By Sam Ramos
A cacao farmer from this city, David Christopher Delaserna of Tugbok District, has been selected to represent the Philippines at the prestigious Cacao of Excellence program in Paris, France, in 2025. The Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 11 announced on Tuesday that Delaserna is one of three finalists chosen from 29 cacao bean entries submitted nationwide for the Philippine Cacao Quality Award (PCQA).
Joining Delaserna in representing the country are Bayani Garcia of Barangay Bagakay in Barili, Cebu, and Osmeña C. Tajo of Barangay Dagum in Calbayog City, Samar. The PCQA aims to recognize and promote the country’s excellence in cacao production at local, national, and international levels.
Marie Ann Constantino, DA-11 technical director for operations, emphasized the significance of the competition and the Philippines’ goal to achieve even greater success at the Cacao of Excellence 2025. “Go for gold is this year’s theme, as the Philippines aims at garnering multiple golds at the Cacao of Excellence 2025 and surpassing the achievements made in 2021,” Constantino said.
In the 2021 competition, three Philippine entries were recognized among the 50 Best Beans in the World, with two farmers winning gold awards and one receiving a silver award.
The biennial Cacao of Excellence competition serves as a platform to highlight the global standard of Philippine cacao bean quality, promote sustainable farming practices, and empower local cacao-producing communities. This achievement underscores the growing recognition of the Philippines as a significant player in the international cacao industry.