ANGELES CITY, Pampanga – A new coffee shop that showcases locally-produced coffee was opened here on Thursday.
The “Kapebaluan” is located on the ground floor of the City Library where one can enjoy reading a variety of books while sipping the city’s own blend of organic coffee.
Aside from coffee (kape), the shop serves other beverages which it calls non-coffee (alang kape), tea (pang marimla), signature (tatak), and barista. Cafe goers have 19 flavors of these drinks to choose from.
Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. who was present during the opening of Kapebaluan, said the initiative to establish the cafe is aimed at helping the farmers improve their livelihood amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic and provide an opportunity to introduce the locally-produced coffee to a larger market.
“While we aim to enable them to put food on the table, we also want to showcase our very own organic coffee. Kayang-kaya makipagsabayan ng kapeng Angeleño sa mga international brands (The coffee of the Angeleños can compete with the international brands),” Lazatin said in a statement.
The coffee shop is managed by the city government with assigned staff from the Angeles City Economic Development and Investment Promotions Office (ACEDIPO).
ACEDIPO officer-in-charge Irish Bonus-Llego said the city government purchased 92 kilos of arabica beans from Angeleño farmers to be used in the café.
She said the coffee beans are also available at the One Town One Product store in the city.
Meanwhile, the Kapebaluan, which has reference books in every corner, is accepting book donations.
Lazatin also asked for the help of the National Library in providing books for the café.