Published December 27, 2020, 1:00 PM
The Indigenous people of Bukidnon have been growing coffee for a long time, but it wasn’t until 2017 that their efforts were recognized on a national scale.
That year, Inhandig Tribal Multipurpose Cooperative (ITMPC) from Malaybalay took home the prize for the Arabica category in the Kape Pilipino (KP) Green Coffee Quality Competition, a nationwide cupping competition organized by the Philippine Coffee Board, Inc. (PCBI). ITMPC was one of two winners from Bukidon, the other being Kape Maramag from Maramag, who topped the Robusta category. Both went on to represent the Philippines in the Global Specialty Coffee Expo in Seattle, Washington that same year.