Transcript of Senator Pia Cayetano's Speech during the Cacao Congress in Cebu
July 31, 2024
Transcript of Senator Pia Cayetano's Speech during the Cacao Congress in Cebu
July 31, 2024
Ang saya pala dito sa Cacao Congress dahil unli ang chocolate. I am a chocolate lover, for everyone's information. Mas hinahanap ko ang chocolate bago pa ang coffee kasi hindi ako natuto uminom ng coffee until I was 40-plus years old. Pero siguro mga two years old pa lang, nagtso-tsokolate na.
I am very happy to be here, and let me just thank the organizers and shout out to the people who made this happen, the Philippine Cacao Industry Association Board and Officers, the Philippine Cacao Industry Council, and the participants from all over the country, and of course, our government agencies, ang mga partner natin to make this happen. DTI, DA, DAR, DOST, DOT, and DILG. And of course, my Tita Armi, who is more of a Tita to me than a President of the Philippine Cacao Industry. I know her as family and not as the President. But I know that this has been her passion. I am happy that I finally was able to come.
I'm amazed to see everyone here. Congratulations for really putting[it together. Seriously. This is huge. Gusto ko sana mag-Bisaya kay naa ako diri sa Cebu pero kabalo ko na ang mga igsuan from other parts of the country, so hindi na ako mag-Bisaya.
But kung ano yung kaya ko, please approach my staff. Can you just stand up? Saan ang staff ko na maiiwan dito? Si Elaine? Where's Elaine? Okay, them over there, approach them because if I have a chance to visit you, I will visit you. Your farm, your small manufacturing facility, the arms of DTI, DA na nasa field helping our farmers. I will do my best. I don't like to promise kasi medyo impossible siguro na if you invite me next year, masabi ko na na-visit ko lahat ng nandito, but I can try. I want to be able to support you in the way that this Congress is supporting you.
You know, mga 15 years ago, way before na nalaman ko na, Tita, you're very much involved in this. Because nga, I'm a chocolate lover. Every year, I go to Switzerland. Not for the chocolate, pero ang main office ng IPU, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, ito yung parang United Nations ng mga legislators. United Nations ito ng mga mambabatas. Kapareho ko. We have our meeting there every year. And believe it or not, that was the first time na nag-try ako at nag-enjoy ng dark chocolate. Kasi yung exposure ko lang sa dark chocolate, yung commercial brand, hindi ko na babanggitin, basta American brand na dark chocolate, na talagang for me, hindi ko talaga enjoy. I would rather have the milk chocolate na almost all of us as kids grew up with. Kapag matitikman ko yung dark chocolate, sabi ko, ang pangit naman ang lasa nito. Parang bitter, tapos basta hindi ko talaga gusto.
So when I went to Switzerland for the first time for work, Senator na ako noon, natikman ko yung dark chocolate nila. Tapos kung ano yung itsura ng pandesal sa atin na ganyan, tapos pandesal, tinapay, naka-expose lang, ganun yung tsokolate doon. Yung mga square-square, like barks of chocolate, patong-patong yan, ganun yung chocolate doon. Tapos pagtikim ko, sabi ko, ito pala yung sinasabi na masarap na tsokolate. Hindi yung pinilit na commercialized, na very, very sweet yung sa milk chocolate, tapos naman doon sa dark, hindi ko talaga maintindihan yung bitter na hindi ko gusto.
For the first time na in love ako sa dark chocolate. And up to now, hindi mo na ako mapabili ng commercial chocolate, yung mga branded na American brands. Sorry kung meron dito, sorry. Pero I'm just being honest. Hindi na ako bumibili. Kasi I find it so sweet. And if you really read the literature, kasi ang mina-market na nila, commercial para mura lang,. And it has contributed to the obesity problem in the US. Yung mga malalaking chocolate na very, very sweet.
Hindi ako expert. Whenever I give you a proposal or an idea, ang disclaimer ko is, I'm not an expert. But I love to read. I'm passionate about certain things, and to be honest, chocolate is really one of them. So I'm just going to share with you my own ideas.
