TACURONG CITY (October 18, 2025 | 4:41pm) — A Bukidnon-based roaster claimed the top prize at the 2025 Philippine Coffee Roasting Competition, held from October 5 to 9 at the Sultan Kudarat Convention Center in Tacurong City

Representing Coffee Wagon Café and Roastery, Bruce Bryan Rubio bested 14 other top-tier roasters from across the country in a showcase of precision, creativity and passion for the craft.

Organized by the Filipino Coffee Institute (FCI), the annual competition brings together the nation’s finest roasters to highlight innovation and excellence in Philippine coffee.

This year’s event was held alongside the Southeast Asian (SEA) Green Coffee Competition and the Philippine Coffee Innovation Summit, drawing participants and stakeholders from across Asia—including Indonesia, Thailand, Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Laos, Myanmar and the Philippines.

“This win isn’t just mine. It belongs to the entire coffee community,” said Rubio. “It’s a validation of the craft we practice every day at Coffee Wagon—from sourcing and profiling to roasting. It represents the hard work, passion, and perseverance of my team.”

Bruce Bryan Rubio

Rubio shared that his preparation began immediately after last year’s competition. Each roast session became a learning opportunity—testing profiles, evaluating flavors, and refining techniques to bring out the best in every origin. He also reflected on past missteps, using them as fuel for growth.

“This wasn’t my first competition, but it was the most demanding,” he added. “The level of detail, precision, and consistency required pushed every roaster to elevate their craft. It’s not just about skill.

It’s about how we interpret coffee through roasting.”

Rubio is now setting his sights on the upcoming international roasting competition in Taiwan this November, while continuing to develop new roast profiles and techniques.

Other winners were Rosario Jeric Gumpic Jr. (Baguio City) – 1st Runner-Up, Arnel Banuag (Cagayan de Oro City) – 2nd Runner-Up, Kelvin Lim (Panabo City, Davao del Norte) – 3rd Runner-Up, and Joey Maravillas (Senator Ninoy Aquino, Sultan Kudarat) – 4th Place.

The event was made possible through the collaboration of FCI with the Provincial Government of Sultan Kudarat, Specialty Coffee Depot, Sultan Kudarat State University, the Department of Agriculture Region 12 and the Department of Trade and Industry Region 12. (Genory Vanz Alfasain/Philstar.com)