PCAF Cacao Industry Development Sub-Committee conducts the monthly meeting

Members of the Cacao Industry Development Sub-Committee conduct the monthly meeting. PCAF Vice Chairman Melencio Santos is present together with our Honorary Founding Members One World Institute Chairperson Madame Yolanda Ortega Stern and Ms. Ann F.E. Wynkoop.

Agenda: The status of Resolutions No. 32 and 33, Series of 2018 which are “Recommending to the Department of Agriculture through the High Values Crops Development Program the Creation of a National Organization Committee to oversee the participation of local cacao producers in the International Cocoa Awards”.

Also conferred by the body are the Climate Outlook for March-September 2019, update on the implementation of the Industry Road Maps for Coffee and Cacao, Rubber and Fiber, and presentation of Resolutions Passed during the National Cacao Growers Summit.

For more photos and stories, visit www.pcaf.da.gov.ph
Text by Ali Estoesta
Photos by Jez Campaniel

PDS Training Center Visitor

Thank you for visiting us here at the PDS Training Center in Atipuluan Bago City, Sir Paul Sommer.

We would like to support your effort in teaching our ISF community in the highlands of Don Salvador Benedicto on How to grow Heirloom cacao sustainably.

Cherrels for Mi Amour

Planted in our PDS Training Center, Brgy. Atipuluan, Bago,City, Negros Occidental last February 2017. The prolific blooms then have resulted to prolific cherrels now.

Need I sing our song MY CHERREL (cherrie) AMOUR still? Planting continues with these happy hormones. Have a nice day!

#FILIPINOAROMATICO™.
#itstheTIPthatmatters

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FLOWERING STAGE
by: Chris Fadriga

it’s not the quantity of flowers that matters. it’s the cherrels that will bloom after that. flowers from cacao trees, in this photo is a young age of 20 months, is a proof that a rare kind of cacao variety unknown to Filipinos can really thrive in our country.

I personally cared for these babies from seedlings to trees. At the end of the day, some flowers may fall but some will stay. With the right planting technology we follow, these blooms will grow and be one of the most coveted cacao varieties due to its floral scent.

(click here for the photos)

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My CHERREL (cherrie) AMOR.

Soon you will hum the same song when your GOLDEN babies bear their first cherrels.

(watch here)

Food and Filipino Hospitality

When a Cacao Producer’s CEO meets the Cacao Authority’s CEO, #CacaoTalks do not stop at R.O.I.s — it goes beyond.

Destination: Philippines

After setting the date for the arrival, Don Alec went on his way.  He is our guest from the Dominican Republic in the Carribeans. Since the place was several miles from the Philippines, I had to Google to locate it.

According to them, “The Dominican Republic is a Caribbean nation that shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti to the west. It’s known for its beaches, resorts and golfing. Its terrain comprises rainforest, savannah and highlands, including Pico Duarte, the Caribbean’s tallest mountain. Capital city Santo Domingo has Spanish landmarks like the Gothic Catedral Primada de America dating back 5 centuries in its Zona Colonial district.”

First time meetings prompt you to research a bit in order to have a conversation piece. Once I found out that the Dominican Republic is with Spanish heritage, then we are not that far away.

Our forever gourmand Ms. Cacao has endless takes when food is concerned. In Instagram, she is known as recipechick.

Ms. Cacao never missed a beat when she makes a review or even captures a home cooked meal moment. Upon learning that I was to meet with Don, she said that the Dominican Republics share the same love for food — their empanada or pastelitos.In the Philippines, there are numerous versions of the smaller-sized Empanadas; we call it Empanaditas. It comes with different fillings such as mango, durian, beef, torta or pork with potatoes, corned beef or Reuben, chorizo, and even chocolate.

Being able to taste similar foods that a foreign guest have in their country could be one of the conversations to break the ice.

Knowing how similar their food is to ours, I told Chris Fadriga, PDS President that we have to bring Don to places where the Philippine cuisine is known for.

First Stop: BOHOL

Chocolate Hills, Carmen, Bohol

Don’s flight from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport came as a breeze. We immediately waited until our guest arrived in Cebu for us to reach the town of Sagbayan.

It was PDS Bohol Chapter Vice President Cecilia de Leon who did the honors of saying WELCOME TO BOHOL!

We visited the Heirloom Cacao Farm of Indai Felipa Cortes who happened to be one of the newest CERTIFIED MEMBERS of Plantacion de Sikwate. Indai was the one who also introduced Don to us when he came across our OFW Repatriate from Kuwait article on May 21, 2018.

