BUTUAN CITY — In a landmark moment that energized this year’s Caraga Coffee Festival, a humble farmer from Surigao del Sur stunned the region’s coffee community after his beans sold for an unprecedented ₱2,150 per kilo—the highest price ever recorded for a fine-grade Robusta in Caraga’s history.
Jaime Dolog Jr., a farmer from San Roque, Bislig City, brewed history with his exceptional Robusta beans, celebrated for their tasting notes of raisins, caramel/muscovado, apple, and tropical fruits. His entry—already crowned 1st Place with an 83.25% score at the Caraga Coffee Quality Competition (CCQC)—impressed the 12 official bidders at the December 5 auction at SM City Butuan.
The jump from last year’s highest bid of ₱1,250 per kilo to this year’s ₱2,150 marks a powerful milestone for the region’s growing specialty coffee movement.
A festival brimming with talent, flavor, and community spirit
The 2025 Caraga Coffee Festival, themed “Quest for Robustica: The New Caraga Robusta,” turned SM City Butuan into a lively celebration of coffee craftsmanship. Over three days, the festival showcased competitions, cupping sessions, business matching, collaborative agreements, and a highly anticipated auction for the region’s best Robusta lots.
The CCQC also recognized the Top 5 Robusta entries, highlighting the region’s rising coffee excellence:
- 2nd Place – Gregorio Buntag Jr., Casiklan, Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte — 83.20 points, auctioned at ₱1,550/kg
- 3rd Place – Timoteo Mandreza, Simbalan, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte — 82.90 points, ₱900/kg
- 4th Place – Hannah Promise Feliscuzo, Mabog, San Roque, Bislig City — 81.35 points, ₱800/kg
- 5th Place – Bernadito Brao, Simbalan, Buenavista, Agusan del Norte — 81.15 points, ₱750/kg
The competition reached new heights with 33 entries, nearly double last year’s submission count, reflecting growing confidence among Caraga’s coffee producers.
Day 2 spotlight: brewers and baristas take center stage
On December 4, the festival showcased the region’s brewing talent through the Brewers Cup and Latte Art competitions.
Brewers Cup Winners
- Champion: Ethel Guisando
- 1st Runner-Up: Dyza Dizon
- 2nd Runner-Up: Chad Villanueva
Latte Art – Non-Pro Category
- Champion: King Cupaz Rosales
- 1st Runner-Up: Jikko Pino
- 2nd Runner-Up: Kent Ocana
Latte Art – Pro Category
- Champion: Wendil Soriano
- 1st Runner-Up: Jerry Donato
- 2nd Runner-Up: Dominic Rosales
These competitions highlighted not only technical skill but also creativity, giving festivalgoers a fun and entertaining show.
Day 1: coffee meets creativity
The festival also featured the Coffee Painting Competition, blending art and agriculture, with winners:
- 1st Place: Gloria Maris Yonson
- 2nd Place: Clarence Dingding
- 3rd Place: Michael Matutina
The opening ceremony set a hopeful tone, with DTI Caraga Regional Director Gay Tidalgo commending the region’s coffee farmers and expressing optimism that Caraga-grown coffee will soon be recognized in wider markets.
A community-driven push for a stronger coffee industry
Organized by DTI Caraga, DTI Agusan del Norte, DA Caraga, the Caraga Coffee Council, Caraga Coffee Community, CCDI, and MinDA, the festival served as a powerful reminder of what collaboration can achieve.
The program featured:
- Public cupping of CCQC’s Top 5 entries
- The unveiling of the Regional Coffee Roadmap
- A Commercial Partnership Agreement (CPA) signing
- Business matching between farmers and buyers
- The launch of the first Butuan Coffee Crawl
- A farm tour showcasing Caraga’s cultivation practices
Each activity reflected the region’s collective mission: to elevate Caraga’s Robusta to national and global standards.
Caraga’s new chapter
With Jaime Dolog Jr.’s record-breaking win and the remarkable rise in quality entries, Caraga is no longer just participating in the Philippine coffee scene—it is leading the transformation.
This year’s festival brewed pride, passion, and possibility, showing that when a community invests in its farmers, the harvest is nothing short of historic.