WITH the Philippines still importing most of its coffee to meet surging domestic demand, a lawmaker has called for renewed government action to boost local coffee production and make the country more self-sufficient.
In a statement, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan warned that despite a booming market, local farmers have been left behind.
“We import about 760,000 metric tons, mostly from Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia… karamihan ng kapeng gumigising sa atin tuwing umaga ay hindi galing dito sa atin (most of the coffee that wakes us up every morning doesn’t come from our own country),” he said.
The senator noted that the Philippines’ coffee market generated about US$2.33 billion in 2023 and is expected to nearly double to $4.4 billion by 2028, growing between seven percent and 12 percent annually. Yet, the country’s domestic output remains insufficient, forcing continued reliance on imports to serve the expanding instant coffee market.
Pangilinan said the country’s 200,000 smallholder coffee farmers—most cultivating less than two hectares—struggle with low productivity, limited financing, and inadequate post-harvest facilities. He urged the full implementation of the Philippine Coffee Industry Roadmap and closer coordination among government agencies, the private sector, and local governments.
He also pushed for stronger support programs such as climate-resilient coffee tree planting, improved extension services, and greater access to credit for smallholders.
Pangilinan cited the 2019 Sagip-Saka Act, which he authored, as a tool to link farmers directly with institutional buyers such as government agencies and local governments.
“We already have what it takes to strengthen the coffee industry in the country,” he said.
“These beans deserve a place on the world stage alongside Colombian, Ethiopian, and Vietnamese coffee. Let’s turn Philippine coffee into a global brand synonymous with quality and sustainability,” he added.
“Hindi lang tayo dapat coffee drinkers, maging coffee nation-builders din tayo (we should not just be coffee drinkers — we should also be coffee nation-builders),” Pangilinan said. / KOC