Following the site inspection conducted by the technical staff from the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP) Regional Project Coordination Office (RPCO) CALABARZON, the coffee processing facility of the Aga Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative (AFMPC) is nearing completion, with a 96% completion rate already registered as of August 18, 2021.

During the inspection held on the same date, Rural Infrastructure Engineer Jerwin Bituin noted that the infrastructure portion of the subproject is nearly complete, with no other significant findings identified. Once the remaining works are complete, another inspection will be conducted that will allow the cooperative to transfer their processing equipment, as well as occupy an adjacent room as their office.

AFMPC Manager Gemma Barlaan shared her joy in the eventual completion of the facility, as this will support their coffee enterprise that has been battered by several challenges in the previous year.

“Sobra akong natutuwa na malapit na naming mailipat sa bagong building ang aming processing area at office. Luluwag na itong kasalukuyan naming building, at pwede na naming gawing selling area. Lubos kasi kaming naapektuhan ng pagputok ng bulkang Taal, ng mga bagyong Rolly at Ulysses, tapos ito pang COVID-19,” Barlaan said.

Barlaan also added that online selling has been a huge help for the cooperative to enter new markets.

Apart from the inspection, an enterprise assessment activity was also conducted simultaneously, wherein the cooperative and its enterprise were assessed from four perspectives: financial, operational, marketing, and organizational development. Data gathered from this activity will then be synthesized for the production of the final report.

Present during the site inspection are representatives from the AFMPC, the contractor – KNE Builders, the Batangas Provincial Engineering office, and the DA-PRDP RPCO CALABARZON I-BUILD, I-REAP, Geomapping and Governance Unit, and Social and Environment Safeguards Unit.

The coffee enterprise is one of three enterprise subprojects funded in partnership with the provincial government of Batangas. (Elijah Jeudi Ocial & Lawrence Albert Bariring, DA-PRDP RPCO CALABARZON InfoACE Unit)