The City Government of Isabela, under the leadership of Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman, through the City Agriculture Office headed by City Agriculturist Maria Gina Alberto, conducted the 1st Isabela City Coffee Growers Association (ICGA) Assembly for 2025 on February 20, bringing together coffee growers from various barangays across the city.
Before the assembly, a GoGo Pasada session was held, led by GoGo Focal Sara Angging and City Information Office staffer Ema Banding-Hadjala. They discussed the roles and responsibilities of community leaders, the LGU-Isabela City budget, and how to be an informed and engaged Isabeleño.
ICGA President Lee Roy Brown delivered the welcome remarks, highlighting the importance of strengthening the association. City Agriculturist Alberto shared how coffee farming in Isabela City has expanded, growing from 11 to 47 coffee growers across different barangays. She also noted the significant progress in vegetable production in the city.
Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman, gracing the event, expressed her full support for local coffee farmers, emphasizing the city government’s commitment to agricultural development and economic opportunities for growers.
Agricultural Technologist and Coffee Coordinator Jonathan Pedillon presented the assembly’s agenda, which included ICGA updates, the coffee seedlings inventory for 2024 across different sites: IDCAF Site, Tabiawan Site, Maligue Site, key activities from 2024, Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) registration, and the current crop status.
Also in attendance were ICGA Vice President Alexes Ututalum Infante and LEDIPO Chief Jaime Juanito Rivera, along with other key stakeholders in the local coffee industry. (Words by E. Banding-Hadjala/Photos by KJ Evardo, IsaTV)
