Rooted in Matutum: How a Former Seminarian is Reshaping South Cotabato’s Coffee Industry

 

When Mario Joey Tacan was 13, he watched his relatives plant coffee seedlings in the rich soil of the Mount Matutum Protected Landscape. At the time, the crop meant little to him.

Decades later, while studying as a seminarian in Cebu in 2000, Tacan learned that most coffee in the Philippines was imported. The realization planted a seed: carefully nurtured coffee could transform a community. In 2001, he returned to Polomolok, South Cotabato, to develop his father’s farm.

Today, the 53-year-old Tacan is a multi-award-winning grower leading a coffee renaissance in South Cotabato. Following his recent sixth-place finish in the 2026 Philippine national round of the Southeast Asian Green Coffee Competition, Tacan is using his platform to advocate for quality coffee, mentor local farmers, and help bridge a massive supply gap in a country that imports nearly 378,000 metric tons of coffee annually.

His success, however, was born from early struggles. Like many farmers lacking market access and modern technology, Tacan and his neighbors once chopped down their coffee trees. Traders were offering just 45 pesos per kilogram, driving locals to replace coffee with fast-yielding vegetables to survive.

Interventions from the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Trade and Industry, and ACDI-VOCA’s PhilCAFE Project changed his trajectory. After benchmarking at arabica farms in Davao del Sur, Tacan learned new pruning and processing methods, proving that coffee trees could be managed at human height rather than left to grow wild.

The adjustments paid off. He won second place in the robusta natural process category at the 2019 Philippine Coffee Quality Competition, and in 2023, he took the top spot for arabica at the Kape Dose Coffee Quality Competition.

"The preparation was tiring, but it was all worth it," Tacan said of his early competitions. "From that experience, I witnessed that if you produce quality beans, the buyers will come looking for you."

Tacan's push for quality aligns with a broader regional shift. Coffee production in Region 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN) continues to anchor the Philippine coffee industry, with Sultan Kudarat remaining the country’s top producer at 21,442 metric tons in 2024.

According to the Department of Agriculture, South Cotabato in 2025 recorded 2,650 hectares planted, 1,236.9 hectares harvested, and a production volume of 1,011.45 metric tons. The Provincial Government, through its Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, is focusing on quality and sustainability by profiling farmers under the DAGYAW Program and expanding training in organic production.

The DAGYAW Program, short for Development on Agriculture Growth Yearning for the Active Welfare of South Cotabato, seeks to strengthen collaboration between partner agencies and the provincial government to boost coffee, cacao, and abaca industries. It addresses infrastructure, technology, market access, sustainability, and support services to drive agricultural growth.

South Cotabato’s upland farms, destination cafés, and growing coffee culture also present opportunities for coffee tourism, positioning the province more as a specialty coffee hub than a high-volume producer.

Despite these regional gains, the Philippines remains a net importer, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture projecting coffee imports to rise nearly 10 percent to 378,000 metric tons in 2026, sourced mainly from Vietnam and Indonesia.

Domestic demand continues to surge, driven by café culture and rising consumption now estimated at 3.78 kilograms per person—among the highest in Asia. It underscores the urgent need to expand local production for self-sufficiency.

To help local farmers capture this market, Tacan founded the United Villagers Farmers Association. He aims to transform his farm into a learning site, hoping his recent SEA Green recognition will firmly put Polomolok on the global coffee map.

"I am proud that my efforts are being recognized," Tacan said. "I am proud to represent my hometown and share my story."