High in the misty hills of Maragusan, Davao de Oro, the sweet scent of roasted cacao drifts through the air, carrying with it a quiet but profound story of transformation. Here, nestled in the heart of Mindanao’s lush countryside, a group of determined farmers is redefining what it means to grow—and grow with—cacao.
This is the story of the Maragusan Multipurpose Cooperative (MAMPCO), a beacon of rural progress and innovation featured in Harvest of Hope, a special series by the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) Mindanao under its Second Additional Financing and European Union Co-Financing Grant (AF2-EU). The series highlights the inspiring stories of grassroots communities whose lives are being uplifted through improved agriculture, fisheries, and enterprise development.
From Beans to Breakthrough
MAMPCO’s journey began humbly, with local farmers banding together to collect and market fermented cacao beans. In a region where challenges such as limited access to markets and low farmgate prices once stifled progress, the cooperative emerged as a unifying force with a bold vision: to create more value from every cacao pod, while empowering every farmer behind it.
That vision took a significant leap forward in 2019, when MAMPCO received PhP2.5 million in enterprise development assistance from the Department of Agriculture–PRDP. The support enabled the cooperative to construct its own cacao processing center and acquire state-of-the-art equipment—roasters, grinders, chillers, and vacuum sealers—that would lay the foundation for a full-fledged tablea (cacao tablet) enterprise.
Since then, MAMPCO has evolved from a simple trading hub into a cornerstone of the local cacao value chain. The cooperative now processes 3,800 kilograms of fermented cacao beans monthly, with about 800 kilograms transformed into premium tablea, while the rest is sold to institutional buyers.
A Growing Community
“When we started, we had only 70 cacao farmer-members cultivating about 70 hectares,” says MAMPCO Manager Armando Escuadro. “Today, we’ve more than doubled both our membership and our production area. This is the fruit of trust—from our community, our partners, and the farmers who believed in what we could build together.”
Indeed, MAMPCO’s growth has reignited interest in cacao farming. For farmers like Engrasio Detomal Jr., the difference is tangible. “Before, wet cacao beans sold for only P25 per kilo. Now, with MAMPCO’s stable buying operations, we get as much as P35,” he shares. “The cooperative gave us a reason to return to our farms. It gave us hope.”
Hope has also come in the form of employment opportunities—especially for women. Inside the processing center, Rose Villa Amores, a tablea processor, expertly crafts chocolate tablets with both skill and pride. “With my income here, I can support our household and send my children to school,” she says.
Resilience in the Face of Adversity
Even the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic did not stop MAMPCO’s momentum. The cooperative secured its Certificate of Product Registration from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), allowing them to expand their market reach through online platforms and door-to-door delivery.
This milestone marked a turning point. With further assistance from the PRDP Scale-Up phase—amounting to PhP7.75 million—MAMPCO has since upgraded its facilities, acquiring an industrial colloid mill, chillers, and labeling machines to enhance the quality, shelf life, and appeal of its products.
Looking Ahead: Chocolate Dreams
But MAMPCO is not stopping at tablea. Plans are in motion to roll out new product lines, including cacao nibs, cocoa powder, and chocolate bars. The cooperative is also eyeing the development of an agri-tourism site and the expansion of its production area by another 100 hectares—a move that would bring more farmers into the fold.
Part of MAMPCO’s unique strategy lies in inclusive farm management. By renting underutilized cacao farms and providing a 3-in-1 package of financial, technical, and marketing support, the cooperative turns idle land into productive plots. Once developed, these farms are returned to their owners, equipped and empowered to sustain the gains.
A Model of Rural Empowerment
As it celebrates more than five decades of service, MAMPCO’s journey from simple cacao trading to a thriving value-adding enterprise stands as a model for rural development—not just in Davao de Oro, but across Mindanao.
In every chocolate tablet and bar of tablea lies the story of a community’s resilience, ingenuity, and unity. These are not just beans of progress, but seeds of a brighter, more sustainable future—planted with hope, nurtured with dedication, and harvested with pride.
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Harvest of Hope continues to showcase stories like MAMPCO’s—testaments to what’s possible when rural communities are given the tools and trust to thrive.