When I entered, one of the samples given to me, aside from the usual chocolate, was a lip balm na chocolate. And as was mentioned, and I'm sure all of you have been discussing it, all the other products that we can come up with, na ang kanyang main ingredient is cacao. But I'd like to share an idea I have, which I feel has a lot of room for growth in the world. Chocolate is an indulgence. Like it really is scientifically documented to make you feel good. I believe that. Kasi kung masama ang loob ko, magtso-chocolate talaga ako. Totoo yan. But on the other hand, the normal chocolate that we know is not always good for your health. That's why I've seen quite a few. I know, of course, the Tableya brand, which I'm familiar with. But I saw a few others. We already have the sugar-free versions.
But you know, there's so much more you can do. And I was doing a little research before I stood up here. All the ingredients that go into making a chocolate product, lahat yan, are also potentially in short supply. When you think of healthier versions, kanina when I was outside, I was told by one of the entrepreneurs there na naubos na yung bestseller niya na dark chocolate with mango. Kasi yun daw yung flavor na masarap i-combine, dark chocolate that's not so sweet with the sweet mango. And it made me realize that we have that ability to market cacao. I've seen outside, 70%, 65%, 80%, whatever, as really the healthier alternative. Kasi kung ang hinahanap ng tao dun sa native cacao natin or cacao in general, is yung tanggap nila yung bitterness, tanggap nila yung matapang, then that is the flavor there, not the sugar. And it becomes a healthier alternative. Clear ba ako?
So I'm saying you're now gonna market it not as a super sweet product, but as an indulgent product, very full of flavor, but not loaded with sugar. I-explore nyo yan because the world is looking for products that will not contribute to diabetes, aside from basic sugar-free. You know, just a lighter version of something with less sugar, not necessarily sugar-free. What other flavors can you add there?
And that is why my commitment is through the state universities and colleges, I can continue to put funding for research. Andiyan na kasi yun, na-mention naman kanina na I have funding. All of you, I want you to know that there are fundings in the state universities kung taga saan kayo, from Luzon down to Mindanao. I gave future thinking funding research money for all of them. Now, not necessarily ang kanilang focus is food. Not necessarily it's chocolate. But if you approach my staff and you feel that there is a room, and huwag na tayo mag-overlap, that is what the council, I guess, is there for. No need naman na lahat ng state university pare-pareho yung nire-research. One can be exploring cacao as cosmetics, cacao as a superfood, cacao as, who knows, a source of energy. I don't know.
It's up to you, but the funding can be made available for that. Okay? Because there is really a future in chocolate. I really believe it in my heart. Pero the hard work really is with all of you. I'm a planner. I'm a policymaker. I'm a researcher. So, that is my contribution. And actually doing the hard work on testing the market... DOST, by the way, the office of DOST, the head office of DOST is in our hometown, in Taguig City. Alaga namin yan ni Senator Alan and my sister-in-law, Lani, is the mayor of Taguig. Alaga namin ang DOST and one of the jobs of DOST is to make sure na magamit ang science and technology for small entrepreneurs. So, if we have to set up facilities where we can allow the small farmers, kasi siguro naman we have a common goal that the farmers are not just farmers because there is more value kapag madagdag mo yung processing. Yun ang goal siguro natin lahat na beyond sa farming lang, may added value.
I would love it if we keep on exporting to the world market, but sana hindi lang raw because kung makapag-exporttayo ng more finished products, that's more income. More income for everyone in the value added chain. So, that's our goal and let's make use of the structure that's already in place, whether it's the state universities that I mentioned, the DOST, and so many others.
I was having a quick chat with the Dairy Association head and dairy is a big part of chocolate. But let me tickle your brain. Twenty years ago, whoever heard of oat milk? I never heard of oat milk 20 years ago. But now, if you go to a coffee shop, yung mga ayaw mag-dairy, ang kanyang alternative is oat milk. Is it really milk? Well, not in the way I know it, kasi ang milk talaga is cow's milk. Sa Pilipinas, pwedeng kambing, pwedeng kalabaw. So, it's not really milk, but it now becomes an alternative to people who don't like dairy. That's why there's almond milk, there's soy milk. So, if you think about it, we can invent any kind of white liquid to be part of that cacao and be something we want it to be. It could be Pili milk, for all I care, because there's almond milk.
