VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) — The Ilocos Sur Coffee Festival returns for its second year with a grander celebration of five days to boost the local coffee industry.
This was organized by the Provincial Government of Ilocos Sur in partnership with the Ilocos Sur Export Enterprise and Development (ISEED) Marketing Cooperative.
It will be conducted at the Provincial Farmers Livelihood Development Center in this city from November 20 to 24, 2023.
Latte art during the Coffee Festival held in 2022. PIA/ATV
For this annual event, the province will host competitions on Coffee Farmer Green Beans Sorting, Latte Art Throw Down, Brew Throw Down, and Ilocos Sur Robusta Experimental Specialty Drink.
They also prepared workshops called “Coffee Talks” with two topics namely the Introduction to Coffee Cupping and Sensory Evaluation with Coffee Tasting Session, and the Green Coffee Bean Grading and Sorting Workshop.
Michael Ubuan, a coffee farmer and son of the master coffee grower, Mabini Ubuan in Sigay town, said that this festival is important as they can participate in the workshops wherein they can learn a lot despite being in the industry for long.
He added, “Doon kasi sa event maraming buyers, coffee suppliers, at masters dito sa craft. Nandoon sila para maturuan kami ng kung ano ano pa iyong mga pwede naming matutunan kahit matagal na kami rito sa industriya.”
Moreover, Mishelle San Miguel-Tongson, chairperson of ISEED Marketing Cooperative, said that there will be attendees from all over the country, and international coffee enthusiasts and concessionaires are also expected to join.
She said, “As we bagged the top 10 places in the recent Philippine Coffee Quality Competition, we extended the festival into five days so it is bigger this year. We coordinated with national coffee institutions and we have sponsors from large companies to support the Robusta coffee beans in our province.”
“We would like it to be more aggressive and bigger so that the recognition our farmers will gain now will encourage from generation to generation to what was started by their parents, so hopefully agricultural produce will also balance the local micro, small, and medium enterprises, and also market into a wider scale going international,” Tongson explained. (JCR/AMB/ATV, PIA Ilocos Sur)
The family of Mayor Jose Bonito Singson, Jr. checks out products at the 2022 Coffee Festival. PIA/ATV
