3-day Cavite Coffee Festival starts today

The second Amadeo Pahimis Coffee Festival opens this morning (Feb. 14) amid hopes that it will generate more support for the rehabilitation of an industry that was once a traditional source of national revenues.

Agriculture Secretary Luis Lorenzo leads a power list of guests both from the public and private sectors who will grace the three-day festival jointly organized by Cavite Gov. Ayong S. Maliksi, Mayor OJ Ambagan and the Amadeo Tourism Council.

And Mayor Joey Marquez and all his 109 dancers who represented Parañaque City in the recently-concluded Sinulog Festival in Cebu City will join the street dancing in the afternoon, as the celebration of the Pahimis goes into high gear right on opening day.

Maliksi said the special participation of the Parañaque City Sinulog 2003 contingent in the Pahimis highlights the special ties that bind the fastest-growing metropolitan city south of Manila and the province known as the cradle of Philippine independence.

Also featured in the festival are the Amadeo street dancers wearing costumes made of parts of a coffee tree or coffee bean.

At the trade fair, guests will be treated to free refillable coffee courtesy of the popular coffee specialty shops of Metro Manila like Starbucks, Figaro, Coffee Republic, or Culinary Exchange.

The nation’s coffee roasters such as Nescafe, Great Taste and Café Puro will be represented as well.

Also attending are Senators Ping Lacson, Ramon Magsaysay, Jr. and Manny Villar, Tourism Secretary Richard Gordon, Pagcor chair Ephraim Genuino, Nestle Philippines president Juan B. Santos, and Makati Business Club president Guillermo B. Luz.

From being an exporter of some $15 million worth of coffee, the Philippines is now a net importer of the second most traded commodity next to oil. This year alone, the country is estimated to import about R1.4 billion worth of coffee beans from Vietnam and Indonesia.

Amadeo Mayor Ambagan said that he expects that thousands of foreign and local tourists will flock the town on the first day of the event that coincides with the celebration of Valentine’s Day.

According to him, coffee farm tours will be arranged for guests during the festival. The guests will also be treated to free coffee drinks at the Green House Pavilion located at the town plaza where big-name coffee roasters and blenders will set up shop.

The celebration will also be capped by symposia on the coffee industry, bazaar and exhibits, arts and photography contests, choir competition, “laro ng lahi” competition and the Search for Lakan and Lakambini ng Pahimis 2003.

Cavite Gov. Maliksi who broached the idea to hold the annual coffee festival said “Pahimis will not only be showing the world how excellent its “kapeng barako” is but also will help promote local tourism.”

Pahimis is a Tagalog word unique to the people of Amadeo, first coveted into a town in 1872 and named after the son of the King of Spain at that time, Prince Amadeo.

It means thanksgiving after an abundant harvest of coffee. The owner of the farm throws a picnic for those who have helped harvest his coffee.