Cordillera kicks off first-ever chocolate festival

Benguet, Philippines – While February 14 is already sweet in its nature, Benguet State University made the love month even sweeter with the launching of the Cordillera Chocolate Festival.

This festival, the first of its kind in the region, was celebrated on February 14 and 15 as an initiative to strengthen the cacao industry in the Cordillera.

It boasted an impressive turnout of 288 attendees and 14 exhibitors in its first-ever opening.

With said number of participants and exhibitors, the organizer, Eva Ritchelle Padua, CEO of Dulche Chocolate Incorporated, hinted at the event’s potential to become an annual tradition during a social media interview with GURU Press Cordillera.

She even teased about hosting it in Kalinga Province in the future.

What transpired during the event?

During the 2-day event, cacao farmers and processors from various provinces and cities in the region competed for the best tablea, top-quality 70% dark chocolate, heaviest cacao pod, and most bean-filled cacao pods.

Notably, Tsokolat de OLY by Judy Baucas of Sablan Benguet secured the top spot in the best 70% dark chocolate competition, closely followed by Ortega’s Cocoa Tablea by Dolores Ortega of Conner, Apayao, and Kaplea Kapangan Tablea by Judilyn Bitayan from Kapangan, Benguet.

In the quest for the longest cacao pod, Blanca’s Farm from Kapangan, Benguet, clinched victory with a remarkable 28 cm length, followed by Ortega’s Farm from Conner, Apayao, and Nayao’s Farm from Lamut, Ifugao, alongside Osmeña Lampitao’s Farm of Itogon Benguet, tying for 23.5 cm length.

The accolades continued with the heaviest cacao pod category, where Blanca’s Farm reigned supreme with a 1,413-gram cacao, followed closely by the Cacao Growers and Processors Association of Sablan, Benguet, and Bula-at Integrated Farm from Tabuk, Kalinga.

In the competition for the most bean-filled cacao, Naayao’s Farm took the lead with an impressive 50 beans, followed by Osmeña Lampitao’s Farm with 47 beans, and the Cacao Growers and Processors Association of Sablan with 41 beans.

Apart from the competition, there was also a display of numerous chocolates made from cacao and the distribution of the Cacao Protocol Manual.

Induction of Officers

Benguet Governor Melchor Diclas, as mentioned by the Benguet Information Office, recognized the need to strengthen the cacao industry, citing its benefits in providing livelihood to the people. He also committed that the province would provide support to the industry in any way possible.

Meanwhile, the new set of officers for the Cacao Growers and Processors Benguet Baguio Federation was inducted by the governor during the festival.