BAGUIO CITY – The Cordillera Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB) has approved the upgrading of the Sagada Arabica Coffee Growers and Processors’ Organization, Inc. (SACGPO) coffee processing enterprise, valued at Php33 million for funding under the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Scale-Up.
The approval was granted during the RPAB meeting held today, January 30, 2025, at the DA-CAR Conference Hall in Baguio City.
In 2020, SACGPO initially received Php3 million in enterprise support from the DA-PRDP, which contributed to the development of its coffee processing operations. Driven by its commitment to making Sagada Roasterie a premier coffee processing facility, the organization proposed an expansion to further enhance production capacity and quality.
The approved enterprise subproject includes the construction of the Sagada Roasterie, a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) compliant coffee processing facility with cupping laboratory equipped with upgraded machinery and equipment ensuring the product meets global standards.
To provide the RPAB members with an overview of the I-REAP Component, Jocelyn W. Beray, the I-REAP component head, briefly discussed the implementing guidelines for enterprise subprojects under the DA-PRDP Scale-Up.
SACGPO Manager Vincent Andawi presented the organization’s business plan, emphasizing ongoing technical assistance and education for coffee producers as key suppliers. He also shared that they secured marketing agreements with four establishments, with negotiations underway for two more.
During the deliberation, Engr. Simeon Micklay of DENR-CAR emphasized the need for research and development funding to enhance coffee production amid changing environmental conditions. Meanwhile, DTI-CAR STID Specialist Edwin Bagano Jr. suggested including Besao and Tadian in the cluster to boost production while ensuring quality standards. He also encouraged SACGPO to engage more youth in the industry for long-term sustainability.
As Mountain Province’s One Town, One Product (OTOP) and a niche commodity of CAR, coffee remains a priority for the province. Provincial Agriculturist Mary Jane Tumapang reaffirmed the province’s commitment to supporting SACGPO and the local coffee industry, emphasizing the need for collaboration and resource-sharing among stakeholders to ensure its sustainability.
With the approval of SACGPO’s enterprise subproject, RPAB Chair and DA-CAR Regional Executive Director hailed this as a milestone for SACGPO as the first in the North Luzon Cluster under DA-PRDP Scale-Up.
Deputy Project Director Danilo P. Daguio also highlighted the subproject’s historical significance, seeing it as a boost for CAR’s agri-tourism. He highlighted coffee as PRDP’s most supported commodity and noted that the subproject is more advanced than previous ones.
The RPAB plays a key role in guiding the DA-PRDP Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) in reviewing and ensuring effective implementation of policies for project execution. Current RPAB members include representatives from the regional offices of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), DA-Regional Agricultural and Fisheries Council (RAFC), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). By Elvy T. Estacio
