BAGUIO CITY, (PIA) – The Department of Trade and Industry Region (DTI-CAR) is inviting Cordillera coffee growers to join the Philippine Coffee Quality Competition (PCQC) to improve their coffee quality and market access.

The PCQC is an annual event  which is aimed at  identifying  and promoting  the best quality coffees in the  country to encourage producers to improve their coffee quality, and to promote these to  domestic and international markets. It is the conducted with the support from government, private sector, and donor funded projects.

PCQC wants to see the best of the best coffees in the Philippines by performing evaluations aligned with grading and profiling protocols Coffee Quality Institute, and also to make our Philippine coffee known in the local and international markets, Karen T. Pagaduan said during the recent 1st Quarter meeting of the Regional Development Council- Sectoral Committee on Economic Development.

Pagaduan explained the competition process starts with the Coding wherein each entry is given a code to make sure that coffees are scored anonymously. Second  will be the Green Grading where defects are identified and counted to identify the grading score. The 3rd process will be the Roasting where experienced professionals roast the coffees by following roasting protocols, and lastly,  the Cupping where licensed graders perform sensory assessment.

To interested participants, here’s the  PCQC Schedule: April 10 to12 - Request for Kits; April 16 to17-  Sending Out Kits; April 22 to 30- Submission of Entries; May 2- All entries should be in BCAA Manila; May 3- Coding; May 6 to -7 Green Grading; May 9 to11 Roasting,  and May 13 to17- Cupping.

The maximum  number of participants to be accepted nationwide  is 150.

Pagaduan shared that  since  the  PCQC started in  2018,  there were 73  Cordilllerans who  participated in the  event.  The PCQC was  cancelled  in 2020 due to  COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2018, Benguet coffee producers  dominated the Arabica  category  with   Oliver Oliem of Caliking, Atok,  Benguet emerging the Top 1;  Restie Labi Tacio, also of Caliking, Atok in  third place, and  Belen Macanes  of Sagpat , Kibungan  in  fifth spot.  Kelly Suits, Atok, Benguet; Donald Mapangdol from  Otucan Sur, Mountain Province;   Arthur Shontogan of  Pico, La Trinidad, and  Simon Basil of  Tuba grabbed the 7th-10th spots, respectively.

In 2021, George Dapliyan from  Sagada, Mountain Province was  fourth placer.

Other  PCQC winners include Zandra McFadden, Benguet State University , G Sip, Anielyn Tiongan, Lim’s and Martes Alodos.

Asiw’s Farm, and Olimpo Lumasoc,  both from Kalinga, were also winners for the  Robusta Coffee category.  

Winners of the PCQC  2024 will be announced during Philippine Coffee Expo scheduled  on June 7-9, 2024 at One Ayala Malls, Makati City.  This 3-day event is an avenue for coffee stakeholders to converge, and tackle challenges and opportunities in the industry.

 For further details,  kindly visit  the  DTI office nearest you. (JDP/MAWC- PIA-CAR)