Hannah Choa as the "Youth Ambassador of FCCT's youth"

"Beautiful things come with time"...as the proverb says.  Thus, the beautiful princess and the spiller of the beans, Hannah Choa -  the daughter of our Chocolate Queen arises from her cocoon and now comes out beautifully just like a butterfly carrying the passion that her mom has started.

As her mom's voice echoes through her young mind, Hannah never came far from what her mom envisioned her to be. As the Chocolate Queen has always been walking her talk of loving her 3Cs (Creator, Country, and Cacao) and never forgets to connect it to her mission: From the Land to the brand to life… this has come easily through the help of FCCT, a cooperative that focuses more on agriculture and taking care of the farmers and the next generation of farmers.

FCCT has collaborated with The Chocolate Chamber in promoting their produce from Tuburan to the people of Cebu City -  Giving them the best of their harvests.

As the Chocolate Queen works with FCCT in making sure they will have their harvest to be enjoyed by the Cebuanos and that Tuburan Farmers can sustain their livelihood while waiting for the Cacao fruits to ripen by planting and producing vegetables and fruits that are most essential to us at this time. For instance, they have Malunggay products in which The Chocolate Chamber develops a Malunggay flavor for their Pandesal and Alfajores to make it useful and to give a healthier option to their clients.

Hannah on the other hand has been given the role of FCCT Youth Ambassador as she gives her time in helping the youth of Tabuelan and Tuburan in visualizing and planning on what the youth can do to continue on the legacy of FCCT. 

(Sitting) Second from left is Maria Ethel Novicio (the newly elected Chairperson). On the right is Ma.  Rascen Claro(youth representative from Tabuelan). 

(Standing) from the right is FCCT's CEO Magdaleno Bargamento, Jessi Claro (Branch Manager FCCT Tabuelan), Arlene Cadano (Branch Manager FCCT Tuburan), Esterlita Andales (Municipal Agriculture Officer (MAO)LGU- Tuburan),  Clavel Aves (FCCT Agri-Business Manager) and at her back is Timogen Arellano(LGU consultant). With Sir Edu Pantino (Vice Chairman of Cacao Council), Hannah Choa (The Spiller of the Beans/ FCCT Youth Ambassador), and Miss Raquel Choa (The Chocolate Queen).

Last January 22, 2021, the FCCT Tuburan office held a very important meeting with the youth together with the board of directors. This is the beginning of a dream and the passing of the baton to the youth with the guidance of Hannah. The gathering came in handy for the youth, for the future of our culture made possible by FCCT and supported by the Chocolate Queen.

As Hannah says, her being the "Spiller of the beans," means close to the idiom - "to share a secret". She wants to impart to the youth the love for Cacao -  the Sikwate making as well as preserving the tradition. Furthermore, her vision to unite the youth of Tuburan and Tabuelan has begun. She oriented the youth with her dream for them and captured the youths' ambitions as well as knowing their skills. She made sure that they are in one goal of flourishing and continuing the mission of FCCT.

As some of the youth said, they love baking, writing, and sports. They came up with a group and elected their officers and planned on having workshops and activities gearing toward the sustenance of our agriculture. 

The youths of Tuburan and Tabuelan with the FCCT's Youth Ambassador, Miss Hannah Choa.

I am Hannah Mae Toquero Choa, people call me ‘The Chocolate Princess’ and my role is to be the ‘Spiller of the B.E.A.N.S.’. Our goals are to preserve the tradition of drinking sikwate, promote wellness and to bring back the love of cacao farming through integrated farming. 

 

We at The Chocolate Chamber convey our motto, Chocolates from the land, to the brand…to Life. For us to have chocolates, we need to focus on where it all begins and that is ‘the land’, ‘the soil’ toiled by our business partners, our agri-preneurs, the farmers. 

 

In line with this, I am also the Youth Ambassador of FCCT or the First Consolidated Cooperative along Tañon Seabords. I envision to cultivate a space in which the youth is able to be productive through agriculture-related products and services, specifically on maximizing produce through inclusive product development. Through these, we are able to create a sustainable value chain not only in cacao but as well as other crops. 

 

As Dr. Jose Rizal said, The youth is the hope of our future. What a bright future it would be in the agriculture sector as WE go, glow, grow together.