When it comes to Asian coffee, many people think of countries like Indonesia and Vietnam. After all, Indonesia is known for its famous Mandheling coffee, and Vietnam is recognized as the world’s second-largest coffee producer. As a result, the Philippines, also a coffee-producing country, is often overlooked.

The Philippines

The flag of the Philippines is rectangular, with a white equilateral triangle on one side. In the center of the triangle is a yellow sun with eight rays, and at each of the three corners of the triangle is a yellow five-pointed star. The right side of the flag features a right-angled trapezoid divided into red and blue, with the order of the two colors able to be switched. Normally, the blue is on top, but during wartime, the red is on top. The sun and its rays symbolize liberty; the eight longer rays represent the original eight provinces that first rose up in revolt for national liberation and independence, while the other rays stand for the remaining provinces. The three five-pointed stars represent the three main island groups of the Philippines: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. Blue stands for loyalty, justice, and peace, red symbolizes courage, and white represents peace and purity.

The Philippine archipelago is predominantly mountainous, with mountains covering more than three-quarters of the total area. There are over 200 volcanoes, 21 of which are active. Except for a few islands that have relatively broad inland plains, most islands only have scattered narrow coastal plains. Mount Mayon in the southeast of Luzon is the largest active volcano, while Mount Apo in the southeast of Mindanao, standing at 2,954 meters above sea level, is the highest peak in the country.

Coffee Growing Regions

Cordillera Administrative Region: Located in the northern part of Luzon, this is the only inland coffee-producing region in the Philippines and also the highest-altitude region, with elevations ranging from 1,000 to 1,800 meters. As a result, lower-altitude areas grow Robusta, while higher-altitude areas cultivate Arabica varieties such as Bourbon, Typica, Caturra, and Catimor.

Visayas: This region comprises numerous small islands, including Bohol and the Negros Islands, featuring volcanic soils highly suitable for coffee cultivation. However, the elevation is relatively low, ranging only from 500 to 1000 meters, so the primary varieties grown are Robusta and Catimor.