In the Philippines, coffee is a daily ritual that brings families and communities together. But behind every cup is a farmer, and for many in places like Bailen, Cavite, the journey from seed to sip is anything but easy.
Climate change, low elevations and unpredictable weather patterns make coffee farming more difficult, especially for small-scale, indigenous growers.
That’s why TaskUs teamed up with GForest, the environmental sustainability program under GCash, to plant 10,000 coffee trees in Cavite. The partnership aims to empower local farmers, especially women, with better income streams and more climate-resilient farms.
Growing trees and opportunities
Fast forward to April 2025: we’re nearly halfway through our goal. We’ve successfully planted 4,000 coffee trees and 1,500 shade trees, which act as natural canopies that protect delicate coffee plants from intense heat and sun.
Jocelyn Mamar, the head farmer leading the project, has already produced over 11,000 coffee seedlings, exceeding the original goal. For her, this work is deeply personal.
“It’s really hard to plant nowadays due to climate change,” she says. “That’s why this project is a big help because we now have capital. I hope more people step in to support local coffee farmers like us.”
What started with just eight farmers has now grown into a network of 26 locals, all working together to plant and nurture the trees.
“This is additional income for us,” notes Jocelyn. “I might be the point person reporting to GCash and the Philippine Coffee Board, but the benefit reaches my whole community.”
TaskUs also buys beans directly from these farmers for the coffee we serve to our onsite teams.
Brewing greater impact
The coffee tree initiative was launched in 2023 as part of TaskUs’ 15th anniversary. It’s a meaningful way to mark the milestone by giving back to the community and the place where the company started.
Through our employee referral program, we committed to planting one coffee tree for every successful hire. Teammates also participated directly by choosing to plant the TaskUs Coffee Tree through the GCash app.
What started as a celebration has become something more: a reflection of how we show up for the communities around us and a reminder that our people are at the heart of every initiative we take on.
