The Philippine coffee industry continues to gain stronger government support following the creation of the Coffee Industry Development Office (CIDO) under the Department of Agriculture (DA), a move welcomed by both farmers and private sector stakeholders.
In February this year, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. issued Department Order No. 06 creating the Coffee Industry Development Office, a dedicated office that will focus solely on the development of the Philippine coffee sector. The new office aims to centralize coffee programs, policies, and funding to help improve local coffee productivity, strengthen farmer support, and reduce the country’s dependence on imported coffee.
Under the new structure, CIDO operates under the Office of the Undersecretary for Special Concerns and Official Development Assistance (ODA), headed by Jerome Oliveros. The establishment of CIDO signals a more focused and strategic approach for the coffee industry, ensuring that coffee development programs receive dedicated attention and budget allocation from the government.
As the biggest buyer of local coffee in the country and the biggest local coffee manufacturer, Nestlé expressed full support for this initiative, emphasizing its commitment to championing “Kapeng Pilipino para sa Pilipino” by sourcing more local coffee from Filipino farmers.
Through the NESCAFÉ Plan, Nestlé continues to implement programs focused on improving coffee productivity, farmer training, regenerative agriculture, and sustainable sourcing. The company also promotes a “whole-of-society approach,” recognizing that strengthening the Philippine coffee sector requires strong collaboration among government agencies, private companies, farmer organizations, academe, NGOs, and local communities.
The Coffee Industry Development Office, through Undersecretary Oliveros, has also been actively engaging private stakeholders, including Nestlé, to further strengthen collaboration aimed at improving coffee productivity and reducing coffee imports.
Through a series of meetings and engagements between Nestlé and the Coffee Industry Development Office, the two parties discussed ways to strengthen collaboration in support of the government’s coffee development agenda. Nestlé presented the NESCAFÉ Plan and shared potential areas of partnership to help advance the growth and sustainability of the local coffee industry.
These engagements reinforced the strong partnership between the government and the private sector and highlighted Nestlé’s continued commitment to supporting Filipino coffee farmers and helping build a more sustainable and competitive Philippine coffee industry.
The creation of CIDO marks an important milestone for the Philippine coffee sector. With stronger collaboration between government and private stakeholders, industry leaders remain optimistic that the country can improve local coffee production and uplift the lives of Filipino coffee farmers.
