By Anthony A. Araos
The rising level of interest on cacao in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) easily follows peculiar patterns of its own. Instead of merely watching on the sides other regions move forward in the race on cacao production, Cordilleras private sector leaders have decided to join Agriculture Secretary Francis Laurel in the effort to attain this goal by utilizing their time and resources.
Private sector confidence is surely nurtured and sustained by consistent engagement with counterparts with public sector. To make important news accounts of relevant developments about it is precisely the reason why I attended the just-concluded Second Cordillera Chocolate Festival at Ifugao State University (IFSU)-Nayon, Lamut Campus.
Clearly, DTI-CAR Director Raymond Panhon, Karen Lising, Randy Soriano and above all, Ifugao Jerry Dalipog made it rather easy for folks in the audience to invest in cacao production.
As they gathered hundreds (mostly students) for a festive indoor event at the Heritage Center, they unveiled the roadmap for this high-value crop fitted with promises nodding to a bright future. While it is unlikely that a “golden age” is to take place in Ifugao, in particular, and the CAR in general, in two to three years’ time, certainly will set the stage for eventual “boom” in the next five years or so. I’m declaring: Now, here it is!
And watch out for it. Cacao production has a linear impact on other industries such as business and tourism. It creates a chain reaction of consumer demand in these industries that are vertically and horizontally interconnected.
If learning is to be stretched over a lifetime, it needs to be emphasized, moreover, that the subject matter of the event is perfectly correct. Well, cacao is planted. Its by products or derivatives are even. Chocolate is eaten. It is not planted. Let’s call a spade a spade. There was a smorgasbord of programs, plans, promises and dreams. Good. But also, a confusion between cacao and chocolate. So great confusion came upon all those who heard these things. For the so-called road map, for the events’ upcoming edition in Apayao, let’s call it cacao festival! All stakeholders are to serve diligently as good examples to each other as a result. Hopefully!
It is with profound disbelief that exhibitors’ products were being sold at unaffordable prices to IFSU students. An understanding of the fact that they are in a public learning institution, most of their parents are farmers, is so vital. They are not from Ateneo or La Salle. Why not hold it instead at Don Bosco High School in Lagawe. Their products are even more expensive than imported ones. Candidly, I’d rather buy Cadbury chocolates which is cheaper, sorry to say. I overheard a delegate participant say “Ang mahal naman niyan,” (That’s expensive).
It is therefore essential to identify the issues and challenges of the government’s roadmap implementation. The goal of the government is to increase production and income of farmers. In Apayao, there is a need for a speaker from the private sector who shall outline the financial benefits of cacao production in order to propel agriculture to greater heights and achieve global competitiveness.
Faced with the problem of low income, ample information of cacao intercropping should be imparted in the next gathering. In the Ifugao staging, I heard countless times: “may pera sa cacao,” (there is money in cacao). I hear nothing about it. For one, Choco milk is a highly-wished item for children. Sadly, the Philippines still imports cacao powder. Thailand is the top exporter of it in the Southeast Asian region. In this regard, to compete more broadly with other countries as a production base, the government should improve quality of infrastructure and encourage openness to trade among Cordillerans.
If there’s one thing that going global proved, it’s that earnings are in dollars. If the government continues to tell farmers to sell cacao locally, very little can be done to increase their earning. From “very small” to significantly “very huge” earnings for them exporting cacao. I’m praying and anticipating creativity in the next “Cacao Festival.” It needs a welcome prospect and creative ideas of the private sector. **
