PDC ExeCom approves updated provincial commodities investment plan to include coffee commodity

August 7, 2021 Community Billboard

The Provincial Development Council-Executive Committee (PDC-ExeCom) headed by Gov. Francisco Emmanuel “Pacoy” R. Ortega III approved the Updated Provincial Commodities Investment Plan to Include Coffee Commodity during its 4th virtual meeting for CY 2021 conducted on July 27, 2021 via video conferencing.
During the said meeting, Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator (PPDC) Michaela Louise T. Delfinado presented to the body the proposal for the inclusion of Coffee in the Provincial Commodities Investment Plan (PCIP) under the Philippine Rural Development Plan (PRDP).
She discussed a brief situationer for coffee as basis for the proposed investments. She reported that based on the Provincial Government of La Union-Provincial Agriculturist Report, 2020, 13 out of the 20 Local Government Units (LGUs) in the Province or 44 out of the 365 barangays with a total production area of 168.09 hectares are planted with coffee.
From these 13 LGUs, a total of 49.281 metric tons of dried coffee beans was produced where the most planted variety is robusta followed by arabica then liberica (also known as barako).
“We hope that with this plan, we will be able to lobby from the Department of Agriculture funds for the implementation of development projects to further drive Coffee as a high value commodity that will increase the income of farmers in La Union”, PPDC Delfinado emphasized.
She also added that the approval of this plan, shall signal the beginning of greater prospects in the development of the local coffee industry as the Provincial Government and Component LGUs in partnership with the Coffee Growers and Buyers take the La Union Coffee scene to greater heights for a Stronger La Union, the Heart of Agri-Tourism in Northern Luzon by 2025.
Also present in the meeting were Board Member Francisco Paolo P. Ortega V, BM Geraldine R. Ortega, Ms. Vini Nola A. Ortega, City of San Fernando Mayor Hermenigildo A. Gualberto represented by Imelda Quindara and Municipality of Agoo Mayor Stefanie Ann Y. Eriguel.
The 13 coffee-producing LGUs in La Union include Bacnotan, San Fernando City, San Gabriel, San Juan, Santol, Sudipen, Aringay, Bagulin, Bauang, Naguilian, Pugo, Rosario and Tubao.
Photos by: Wendell Tangalin, PIO