BAGULIN, LA UNION — For years, coffee farmers in the upland communities of Bagulin had to contend with a familiar problem: producing good beans was only half the battle. Getting those beans processed, packaged, valued properly, and into bigger markets was another challenge altogether.
That is now beginning to change.
Bagulin’s coffee growers are steadily moving beyond simply harvesting coffee cherries and selling raw beans. With government-backed training, improved post-harvest facilities, product development and stronger market connections, farmers are gaining more opportunities to turn their harvest into a higher-value livelihood.
The transformation is part of La Union’s broader push to establish itself not only as a tourism destination but also as an emerging coffee-producing province.
From low-value beans to a higher-value crop
One of the clearest examples is the experience of Lapicto Bugtong, president of the Baguionas Farmers and Coffee Growers Association (BFCGA).
Bugtong previously recalled that farmers sold their coffee beans for only around ₱30 per kilogram. With support from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and improvements in processing and quality, the reported price reached about ₱300 per kilogram—a tenfold increase.
The increase illustrates an important shift in the local coffee industry: farmers are beginning to earn more not simply by producing coffee, but by improving its quality and adding value before it reaches consumers.
That transition has required training in coffee profiling, green-bean grading, processing and other post-harvest practices.
In February 2025, DTI La Union conducted its third year of coffee profiling and green-grading activities involving farmers, cooperatives and stakeholders from Bagulin, San Gabriel and Santol. The program was designed to help producers understand the flavor, aroma and physical quality of their beans while preparing them for more competitive markets.
The facility that could change Bagulin coffee
A major development came in September 2025 when the Baguionas Farmers and Coffee Growers Association received La Union’s first coffee processing facility in Barangay Libbo, Bagulin.
The 78-square-meter facility allows farmers to process their harvest closer to where the coffee is grown instead of transporting beans to distant facilities. It can support roasting, grinding and packaging, giving farmers greater control over the value chain.
The facility was funded at approximately ₱2.9 million under Republic Act 7171, with construction beginning in November 2024 and completion reported in May 2025.
For small farmers, the significance goes beyond having a building.
Processing locally can reduce logistical burdens while allowing the community to develop its own product identity and potentially capture more value from every kilogram of coffee produced.
The association has also been working to build a recognizable local coffee brand, while connecting farmers with cafés, roasters and other potential buyers.
Bagulin coffee is no longer just a local story
The town’s coffee industry has been gaining recognition beyond its immediate community.
PIA reported that the Baguionas Farmers Association achieved specialty-grade classification for the third time in 2023 at the Philippine Coffee Expo, signaling that coffee from Bagulin could compete in the country’s growing specialty-coffee market.
Bagulin’s location and growing conditions have also been cited as part of the coffee’s potential. The upland municipality has high-elevation areas and a cooler climate, while its farmers have increasingly focused on quality-oriented production.
PNA likewise reported that coffee production has become part of Bagulin’s emerging tourism and agricultural identity. In a 2025 feature, agricultural officials estimated that around 28 families were producing approximately 1,000 kilograms of coffee beans annually, with Baguionas Coffee being sold at about ₱280 per 250 grams.
Those figures show both the promise—and the challenge—of the industry.
Demand may be growing, but production remains relatively small compared with major coffee-producing regions.
The next piece of the puzzle: getting farmers to the market
Improving production alone will not guarantee higher incomes.
Farmers also need buyers, business assistance, proper packaging, financing, product development and reliable market access.
That is where another development in Bagulin could become important.
On July 27, 2026, DTI La Union and the municipal government launched a Negosyo Center in Bagulin, bringing business-registration assistance, counseling, training and market-related support closer to local farmers and entrepreneurs. DTI officials specifically identified coffee and other agricultural products as among the town’s economic opportunities.
The center is intended to help producers improve product quality and packaging while looking for opportunities to reach markets outside the municipality.
For coffee growers, that could help close one of the biggest gaps in the agricultural value chain: connecting a quality product from a remote farming community with consumers and businesses willing to pay for it.
A bigger ambition for La Union coffee
Bagulin is not alone.
Other La Union municipalities, including Santol and San Gabriel, are also part of the province’s developing coffee industry. Local farmers and organizations are working toward a unified “La Union Coffee” identity, while government agencies continue to provide technical assistance, equipment and market-development support.
The provincial government has previously identified coffee as a high-value agricultural commodity with potential for further development across La Union. Earlier provincial planning documents identified Bagulin among the province’s coffee-producing municipalities.
The provincial government’s investment in Bagulin’s processing facility is therefore part of a broader effort to strengthen the local coffee value chain—not merely a standalone infrastructure project.
But the hardest part may still be ahead
Despite the progress, Bagulin’s coffee industry is far from finished.
Farmers still face the realities of climate risks, production limitations, market competition and the need to consistently meet quality standards as demand grows. PIA has previously noted that limited equipment, post-harvest facilities and stable markets were among the challenges confronting local coffee growers.
The challenge now is to make sure the progress can be sustained.
A processing center can help farmers add value. Training can improve quality. A Negosyo Center can provide business support. But the long-term success of Bagulin coffee will ultimately depend on whether farmers can consistently produce quality beans, secure reliable buyers and expand their market without losing the identity that makes their coffee distinctly local.
For a town once better known for its soft-broom industry, coffee is emerging as another possible economic engine.
And that may be the most interesting part of Bagulin’s coffee story.
The beans are already being grown.
The processing facility is already there.
The market connections are beginning to expand.
The question now is how far Bagulin coffee can go—and whether the small farms in La Union’s mountains can turn a promising local crop into a nationally recognized coffee brand.
For farmers who once struggled to find the right price for their harvest, the next cup could be more than a drink.
It could be the product of a new rural economy taking shape, one bean at a time.
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