Tools & Brews

QUEZON CITY — Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. has ordered the establishment of a Coffee Industry Development Office (CIDO), marking a major policy shift in how the government manages the struggling coffee sector.

Created under Department Order No. 06, CIDO will operate within the Office of the Undersecretary for Special Concerns and Official Development Assistance, headed by Undersecretary Jerome Oliveros.

The new office consolidates programs, funding, and policies previously scattered across multiple units, giving coffee its first dedicated headquarters.

The order draws authority from Executive Order No. 292, the Administrative Code of 1987, which empowers the Department of Agriculture to support domestic and export-oriented crops.

Laurel emphasized that coffee, long treated as a minor commodity, now requires full attention as consumption rises while local production stagnates.

Challenges include aging farmers, limited access to inputs, outdated equipment, and weak infrastructure, resulting in declining yields and rising imports.

CIDO will lead program planning, monitor accomplishments across DA bureaus, and coordinate with local governments, universities, private firms, and farmer groups.

All coffee development funds, including those under the High Value Crops Development Program, will now be managed by CIDO. Laurel said the move aims to restore competitiveness and ensure Filipino farmers benefit from growing demand.

Happy re-🛞-ment, Sir 🫡 🚲

🚨 BREAKING: From the pits of World Championships to millions of screens around the world. Calvin Jones, the mustache every cyclist recognizes, is officially retiring from Park Tool after nearly three decades.

If you have ever fixed a bike using a Park Tool video, chances are he taught you something. Long before YouTube tutorials became the norm, Jones believed bike repair should be clear, structured, and accessible to everyone.

He joined Park Tool in 1997 with a background as a master mechanic and educator. There was no fixed roadmap, but his obsession with standards and teaching quickly reshaped how the company approached education.

His impact was already visible years earlier with Team USA.
At major championships, American riders once stood in long lines with no dedicated technical support. Jones changed that by creating the USA Team Shop, a professional system built to serve athletes first and set a new standard for race support.

But what truly set him apart was his mindset.
Instead of guarding knowledge, he opened the door.
He helped transform bike repair from a mysterious skill into something anyone could learn.

At Park Tool, that philosophy exploded into books, courses, and iconic videos watched by riders across the globe.
His calm explanations and no-nonsense teaching style made even complex mechanics feel approachable.

Now, after 28 years of education, Jones is stepping back.
He plans to keep riding, explore new educational projects, and yes, finally figure out when to use that dropper post.

He will still support youth cycling programs and remain involved in future Park Tool video projects. The wrench may be resting, but the legacy he built will keep turning for generations of riders.