22-yr.-old farmer from Benguet becomes millionaire from a single coffee auction

Benguet, Philippines – A young farmer in La Trinidad, Benguet, who refused to settle for the harsh reality of low prices for local coffee, is now making headlines for earning over a million pesos from a single auction.

Tired of seeing the fruits of his labor undervalued, Rodyio Tubal Tacdoy decided to compete in the Philippine Coffee Quality Competition (PCQC), the most prestigious stage in the country for showcasing high-quality coffee beans. Entries in said annual competition are evaluated through roasting, visual grading and cupping.

Tacdoy first joined in the 2024 edition where he was recognized as the youngest participant at the age of 21. He took advantage of such experience to learn, adapt and improve his product.

Tacdoy returned in 2025 PCQC held earlier this month, prepared not only to compete but to dominate. His efforts paid off as his naturally processed Arabica coffee, grown under the pine and alnus trees at his family’s Aduyun Farm, won first place in the Smallholder Farms category. He also received Best Arabica (Natural Process) award.

The young farmer scored 84.38, which is considered to be a high-quality specialty grade, based on Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) scale. This impressive score earned him a spot in the auction at the Philippine Coffee Expo. There, his beans fetched record-breaking P9,000 per kilo, totaling P1.158 million for 117 kilograms.

What caught the attention of international judges hailing from Thailand, Singapore, India and other coffee markets was the complex and high-quality profile developed in his beans, including tropical fruits, florals, and lychee.

The success of the 22-year-old coffee farmer on the national stage also marked a shift in the industry. Benguet, Mt. Province and Ilocos Sur rose to top in this year’s PCQC, which was dominated by Mindanao for years.

He continues to receive accolades for his recent feat, including the commendation from the Department of Trade and Industry of Benguet and from La Trinidad Mayor Romeo Salda on Monday, May 19.

Tacdoy now plans to transform their Aduyun Farm into a learning site for other young farmers to have sustainable practices, explore modern techniques and build a future in specialty coffee without having the need to leave their hometowns.