LA UNION, Philippines — The Provincial Government of La Union (PGLU) strengthened its support for coffee farmers as it turned over the province’s first processing facility to the Baguionas Farmers and Coffee Growers Association (BFCGA) in Brgy. Libbo, Bagulin, La Union on September 4, 2025, which is seen to boost coffee production and trade within the province and nationwide.
Gov. Mario Eduardo C. Ortega led the turn-over ceremony and signing of the deed of donation of the facility with the Local Government Unit (LGU) Bagulin and the BFCGA. The Provincial Officials and Municipal Officials also witnessed the significant event, affirming their full support for the local coffee industry.
“You have my full support for the coffee industry of Bagulin. Together, we will elevate this industry so that our province earns recognition not only across the Philippines but on the global stage as a premier coffee producer. And this is just the beginning, there is still so much more we will offer for you,” Gov. Mario said.
The establishment of the 78 square meters facility aims to empower the coffee farmers and growers in the area to enhance their efficiency, quality control of products, and strengthen their competitiveness in the market.
The members of the association, mostly composed of robusta coffee farmers from the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) Community, are optimistic with the new opportunity to boost their livelihood as they can now process their locally-harvested coffee beans into high-quality Robusta coffee products and increase their income.
BFCGA President Mr. Lapicto Bugtong expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Provincial Government as he assured to maintain the facility.
“We are truly grateful for the facilities provided to us by the PGLU as they greatly contribute to our livelihood especially for our members and the community. They serve as a source of income and a means of support for our daily lives,” Bugtong remarked.
One of the members, Annie Wawes, who has been a member for 7 years shared that the processing center will be a significant help for them as it has made the processing of their coffee products more accessible and convenient.
“We no longer need to go far to process our harvest, because it is already close to where we plant. This is also a big help as an additional source of income for us,” she said.
At present, the association has 33 farmer-members, who work tirelessly to improve their products as they prepare to strengthen and expand their operation to meet the demand for high-quality coffee. Members of the association have planted 30, 550 coffee trees across 30.55 hectares of land yielding at around 400 kg. of green coffee cherries annually.
“When they found out that there will be a constructed processing center, many people became interested in becoming members,” he added.
PGLU funded the coffee processing facility with a total budget of Php 2,995,770 under the Republic Act 7171. The facility started its construction on November 18, 2024 and completed on May 29, 2025.
The association now supplies coffee beans to well-known establishments in San Juan.
