1. 16 March 2012
Julie Anne Bolivar
Comm 2-Sumaphrase
Outline
Thesis Statement:
Locally-grown brewed coffee should be made available in UPV.
I. Introduction
a. The origin of coffee beans in the Philippines
b. The four varieties of coffee beans grown in the
Philippines
II. Body
a. Brewed coffee
1. Health Benefits
2. Composition and taste
b. Coffee beans production
III. Conclusion
a. Brewed coffee is more beneficial than the instant.
b. Purchasing locally-grown coffee beans is more secure
and good in terms of economic value and taste quality.

2. Bolivar 1
Julie Anne Bolivar
Mrs. Sumagaysay
Comm 2-Sumaphrase
16 March 2012
Local-brewed Coffee’s battle in the Market
People nowadays are fond of drinking coffee, whatever kind
of mixes it will be; latte, strong brew, regular brew, or mild.
Coffee has become part of the daily life of every man and woman
across the globe. Coffee has taken several forms such as brewed
coffee and the well-known instant coffee. Over the years, the
notion of pure coffee has become unstable, largely because it
has been believed to be unhealthy to one’s body and unaffordable
for one’s budget. One certain concern today is to prevent
everyone, particularly the students, for further addiction in
instant coffee and the disregard of natural brewed coffee in
areas like schools must be changed.
According to Mario P. Chanco in Beverages, Fruit Drinks and
Firewater, over two and a half centuries ago, coffee, perhaps
from Mexico, made its introduction into the Philippines. And in
1890, coffee production became eight percent of the Philippines’
overall national export. But after a year, a malignant plant
disease has destroyed all the coffee plants. It almost wiped
out the entire coffee industry of the Philippines. But it made
its comeback at the end of war. Coffee plantations that closed
down were reopened and new plantations were also established

3. Bolivar 2
(179-180). After those years, coffee industry in the
Philippines has evolved which brought the new and affordable
product which is the instant coffee.
Long before the instant coffee was introduced in the
Philippines, the country has already different varieties of
coffee beans. Today, there are four types which are grown and
cultivated well. They are the Liberica or Barako, Arabica,
Robusta, and Excelsa. The first one is Liberica or commonly
known by buyers as Barako. It is a big bean used by Batangueños
in making their famous Batangas coffee which is known to be one
of the most delicious brews of coffee that you can find. Out of
the four kinds of coffee beans the Barako is the strongest since
it can survive on drought and breed where the other varieties
won’t. The second one is Excelsa coffee bean. It is quite the
same with the form of the Liberica or Barako although it is
smaller. Its berries are huddled together in heavy clusters.
Excelsa is often found from where the Barako breeds. The third
coffee bean is Arabica. According to Los Baños coffee
specialists, Arabica coffee is as “the best cup-quality coffee
because of its excellent flavor and aroma.” Most of Arabica
coffee beans in the Philippines are the main source of
processors of different coffee shops and companies for blending.
The fourth and the last variety is the Robusta. With an
appropriate roasting process, even Robusta can be also a good

4. Bolivar 3
foundation for blends (Chanco 180). According to Lester Gopela
in his article Brewer than Brew, Robusta is used for instant
industrial coffee. It comes from a high yield plant that is
resilient to disease (S1).
Drinking coffee made an important role to every Filipinos.
It does not only satisfy and calm an individual but also gives
certain benefits in human health. Natural brewed coffee and
instant coffee compete in the availability in the market but
since the brewed coffee is quite expensive than the instant,
buyers tend to buy the cheaper product even though the quality
and health effects are inferior compared to the other.
Instant coffee does give some health benefits but upon
processing, chemical additives are still present in it.
Unlike, having a native brewed coffee, in terms of taste and
health advantages, it is far more superior to other kinds of
coffee.
As Sheryl G. Laudato, writer of the article Staying Healthy
with a Cup of Coffee, notes that 19,000 studies of coffee has
been carried out in over 20 years. These studies proved that
moderate daily intake (300 to 400 milligrams or about three to
four cups of coffee) are not harmful to one’s health. Caffeine
which is the main component in coffee is usually used for
treating migraine, drowsiness and fatigue and enhances the
action of pain relievers. It is also diuretic. Dr. John Mora

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stated that caffeine also boosts the physical endurance of an
individual or it improves an athlete’s metabolism and it acts as
a defense for cirrhosis of the liver which causes harm and
scarring of the liver tissue and fast decrease of their
functions. It can also keep an individual from acquiring
Parkinson’s disease. Study shown by specialists said that the
risk of having Parkinson’s disease is slowly decreasing as the
daily consumption of coffee rose. Another substance present in
the coffee is trigonelline. It is the one accountable for the
existence of anti-adhesive and anti-bacterial properties which
helps in inhibiting dental cavities from forming. Antioxidants
which prevent and restore damaged cells through eradicating
harmful element in our body (produced when cells use oxygen) are
also found in coffee (Laudato 3). These three substances are
mostly effective if stayed as they were without any mixes of
some kind of compound.
Even though, the instant coffee is not as good as the
brewed coffee in terms of health advantages. It is still
cheaper. But many coffee shops stayed specialized in natural
brewed coffee though. Some of them are the multi-national
companies like Starbucks and Figaro and the locals which are
Cordillera’s coffee and Bo’s coffee.
Here in Iloilo, there is one coffee house which caught the
taste of plenty of Ilonggos. That is the Madge Cafe, in which

