After claiming the top spots last 2019 and 2021, Davao del Sur’s coffee farmers wrote another legacy as they bagged several awards at the Philippine Coffee Quality Competition (PCQC) 2022 awarding ceremony in Davao City.
With 45 entries all over the country, coffee farmers from Davao del Sur dominated the awardees with Marifel del Cerna of Balutakay Coffee Farmers Cooperative (BACOFA) from Bansalan, Davao del Sur, being proclaimed as the top winner for the Arabica category, followed by Cherry Gil Cabanday who is also a member of BACOFA.
Dela Cerna was also given a special award of Best Arabica Coffee – Washed Process, while Cabanday was granted a special award for Best Arabica Coffee – Natural Process.
The winners were chosen based on the decisions of the invited international judges who examined the quality of the coffee submitted by the participants from different regions in the Philippines.
“The PCQC in its five years existence has been striving to promote Philippine specialty coffee not just in our country, but globally. And it has also achieved, somehow, the opportunity for different regions to come and have a platform where they can showcase their coffee,” PCQC Technical Working Group Chair Cherry Cruz stated.
“Quality-wise has really improved. I was really amazed by the taste, it’s so much better than from the past,” PCQC 2022 head judge Paul Kim said.
PCQC was organized by the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Agriculture, Barista and Coffee Academy of Asia, and Philippine Coffee Guild, which started way back in 2017.
Furthermore, an auction for the top-quality products has been introduced by the PCQC where the winning Arabica and Robusta lots are up for bidding during the PCQC 2022 Auction on April 23. – Report from Carina Cayon (PIA Davao)/AL– ag
