Besao Mt. Province Arabica | Basilio Coffee to Share

Besao, Mt. Province coffee origins story

Besao, Mt. Province is an old and new coffee origins for Basilio Coffee.  Old, because Besao is one of the first communities visited when we started buying coffee in the Mt. Province. Besao is the municipality beside Sagada, and is populated likewise by the Kankanaey people, part of the collective group of indigenous peoples in the Cordillera known as the Igorots.

Besao is at 1,425 masl, on average, with a range of 1,200 up to 2,000 masl for the whole landlocked agroforest and mountain ranges of Besao. It is blessed with abundant water supply manifested by several waterfalls all over its mountain slopes and ravines of pine forest blocks and mossy forests.  One will also witness hundred years old rice terraces and forest covered household gardening of multitudes of crops, such as sugar cane, potato, an assortment of rotating vegetables, and to include wild gathered honey.

Arabica typica grows in Besao and is said to rival in flavor and aroma its popular coffee neighbor Sagada.  In fact, the old-timer tourists who still frequently visit these beautiful mountain ranges would attest that Besao has retained its charm, beauty and serenity.  The Kankanaeys of Besao would gladly welcome tourists to visit their place and encourage one to go around witness the beautiful ‘Besao sunset’.  The roads interconnecting the 14 barangays are well paved.  Though one has to go by foot and travail the ups and downs of the trail, when going deep inside the barangays.  

According to 2020 census, population is estimated at 6,873 people. The National Museum officially declared the historic and scenic Gueday stone calendar as a national landmark. Gueday is one of Besao’s barangay.  Based on researches and available literature since the 1900s, the ‘kasilapet’ signals the end of the cycle of agricultural activities and the beginning of the next cycle which happens when the sun perfectly rests a top of Ambaon-Bato, a portion of the mountain ridge in Gueday. The exact date of the ‘kasilapet’ celebration has been observed every September 30.