Filipino Aromatico SN-00088 & 89

Hidden in Bohol are two of the several Criollo trees we have tagged in our Search for the Criollo cacao variety.

Don was thrilled to the hilt that he took photos as proof that his travel to our country was worth the miles.For lunch, we brought our guest to KEW Hotel. Duke Miñoza, PDS Certified Member and owner of Buenaventurada Farms,  joined us.

I told our guest to try our shrimps, squid, and the famous Kare Kare; that even the late Anthony Bourdain said our food will soon be known all over the world. Don instantly fell in love with the Kare-Kare, bagoong (shrimp paste) and green mangoes.

Second Stop: BACOLOD

The following day we woke up real early to catch the Fast Cat Ferry for Bacolod. During lunch, we took Don to the outskirts for him to taste the local food. Still, his new found affinity for Kare Kare continued together with shrimps and calamari.

The afternoon’s sun was fierce but that did not hamper Don Alec’s purpose — to see if there is indeed an Heirloom Cacao growing in the Philippines.

The Dominican Republic has rainforests so the cacao will thrive there as well. The only advantage we have over other countries is that the Philippines is right smack in center of the equator making it the favorite residence of the Mexican cacao remnants from the Manila Acapulco Galleon Trade.

After the exhausting day, Don said that he wanted a longer stay in the Philippines. A couple of days was not enough to see our country. And as General McArthur once said, I SHALL RETURN.The experience we had with our guest is one for the books indeed. Simple, close to home, yet inclusive. I am happy that Don appreciated the Pinoy Tour and the chance to come close & personal with our Philippine Heirloom Cacaos.

 

All these happened because we aim TO HELP. TO LISTEN. TO INSPIRE.

Cacao Authority Visits Cacao Icons

A day before our country commemorated the 120th anniversary of our independence, Plantacion de Sikwate had a visitor from the Carribeans. About a month ago, we got an email and a message in our website (plantaciondesikwate.com). He shared his passion to search for the remnants of the finest chocolates in the world — criollo and see if it really does exist in the Philippines.

As the host for our visitor, we met with him and discussed possible collaborations that would bring the Filipino AromaticoTM to the world. Negotiations to be featured in his website (cacaoauthority.com) was also included.

Such meeting is proof that the Heirloom cacao/Criollo, that our association took into our care, is being noticed and respected by people who share the same passion.

It is not through popularity, awards, or countries visited makes one the expert in a field. It is how willing you are to help, listen, and shed sunshine to others that matter.

As you read this post, our #TeamBohol is with Don Alec to different cacao farms affiliated with PDS. Rain or shine, our passion moves forward.

To help. To listen. To inspire.

In the photos are:
Don Alec – cacao authority publisher
Mel Santos – PDS Chief Executive Officer
Nestor Saludo – PDS Cebu Chapter PRO and Recipient of the BrownSeeds Ltd. Singapore Cacao Program
Duke Miñoza – PDS Bohol Chapter Member and Recipient of the BrownSeeds Ltd. Singapore Cacao Program
Cecilia De Leon – PDS Bohol Chapter Vice President and Recipient of the BrownSeeds Ltd. Singapore Cacao Program
Indai Felipa Cortes – PDS Bohol Member and JV partner

Cherrels and Cacaos to Harvest

Heirloom cacaos have a distinguishable trait. Ms. Cacao calls them the baby bump but it is one of the many physical indications of a fine tasting cacao variety. you may call it a baby bottle nipple for its curved tip.

However, what is more important is the cut test to see white beans to lilac or light pink colored hues. The bean shape will also tell you its story.

Join us as a member and through our cacao adventure, we can plant 20 million trees. It is a challenge we send to all cacao planters. SAVE THE HEIRLOOM. SAVE THE LINEAGE. SAVE ORGANIC CHOCOLATES.

http://plantaciondesikwate.com/individual-membership/

PDS-Brownseeds Pte. Ltd. Cacao Funding Program Update: Negros Occidental

With my team’s help, there will be enough sunshine to help us through  until harvest. Thank you for entrusting the care for our golden babies.  – Chris Fadriga

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Here at my farm and nursery in Atipuluan, Bago City, Negros Occidental, I am the “caretaker” of about 25,000 seedlings that will be the rootstock for this year’s planting season.

We will be grafting W10 scions for the funding program.

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