By Helen Castaño | 08:40 AM July 08, 2026
TAGBILARAN CITY — Catigbian Mayor Benjie Oliva has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to developing a cacao industry in the municipality through a partnership with Bohol Chocolate Farm, with plans to establish cacao plantations on a 200-hectare property acquired by the local government.
Oliva announced the initiative during the World Chocolate Day celebration hosted by Bohol Chocolate Farm in Barangay Canmano in Sagbayan town, where local government officials, agriculture stakeholders, civic organizations, and residents gathered to promote cacao farming and the local chocolate industry.
The project aims to transform idle land into productive cacao farms, providing farmers with sustainable livelihood opportunities, additional sources of income, and a ready market for their harvest through Bohol Chocolate Farm’s partner-grower program.
The partnership complements Bohol Chocolate Farm’s province-wide goal of supporting the planting of 1 million cacao trees over the next 10 years to strengthen Bohol’s cacao industry, expand local production, and position the province as a leading producer of high-quality chocolate.
Cacao production
Bohol Chocolate Farm, the first cacao nursery in Bohol accredited by the Department of Agriculture–Bureau of Plant Industry, said it will support farmers by providing quality planting materials, technical assistance, and guidance on cacao production.
The farm also encouraged farmers, cooperatives, landowners, and people’s organizations to become partner growers, offering discounted cacao seedlings, farm management support, and a guaranteed buyer for harvested cacao beans to help reduce market uncertainty.
During the celebration, Bohol Chocolate Farm and JCI Chocolate Hills Jaycees also launched the Seed to Bean Project, which includes the donation of 1,000 cacao seedlings to the Nueva Vida Sur Women’s Association in Carmen to promote community-based cacao farming and women’s livelihood.
According to Bohol Chocolate Farm founder Rosario Amores-Hudson, their long-term expansion program could produce about 800 metric tons of fermented dry cacao beans annually at full bearing capacity, helping reduce Bohol’s dependence on cacao beans sourced from outside the province while strengthening the local chocolate value chain.
“Today is the sweetest day of the year, but it is also a day of great purpose. When we think of chocolate, we think of happiness. But true appreciation begins when we understand where that happiness comes from,” said Amores-Hudson.
