalinga and the Mountain Province. 

On their journey into Sagada town, they were accompanied by their local tour guide ma'am Jane who happens to have a bakery business in town.

Read Also: Benguet has the best Arabica Coffee in the Philippines - coffee experts say

Jane took them to her bakeshop to try out some of her handmade bread. 

"It could be some of the best bread in the Philippines," this was Kulas reaction after eating some of Jane's bread. 

"100% MUST TRY! Especially when fresh (usually around 2-3 pm everyday). Jane makes chocolate, blueberry, cheese, vegan, and cinnamon raisin breads... All 100% handmade with natural ingredients, no preservatives, and no "cheap additions". Jennerman wrote in his FB page BecomingFilipino. 

Kulas later learned that ma'am Jane was a former OFW who had worked in Israel for 11 years. She came back to Sagada, trained how to bake with a french baker and later she started her own little bakery in Sagada.

READ ALSO: Sagada organic coffee wins international award in Paris

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WATCH: Province of Ifugao featured in DENR's "Our Fragile Earth" Documentary.

Cordillera - The province of Ifugao in the northern part of Cordillera is featured in the 6th episode of a documentary series called "Our Fragile Earth: Protected Areas of the Philippines" which is hosted by Senator Loren Legarda and directed by internationally acclaimed director Brillante Mendoza. 

The documentary series is conceptualized by Legarda and produced by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), consists of 12 short documentaries that were shot by Mendoza on location and took two years to finish. 

WATCH ALSO: The Most Feared Weapon of the Igorot Warriors

"This series aims to educate citizens or our protected areas, which are critical in conserving our biodiversity that is essential to our existence and survival. Through this documentary series, Filipinos will learn more about our protected areas--richness of these areas and the challenges in conservation.  We want Filipinos to appreciate the unique natural heritage that we have and enjoin everyone to protect them," Legarda said. 

READ ALSO: WATCH: Korean TV features Cordillera's Unique Way of Farming

Protected areas are identified portions of land and water set aside by reasons of their unique physical and biological significance, managed to enhance biological diversity and protected against destructive human exploitation. 

There are 240 identified protected ares in the country including the Ifugao Rice Terraces. 

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Baguio's Cafe Yagam makes it to Google Business Group Stories Search 2017

Baguio City, - Google business group has announced the winner of GBG Stories Search 2017 and among the winners in the Philippines are Cafe Yagam of Baguio City and Virtualahan of Davao City.

Both Cafe Yagam and Virtualahan won the the Top GBG Stories by means of voting while the People's Choice Winner is Khalti.com of Nepal. 

Cafe Yagam is a restaurant located in Baguio City that promotes traditional Cordilleran dishes and serves coffee that comes only from the local coffee farmers in the Cordilleras. It is part of the mission of Cafe Yagam to help people of Cordillera and also visitors  understand the unique culture of the Igorots in the highlands. 

Winning the GBG Stories Search 2017 would mean Ms. Polenn Carla Rosito - the owner of Cage Yagam will have the opportunity to attend the prestigious Google I/O conference in Mountain View, California in 2018. 

The GBG Stories Search is a recognition awarded by Google to entrepreneurs who are using  the power of the internet and technology to empower others to do extraordinary things. 

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State-of-the-art coffee trading center to rise in Kalinga

Cordillera, - Good news to all coffee growers and farmers in the province of Kalinga because a state-of-the-art coffee trading center is going be built this year.

The building of the P2.4 million worth trading center which is funded by the Department of Agriculture's Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) is expected to be completed by December this year, according to Philippine Information Agency website.

The center will have a sorting and storage section for consolidation services as well as some equipment like mechanical dryer, conveyor and others. It can accommodate around 75,000 kilograms of coffee beans per month.

Coffee growers from different municipalities of Kalinga can bring their coffee beans to the center for sorting and storage.

"With the construction of this facility, I challenge the members of the Kalinga Coffee Cluster (KCC)

to be strengthened and united for as long as the KCC exists, the operation of the trading center will carry on," said Provincial Project Management and Implementing Unit Head Engr. Domingo A. Balikan.

The Kalinga coffee is one of the most popular choice of coffee lovers in the country and abroad because it is organically produced.

Countries in the Middle East prefer Kalinga coffee because of its acclaimed original aroma and blend that is not present in the taste of other coffee brands.

The Kalinga brewed coffee with its renowned "Kalinga Taste" is the major product of the province under the One Town One Product (OTOP) program.

The brewed coffee is a product of roasted ground coffee beans usually comes from the blend of three varieties -- robusta, arabica, and exelsa.

With the building of the trading center, coffee growers can increase the quality of their coffee and will have a place where they can market their coffee products.  

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Sagada organic coffee wins international award in Paris

Goad Sibayan places depulped coffee beans on raised beds at his farm in Sagada, Mountain Province, Philippines. Credits: SGD Coffee

Cordillera - Organic coffee from Sagada called "Bana's Coffee won a medal and gained international recognition at the third edition of the International Contest of Coffees Roasted in the Countries of Origin organized by the Valorization of Agricultural Products (AVPA), a Paris-based association.

AVPA is non-government, non-profit organization composed mainly of products, coffee industry experts, and taste enthusiasts. Its goal is promoting the value of agricultural products around the world and give recognition to the excellence of producers.

The awarding ceremony took place at the Embassy of Peru in Paris on June 28. Mr. Philippe Juglar, President of AVPA, gave the award to Consul Rapunzel Acop from the Philippine Embassy in Paris, on behalf of Goad Sibayan, Butch Acop, and Rich Watanabe -- the team behind this effort in presenting Bana's Coffee to AVPA.

The winning of Bana's Coffee from Sagada has helped the Philippines establish a reputation of having the best coffee in the world.
Bana's Coffee is run by Goad Sibayan, a coffee farmer and roaster who grows 100% Arabica coffee trees in the town of Sagada.

Bana's Coffee entry into the AVPA is a collaborative effort between Goad and the Coffee Heritage Project (CHP), a non-profit private initiative dedicated to help farmers grow quality-focused coffee.

READ ALSO: Philippine big coffee supplier Henry & Sons to buy local coffee from La-Trinidad, Benguet

"We hope that with this recognition, we are able to highlight Philippines Coffee and the great work of Filipino coffee farmers like Goad, growing one of the finest coffees in the world to be the true artisans of the Philippines' coffee industry." Mr. Watanabe said.

Sixty coffee entries from 21 countries received various awards from AVPA. The Philippines joined many other coffee producers around the world.

source: Department of Foreign Affairs and SGA Coffee Facebook Page.

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