BALBALAN, Kalinga, Nov. 27 (PIA) - - For winning best Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), the Papaltongan Coffee Producers Association (PCPA) of Sitio Bullalayao, Pantikian this town received Php200, 000.00 incentive.
The Department of Science and Technology-Provincial S&T Center (DOST-PSTC) headed by Jasmin Donaal awarded the check to PCPA officers and members during the National Science and Technology Week celebration at Davidson Hotel this city.
The PCPA plans to spend said incentive for coffee dryer and storage, and moisture meter. Last year, PCPA also won best CEST in CAR receiving Php200, 000.00 which they used to buy a generator set and wood processing accessories.
The PCPA which has 25 members is engaged in coffee production and coffee timber processing into souvenir items. The group is tending about 200 hectares of coffee plantations. Their coffee product is of premium kind passing a cupping competition with 83.5 premium taste grade
To maximize the use of coffee wood, they requested DOST to train them on souvenir making as an add-on livelihood.
Ponciano Gumabay Jr., PCPA president, expressed the community’s gratitude to DOST for bringing the program to their place and training them on souvenir making.
CEST Balbalan is one of the 74 communities nationwide assisted by DOST.
In his testimony, Gumabay narrated that what they only know before about the use of coffee timber is for firewood. But now, they are producing souvenir items with their association earning about Php20, 000.00 from September last year to February this year before the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He said they earned mostly from their sale to Laguna.
“There are pending orders but we are not able to deliver them because of this pandemic,” he said.
The PCPA is supported by partners like the Kalinga State University Research and Extension which has adopted the group’s plantation as research and extension area on coffee rejuvenation.
The Balbalan local government unit will provide the association with a solar dryer as its counterpart, said Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator Sonia Duggoy.
Forrrest Tabbang of the Office of the Congressman reassured during the forum that District Representative Allen Jesse Mangaoang will always support the programs and projects of DOST especially those of Kalinga PSTC. (JDP/PAB-PIA CAR, Kalinga)
Source: Philippines Information Agency (pia.gov.ph)
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