Volume X, Issue 1, 2017
Since PCBI’s maiden Special Women in Coffee issue last year, we have discovered many more women engaged in producing, processing, and retailing coffee from all over the country. One of them is Ross Harper-Alonso. OFWs who have returned to start their cafés are Susan Pablo of Benguet and Sulu native Imelda Ahalul-Dagus, who is now based in Zamboanga City. Evelyn Poblete-Asuncion―the woman who pioneered the coffee exports in the ‘70s―is now active in the retail of specialty coffee. She works with her children, Carol and Mike, to continue the family’s coffee legacy.
There are more women farmers who have raised the bar for quality, such as Shirley Palao-ay of Tuba in Benguet, Zita Degay of Kalinga, and Selima Depolio of Atok, Benguet.
Indeed, the women know the details of processing and have put themselves to task so Philippine coffee will be known as Asia’s newest origin for specialty Arabicas and fine Robustas.
Our congratulations to all of these enterprising women in coffee!