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their coffees are naturally brewed and the beans are locally-
grown. According to Erlinda Sampani, Madge cafe is unique out
of all the coffee shops around Iloilo since they have their own
traditional and special way of mixing coffees. Their beans are
purchased locally which are from the hills of Iloilo and said
they don’t intend to acquire any coffee beans outside the
province because they have the knowledge of how good the quality
of the beans cultured by the Ilonggos. Coffee shops and
companies are the one who preserve the traditional way of
brewing coffee but they are also the makers of instant coffees
that made brewed coffee dormant in the market.
In the article Philippine Coffee gets hotter, it was stated
that Filipinos have decided to do their business into coffee
shops or exporting of coffee beans worldwide because of the
increase in supply of Philippine coffee. The demand has also
gone higher because the value of coffee beans in our country is
cheaper compared to the foreign but the quality of the product
is still excellent. The competition between the local and the
foreign started with the entry of foreign coffee brands in the
market and it has become more severe that local coffee farmers
and shareholders could only expect the support of their
fellowmen in order to save the coffee industry in the country
(Fucanan C1).

7. Bolivar 6
In order to retrieve the title we once possess as a
formidable grower of coffee beans, we should at least allow
ourselves to patronize our own products than patronize the
products of the foreign countries.
Here in Iloilo, according to Mrs. Sampani of Madge Cafe, it
is best to acquire the coffee beans from your trusted local
producers than leave it to any foreign plantations because we
already know the quality of the product is great and in its best.
As Fucanan have stated in his article Philippine Coffee gets
hotter, we are the sole supporters for the comeback of the
Philippine coffee industry to the peak (C1). It is indeed true.
We should support the native brewed coffee of our country
because it defines our traditional existence. Locally-grown
coffee should be made available not only in the places where
they are known but also in the areas where they are needed like
schools and other institutions. Such as, it should be made
available in University of the Philippines-Visayas because the
health benefits of brewed coffee are superior to the instant one.
It should be locally-grown because we should promote our own
country’s product in order to help local coffee farmers who only
rely to the production and value of coffee beans in the market.
If we purchase local coffee beans, we are helping our local
economy to grow. This aside, encourages foreign investors to
invest in our country because we have become a more grown

8. Bolivar 7
country in terms of trust and support to our own items.
Employment is another factor also, if coffee industry succeeds,
more work which is concerned with coffee production will be made
available.
In UPV, we are encountering a lot of stress especially
during examinations and deadline of reports and papers. I know
many students of UPV are fond of buying coffee-in-can which is
also classified as an instant coffee in order to relax their
minds and relieve the drowsiness they feel. But the effects of
the product in terms of health and economy are immeasurable.
The availability of brewed coffee in our school is needed since
it is better than the instant. It is more effective and the
taste was incomparably great than having an instant one. I
propose the accessibility of students to the locally-grown
brewed coffee should be made possible in UPV.
Wherever we go and whatever time of the day, coffee
drinking is the most resolute thing we, Filipinos do. Coffee has
indeed become part of our culture. Our love and passion for
coffee has become widespread that has been passed from
generations to generations up until now. We might as well
discover new blends and kinds of coffee but that is only natural.
What we should not forget is that brewing coffee is a great
legacy we inherited from our ancestors that defined the coffee’s
existence.

9. Bolivar 8
Works Cited
Celdran, Carlos. "Coffee Talk." Manila Standard Today 24
September 2008: C4.
Chanco, Mario. "Beverages, Fruit Drinks and Firewater." Fernando,
Gilda Cordero. The Culinary Culture of the Philippines.
Makati, Metro Manila: Bancom Audivision Corp., 1976. 179-
187.
"Coffee Brewing on the Decline." Philippine Daily Inquirer 4
June 2006: B1.
"Coffee is healthier than you think-study." Manila Bulletin 2
October 2005: K13.
Fucanan, Terrie. "Philippine Coffee gets hotter." Manila Times
16 July 2005: C1.
Galang, Diana. "Pinoy Coffee . . . that's a wonderful choice."
Manila Bulletin 5 October 2006: F2.
Laudato, Sheryl. "Staying Healthy with a cup of coffee." Manila
Bulletin 21 October 2007: 3.
Sampani, Erlinda. Madge Cafe Julie Anne Bolivar and Dianne
Medianero. 23 February 2012.