On May 15th, Peter M. Montalban, President and CEO of Taytay Sa Kauswagan, Inc. (TSKI), together with Ms. Renave Tuala, Community Enterprise Development (CED) Manager, and Ms. Grace Jalandoni, CED Supervisor, made a move that rippled far beyond the forested hills of Barotac Viejo. Their visit to Nagpana wasn’t simply a field check, but it was a powerful affirmation of TSKI’s enduring commitment to the Ati people. This wasn’t just a leader stepping out of the office; it was the whole organization showing up to be visible, present, and fully engaged.In a meaningful gesture of solidarity, the TSKI team met with NAMIAS officers, Ati elders, chieftains, and the coffee farming community to listen, learn, and collaborate.

For the first time since assuming the presidency, Sir Peter journeyed to the heart of the Nagpana Coffee Project not to speak from a distance, but to engage on the ground. Side by side with the people. Among the beans. Inside their aspirations. This visit was not ceremonial. It was a pulse check on the promise that TSKI has made and continues to uphold: not merely to assist, but to empower. The presence of TSKI’s leadership team reignited a sense of purpose and pride in the community, showing that they are not alone in their pursuit of sustainable progress. The team observed trial runs, offered practical insights, and, above all, made the community feel seen, heard, and valued. “To be seen truly is rare,” one community member shared. “Sir Peter didn’t just come to check boxes. He came to feel what we feel, to walk with us. That means everything.”

This moment marks more than a milestone. It’s a movement. A signal that real development happens where the soil is tilled, where the people are heard, where leadership means presence.

Nagpana is no ordinary village. It is a story of transformation. For generations, wild coffee grew unnoticed in the mountains until the Ati began to realize its value. With support from TSKI, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Tearfund New Zealand, and local partners, the community built a coffee processing facility from the ground up. Even after Super Typhoon Yolanda wiped out their early progress in 2013, they rebuilt stronger, wiser, bolder.