Love, Coffee Tayo?

October is Philippine Coffee Month, as declared by former President Fidel V. Ramos Proclamation No. 1081 in 1997.

And for marketing year 2025-2026, Filipinos are projected to have consumed an astounding 40.5 billion cups of coffee, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. These numbers alone show how deeply coffee is ingrained in the Filipino daily routine. But what makes it truly worth celebrating lies beyond the bean itself.

The Companion

“Kape tayo” has been a familiar invitation we say to or hear from the special people in our lives. Though simple, these two words can carry many meanings, depending on the person inviting us and the reason behind it. 

Sometimes, it is a chance to catch up with old friends, spend time with family, or get to know colleagues better over a cup of coffee. And of course, when it comes to our lovers, we ask, “Mahal, kape tayo?” when all we want is to share a quiet, peaceful moment with them.

It is also funny how we can say “kape tayo” and end up having a cup of matcha, a chocolate, a tea, or any decaffeinated beverage instead. The invitation may begin with coffee in mind, but it is never really about what ends up in our cups.

If there is one drink that has witnessed countless reconciliations and the mending of relationships, quite often, it is coffee. Sometimes, it gives us a reason to sit down with someone we have been meaning to catch up with. Other times, it gives us a reason to celebrate good news with someone we love, or a chance to sit beside them after a long day.

But for solo drinkers, coffee is more than a companion—it is their key to staying motivated and powering through a day.

The Caffeine to Success

Coffee drinkers have their own little routines built around coffee. 

For Ivy, a fourth-year management accounting student at Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Manila, coffee is something to lean on when in need. She only drinks it when necessary, particularly when she needs to stay awake. 

“Coffee is my ultimate lifesaver for reviewing, but it always plays out the exact same way: I’ll drink [coffee] like three to four cups right after finishing the first one just to stay alive and awake. But it gives me crazy palpitations,” the graduating Iskolar ng Bayan said.

Like many things we enjoy, coffee is best enjoyed in moderation. And amid the ongoing El Niño season, the Department of Health reminded the public to pump the brakes on caffeine consumption, including coffee.

After all, too much caffeine can cause heart palpitations and restlessness, which could leave us feeling the opposite of what we hoped to achieve.

The Comfort

For some people, coffee is not something they simply happen to have. 

Sometimes, they make one at home during a busy day for comfort, or they stop by the nearest shop for a sweet, easy-to-get coffee from a barista.

One of those behind the counter is Lawrence Michael, a PUP student who also works as a barista. As someone who crafts drinks himself, he appreciates cafés that take the time and effort to ensure the taste and quality of their coffee. 

“It does bring comfort and happiness, especially when the café values the taste of coffee rather than just selling a drink,” he shared.

But as his workplace and go-to-café has recently closed its doors, it will take time to find a new place that will give the same fond memories, delicious coffees, and the comfort no other café can give. “It may take a while to find a café to hunt,” he added.

Love equals Coffee

Much like life itself, coffee is a product of time, effort, and care.

At Amadeo, Cavite, the nation’s coffee capital, dedicated farmers tend to the roots of their coffee culture.

Through Cafe Amadeo Development Cooperative, there are hands that tend to the coffee plants and harvest their cherries in the process of turning them into beans that are milled, roasted, and ground before brewing, passing through several stages before finding their way into homes, cafés, and stomachs.

True enough, they are living proof that the drink goes through a long process before it reaches our hands. But the moment we finally get to enjoy it is ours.

The 40.5 billion cups of coffee consumed by Filipinos projected for this year are more than just a staggering statistic. They are billions of quiet mornings, late-night study sessions, overdue catch-ups, and gentle pauses in a fast-moving world.

Whether shared with a partner over a soft “Mahal, kape tayo?” or held alone as a silent source of comfort after a long day, warmth in a mug reminds us that we are human—and, above all, Pinoy.

Article: Sophia Bordomeo

Graphics: Yvonne Gacillos