J. Albert Gamboa l November 5, 2024 l Manila Bulletin
Cebu is fast becoming an emerging force in the Philippine cacao industry since its rich soil and warm climate are ideal for the cultivation of the cacao tree whose seeds are used to make chocolate. As the premier province of Central Visayas, Cebu is benefiting from the global and local demand for artisanal chocolate brands that has boosted interest in the Cebuanos’ premium cacao production.
The Cebu cacao industry produces single-origin and organic chocolate products that have gained attention in niche markets – especially the specialty product called the tablea, which is the traditional Filipino chocolate tablet. “Sikwate” is Cebu’s version of the hot chocolate drink, also known as “tsokolate de batirol” made from tablea.
A trailblazer in Cebu’s cacao industry is Raquel Toquero-Choa, founder of The Chocolate Chamber (TCC) and hailed as the “Chocolate Queen of Cebu.” In 2010, she pioneered the hosting of the chocolate buffet in the “Queen City of the South” through her holding company Ralfe Gourmet Inc. TCC serves as a café, showroom, and workshop dedicated to artisanal chocolate made from Philippine cacao. Its flagship store is located at Robinsons Galleria Cebu, and it has a branch on Panglao Island in Bohol province.
TCC was established in 2013 at Mabolo District in Cebu City. Known as Casa de Cacao, the café’s original site has been transformed into a living museum where Choa’s family stays, and at the same time serving as TCC’s commissary. This unique venue offers an immersive, guided tour into the heritage of Filipino cacao, focusing on the rich history and cultural significance of chocolate making in the country.
Signature dishes and drinks at TCC’s branches include its own rendition of “sikwate” made from freshly ground tablea; cacao-infused salad with fresh mixed greens and a cacao vinaigrette dressing; chocolate Bolognese pasta with a hint of cacao in the sauce; and tablea cheesecake, a fusion dessert topped with chocolate ganache or cocoa nibs for added crunch.
It may be noted that cacao was introduced in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era via the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade between Las Islas Filipinas and the Viceroyalty of Mexico. This was the period when specimens of agricultural crops from the so-called New World such as tomato, maize, pineapple, avocado, and cacao arrived on our shores sometime in the 1670s.
According to TCC chief operating officer Edu Pantino, the Philippines was the first country or territory that produced cacao outside of Mexico. He said the Cebuano term “sikwate” was derived from “xiqhuatl” – the ancient Mexican word from the Nahuatl language. The Aztecs called it “xocolatl” while the Maya term was “chocolhaa” that eventually evolved into the word “chocolate.”
Choa has lately been dubbed the “Cacao Ambassador” by diplomats from Latin America who are in Singapore – specifically the ambassadors of Venezuela and Mexico to the Lion City. Last month, she collaborated with them in organizing Singapore’s first Chocolatada session along with the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka as well as the ambassadors of South Korea, Nigeria, and South Africa.
In Region 7 comprising the Central Visayas provinces of Cebu and Bohol, the tandem of Choa and Pantino were the founding regional chairs of the Philippine Cacao Industry Council (PCIC) and the Philippine Cacao Industry Association (PCIA). Both based in Mandaue City, the PCIC is a private sector-led organization with representatives from the public sector while the PCIA is the private stakeholders arm of the PCIC.
During a media interview with Choa and Patino, they disclosed plans to establish branches of TCC at the domestic and international terminals of Mactan-Cebu International Airport, while their first overseas foray will naturally be in the Republic of Singapore. A concept store called Batirol is also being planned for the historic Carbon Market in downtown Cebu City, which is being redeveloped into a world-class retail hub by Megawide Corp. They also revealed that their partnerships with cooperatives and cacao contract growers from Cebu and Davao have flourished over the past 10 years.
“I want to tell the whole world that the Philippines has its own cacao industry. I explained that we exist in the chocolate world and that we have our own identity which is anchored in our chocolate-drinking tradition,” Choa said. Indeed, her passion for cacao and chocolate knows no bounds, as they have become her calling.
*** J. Albert Gamboa is a Life Member of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) an Vice-Chair of the FINEX Ethics Committee. The opinion expressed herein does not necessarily reflect the views of these institutions and the Manila Bulletin. #FinexPhils www.finex.org.ph Photo from Pinterest.