Coffee is one of the favorite drinks of Filipinos.  

Not only do employees and workers drink it, but students also sip hot coffee while reviewing.  

It has become a part of how we start our mornings.  

It serves as our “energizer” or a source of motivation.  

But did you know that today, October 1, we celebrate International Coffee Day?  

In 2015, the International Coffee Organization introduced this day as the celebration of International Coffee Day.  

Its goal is to honor our beloved coffee and the farmers who grow it.  

Here in the Philippines, it is common for Filipinos to start their day with a hot cup of coffee.  

But did you know that even before the Spaniards arrived, coffee was already in the Philippines?  

It is believed that Arabica coffee first arrived in the country in the 1600s through trade between our ancestors and foreign merchants from Indonesia and India.  

In 1730, Liberica coffee arrived in the country, first planted by Franciscan priests in Lipa, Batangas, and later called “Barako” coffee because of its strong taste.  

These seeds originally came from Mexico.  

Since then, the coffee industry in the country has flourished, and the Philippines became a top producer in the 1880s.  

But what is it about coffee that so many people love?  

It’s because of caffeine, which helps improve a person’s mood. However, experts warn that drinking too much coffee is not advisable.  

In the Philippines, the average Filipino drinks two and a half cups of coffee per day.  

Besides that, coffee is rich in antioxidants, which help fight diseases.  

So, International Coffee Day not only celebrates coffee but also honors the people behind it, like farmers and baristas.  

**VALERIE ANN DISMAYA