A coffee processing facility will soon rise in Bukidnon to help alleviate the economic condition of the Talaandig tribal community along Mt. Kalatungan ridges.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has extended P1 million for the establishment of a coffee processing facility for the Talaandig farmers.

“The DOST-X provided assistance amounting P1 million to establish a good manufacturing practice (GMP)-compliant and fully mechanized coffee processing facility in Sitio Awang, Miarayon,” DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Peña said during his weekly report on Friday, Oct. 15.

The Talaandig tribal community along Mt. Kalatungan ridges, under their economic arm, Miarayon–Lapok–Lirongan–Tinaytayan Tribal Association (MILALITTRA) Farmers Agriculture Cooperative (MILFACO) will benefit from the project under the agency’s Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) program.

"The assistance is for the acquisition of equipment for improved coffee quality and productivity. This will help alleviate the economic status of the tribe and the whole community,” de la Peña said.

He said MILFACO’s Arabica coffee is sought in the Philippines and abroad.

It placed second in the 2019 Philippine Coffee Quality Competition (PCQC) with an aggregated Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) cupping score of 85.04, he recalled.

“DOST-X will provide an advanced processing and packaging technology through provision of equipment, trainings to MILFACOs members, free coffee cuppings, and laboratory analysis to equip them to become globally competitive,” the DOST chief said.

“The value-adding activity will not only provide livelihood to the 500 active farmer-members but also give education for their children.”

Currently, the MILFACO is cultivating 11,000 hectares of land. About 140 hectares of the land is already planted with Arabica coffee, de la Peña said.