Pahimis Coffee Festival: A History of Thanksgiving and Celebration in Amadeo, Cavite, 2002–2019

Abstract

Amadeo is known as the “Coffee Capital of the Philippines.” In 2002, the town began celebrating the Pahimis Coffee Festival, a thanksgiving festival for its bountiful coffee harvest. Since then, the people of Amadeo have gathered to celebrate their rich coffee heritage with street dancing, trade fairs, farm tours, agricultural symposiums, cultural nights, and more. However, 2019 marked the last year of its celebration, primarily due to the devastating effects of the Taal Volcano eruption and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. With the discontinuation of the Pahimis Coffee Festival, there is a need to preserve its legacy, as it has become an integral part of the history and identity of Amadeo. Employing the historical research method, this research aimed to explore and narrate the history of the Pahimis Coffee Festival from its inception in 2002 until its last celebration in 2019. The findings revealed that the Pahimis Coffee Festival was part of the provincial government’s initiative to revive the country’s declining coffee industry at the time. Through the combined efforts of the Municipality of Amadeo and various public and private stakeholders, it was successfully held for almost two decades. Moreover, the festival had three significant outcomes: Amadeo was officially proclaimed the Coffee Capital of the Philippines, the Café Amadeo Development Cooperative was established, and the Adopt-A-Farm Program was launched. Considering the discontinuation of the Pahimis Coffee Festival and the rapid urbanization and modernization affecting localities, this research underscores the importance of documenting and preserving local histories to safeguard the cultural heritage and identity of communities.