There are so many combinations that we can come up with using our products. And it could be fantastic. Pero kung nandyan lang yan sa barangay niyo, sad to say, hindi yan lalaki. And that's where DTI comes in. And we can also put more funding to get more of our qualified innovators to showcase in the world scene. That we can do. That is our job. Kapag legislator po kasi, para kaming mga nanay, ang budget ng household sa amin din. Ang budget ng mga government agencies, sa amin yan. If you come up with a proposal and tell me, Senator, there are 10 world congresses na we want to attend, and we will choose the top 5, the top 10, whatever, we can fund those things. I just want to be sure na you handle it properly because it's not my job. And hindi naman ako yung pipili. Huwag din akong gawing judge. You have the means to determine who can represent, who is ready. Yung hindi pa ready, then bigyan pa ng more training para maging ready sila. But those who are ready, let's push, let's promote them to be on the world stage and to find ways to market their products. But let's get them ready.
I'll use another example. I'm an athlete. Bago ako sumali sa competition, magte-training muna ako. And for the Cebuanos, I've done four of the Ironman 70.3's here in Cebu. I've done half marathons here in Cebu. But I trained. Hindi naman magic yan. Nagte-training ako, gumigising ako ng maaga para mag-jogging. Ganoon din yun. Mag-train tayo. Idaan sa process. That's why DOST, DTI, lahat ng agencies nandyan and the private council. And I'm pretty sure most of whom are volunteers. Thank you for your service to the nation. Wala naman mga bayad yan. Kaya yan nandyan.
So, I'll end here. I just want to be part of this story. And I want to hear more stories because talagang there is a world to conquer. The Philippines can conquer the world through chocolate diplomacy, through cacao diplomacy. Pero paanakin niyo yan. Parang yung head table lang naman ang excited sa mga pinagsasabi ko. Are you excited to conquer the world? Pasisikatin ba natin ang Pilipinas sa buong mundo dahil sa cacao? Yes!
I will leave you on this note. It's the time of the Olympics. Manood kayo kasi it's inspiring. Karamihan ang mga Pilipinong nandyan sa Olympics, ordinary lang na tao yan. Kaya lang talagang nagkaroon ng opportunity. Nagkaroon ng magaling na training. Tapos, nandoon yung kanyang perseverance. This article I just read this morning, I think. Sabi, you are only as good as your belief in yourself. Kung sa tingin mo, ikaw na yung maging pinakamalaking farmer or manufacturer sa probinsya mo, very good! Congratulations! Pero kung sa tingin mo, you can be the top 10 in the Philippines, very good! Congratulations! But if you believe that you can be top 10 in the world, as you are, congratulations! It's what you decide to be. It's who you want to be.
Ang job ko lang, and ang job siguro ng mga representatives ng government is to support. But you have to dream your own dream. And I thank again the organizers for this, for allowing people to have those kind of dreams. And I hope naka-contribute ako, naganahan kayo sa mga dreams ninyo. And please invite me again next year. Okay? I want to come back. I want to hear the stories. I think one of your projects can be the stories. Malay ko ba, sa totoo lang, hindi ko naman alam na may world champion tayo dito. I didn't know. I want to know those stories. I was sitting beside her already, and kasi fan naman talaga ako ng Malagos. I told her, I used to sit there in their resort and quietly sipping my tasting ng iba-ibang variations ng offering ng Malagos.
I want to hear more stories. I don't have the opportunity na upuan kayo lahat right now. But maybe it can be covered in a website. Yung napag-aral niyo yung anak niyo dahil sa tsokolate. Sino dito ang na-meet ang loved one niya dahil sa tsokolate? Sino? I'm sure meron. Halos lahat. Yan naman pala. So, maraming ganyan stories. Anyway, I'll end on that note. Dream big. We can conquer the world through chocolate, through cacao. God bless you all. Thank you so much.
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