Nestled between the foothills of mystical Mount Banahaw and Mount San Cristobal, the landlocked town of Dolores, Quezon has long been revered as a spiritual sanctuary, drawing pilgrims of diverse faiths year-round. Beyond its sacred allure, Dolores harbors another devotion, one rooted in the soil. Here, 80 percent of the population thrives on agriculture, cultivating high-value crops and livestock. Among its most prized harvests are the very beans that fuel mornings across the Philippines: coffee.

For years, the coffee farmers of Dolores opted to just sell their produce to other parts of the region due to outdated manual processes, inconsistent quality of beans, and a lack of knowledge and facilities in coffee processing. Today, Dolores is known to be one of the top coffee producers in Quezon Province. At the heart of this renaissance is the Pinagdanlayan Multi-Purpose Cooperative (PMPC), a collective who embraced innovation and strategic partnerships with government agencies like the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization.

Humble Beginnings

Founded in 1991, PMPC began as a modest cooperative focused on livestock, savings, and loans. But mismanagement and financial challenges brought operations to a halt from 2006 to 2009. By 2012, the cooperative had steadied its footing, and found new life in 2019 when it ventured into coffee production. “It was here that agencies saw PMPC’s capacity to manage, and the potential of Dolores’ coffee,” says Liza Ailen Merano, General Manager of the cooperative.

Strategic Partnerships

Through critical support and partnerships with agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, and Non-Government Organization Agricultural Cooperative Development International/Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance (ACDI/VOCA), PMPC’s coffee farmers and processors underwent training, mastering everything from seedling care to brewing techniques, allowing them to be competitive with the taste of their coffee blends. Through these collaborations and seminars, PMPC was introduced to PHilMech, gaining access to postharvest technologies that assisted their coffee production and processing.

PHilMech Interventions

PMPC requested for a moisture meter from PHilMech to replace the one they used that was primarily for palay, which was not appropriate for coffee beans. PHilMech, through Engr. Arlene C. Joaquin and Engr. Richard P. Avila of the Agricultural Mechanization Division, provided the cooperative with a coffee moisture meter tailored to local coffee varieties, allowing them to measure moisture content accurately and ensuring fair pricing for farmers based on precise moisture readings.

This partnership continued, and they were provided with another of PHilMech’s technologies: the greenhouse-type solar dryer. Before this intervention, farmers dried coffee beans on roadsides, exposing them to factors like dirt, smoke, and unpredictable weather that affected quality of their commodities. With PHilMech’s solar dryer, their drying time is significantly reduced from 10 to 15 days, or even a month during cold seasons, to just three to five days. With a capacity of 720 kilos per load, the dryer ensures hygienic and efficient handling, preserving the beans’ quality and flavor.

Recently, pilot testing of PHilMech’s mechanical green coffee bean sorter under the Agricultural Mechanization Design and Prototyping Center Project was conducted in partnership with PMPC and other local coffee farmers and processors. Manual sorting of coffee beans was labor-intensive and slow, with workers barely processing ten kilograms a day. Through PHilMech’s sorting machine, the goal is to streamline the process by separating beans by size and removing those with defects. As a collaborator, PMPC provided suggestions for future upgrades such as color sorting for black and green beans, but the current technology already shows promise for the cooperative. “It will be a big help to us when it comes to coffee processing because of its efficiency. Sorting time will lessen and errors will be minimal, making our work faster,” says Lourdes Macalintal, Production Manager.

Beyond Coffee

Today, PMPC goes beyond coffee production and processing. They are a multi-purpose hub offering loans, livestock support, garments, and even grocery and laundry services. Their brand, Kape Danlayan, has reached international markets, including the U.S. and South Korea.

When asked of their dreams for the future, Mgr. Macalintal answers, “For Dolores to become the biggest producer of coffee in Quezon.” With their plans on opening their very own coffee shop and the establishment of agri-tourism for coffee, PMPC is brewing a future where Dolores is a coffee tourism destination.

Heart of Success

For PMPC, innovation is only part of the reason why they are the thriving cooperative that they are right now. “Compassion and our love and care for farmers are a big part of our core, “Mgr. Merano shares. “Even if those we train come and go, PMPC does not close our doors to them. We still offer our services because of our love for them.”

This ethos, paired with strategic partnerships and collaborations with agencies like PHilMech, is a testament to what’s possible when embracing technology and innovation, and when a cooperative’s heart beats for its people.