AMADEO, Cavite - Town Mayor Conrado Viado led the formal opening of the three-day “Pahimis” Festival of this “coffee capital” at the Municipal Hall Covered Court on Wednesday.
An annual activity since 2001, the coffee festival is Amadeo town’s traditional thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest and blessing. It is also staged to promote Cavite coffee for domestic and worldwide consumption.
The coffee festival also revives farmers’ interest in coffee farming and seeks to enhance coffee yields, attain a competitive coffee price in the world market and promote the town’s agri-tourism offerings, with coffee as the main showcase.
Wednesday’s activity was marked with the opening of trade fair where an array of Cavite coffee brands are on display and for sale, a farm tour, and a coffee dance fitness marathon featuring former Universal Motion Dancer (UMD) member and celebrity Wowie De Guzman.
The morning program, graced by the local, provincial and regional officials, also highlighted the awarding of the outstanding coffee farmers, a posthumous award presentation to former mayor the late Albert A. Ambagan, Sr., and the traditional ceremonial toast led by Culinary General Chef Christopher Carangian.
Present at the opening event, who gave their inspirational messages were Provincial Government Consultant Robert Sangalan, who represented Cavite Governor Jesus Crispin Remulla; 6th District Representative Luis Ferrer IV; Region IV-A Director Noemi A. Paranada of Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environment Management Bureau (DENR-EMB); and Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Director Engr. Arnel De Mesa.
Three term Tagaytay councilor Junny Marasigan, who represented Political Adviser Francis Tolentino and Provincial Tourism officer-in-charge Elinia Imelda Rozelle Sangalang also supported the annual event.
Amadeo town, which boasts of 4,508 hectares of coffee farm land - the largest land area devoted to coffee farming in Cavite, is gearing up for expansion, commits Viado.
With this year’s festival theme, “Kapeng Nagbigkis sa Ating Bayan, Patuloy na Pasalamat” (Continuing appreciation to coffee which bonded our town as one), Viado hopes the town’s product will continuously unite everyone in creating a progressive and blessed town, province and country.
Day 2 will feature the TV Patrol Caravan/Job Fair, Coffee Talk and Demonstration by Chef Carangian, ABS-CBN Film Showing, and Sorpresaya with Kapamilya Artists.
On Day 3, the activity highlights include the float parade in the morning and the coronation of Mutya ng Pahimis 2018 with the spoken word poetry contest in between as must-see events. (PNA)
