Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” Lacson has filed a bill seeking to establish a Philippine national coffee industry development program in support of the country’s local growers.

Lacson noted that coffee “is life for many Filipinos, but for our local growers, it's a daily fight for survival against imports and limited support from the Philippine government.”

“This measure seeks to establish a national framework that will accelerate the development of the coffee industry, create a National Coffee Board, strengthen every link of the value chain, improve the country's competitiveness, and reduce our heavy reliance on imported coffee,” Lacson said in filing Senate Bill No. 1556 or the proposed “Philippine National Coffee Industry Development Act of 2025.”

SB No. 1556 also seeks the creation of the Philippine Coffee Board to provide comprehensive support mechanisms for the coffee sector.

Lacson said that in the 1880s, the Philippines was among the world's top coffee exporters, but the industry has collapsed and relies on imports for as much as 81 percent of our coffee requirements.

Moreover, government agencies' guidance on coffee farming is limited and outdated, with the problem worsening due to lack of basic equipment and post-harvest facilities, lack of access to planting materials, fertilizers, bio-control inputs, as well as poor farm-to-market roads.

The senator also lamented that research and development efforts remain limited noting that even post-harvest support is not enough as farmers sun-dry their beans and rely on small local millers.

On the other hand, some existing facilities in some areas are being underutilized due to inconsistent or insufficient supply of raw beans.

Under the bill, the government, through the Department of Agriculture (DA) will assist in helping farmers develop quality coffee and cacao products that can compete with international brands.

The bill also aims to transform the Philippines into a globally competitive producer and net exporter of coffee by 2035; improve the livelihood of small coffee farmers operating 95 percent of the country's coffee farms; preserve and enhance unique coffee varieties including Barako, Robusta, Arabica and Excelsa; ensure sustainable and climate-resilient coffee production; and develop world-class quality standards and value-added processing capabilities.

The bill seeks to cover all coffee farmers including small holders who comprise 95 percent of farms under five hectares each.

SB No. 1556 also seeks to establish the Philippine Coffee Board (PCB) under the DA; the Board shall absorb the functions of the private sector-led Philippine Coffee Board Inc., which was established in 2002.

Under the bill, regional councils shall be established in major coffee-producing regions in Cordillera (Benguet, Mountain Province), Southern Luzon (Batangas, Cavite), and Mindanao (Davao, Bukidnon, Sultan Kudarat, Cotabato), SOCCSKSARGEN, and other emerging coffee areas.

The bill also pushes for a National Coffee Replanting and Rehabilitation Program, targeting coffee expansion to 250,000 hectares over 10 years. It involves free distribution of 150 million high-yield climate-resilient seedlings, technical assistance, P50,000 per hectare subsidy for establishment costs, and insurance coverage for the first three years.

The bill also aims to allow coffee farmers, producers and traders access to a Coffee Credit and Insurance Program with a P10-billion annual allocation for production loans at 3% interest; P5-billion for processing and marketing loans at 4% interest; crop insurance covering 100% of production costs; and calamity assistance fund of P2-billion yearly.

Other reforms in the coffee industry also being pushed under the bill includes the creation of a National Coffee Research Institute which shall be under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

This institute will help in developing climate-resistant varieties, improve processing technologies, conduct market and consumer research, and coordinate with international research institutions.

“Through these reforms, the Philippines can steadily work toward regaining its place in the global coffee sector, while building an industry that is more responsive and productive - one that focuses on increasing yields, improving farmer incomes, strengthening technical skills, widening market opportunities, and ensuring long-term stability,” Lacson said.