Cheyenne Suarez

After searching PH, couple chooses Albay to grow ube

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<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785214377790UBEBICOL2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div>Rows of climbing ube vines now stretch across a one-hectare plantation in Barangay Tabiguian, their broad green leaves weaving through bamboo trellises beneath coconut trees. Just a few months ago, the area was an overgrown patch of land. Today, thousands of vines blanket the field, while trays of sprouting seed tubers await planting.The transformation is the result of months of searching by Spanish chef Pablo Fermoselle and Filipina Bianca Segui, who traveled across the Philippines before deciding that Albay offered the conditions they were looking for to grow ube.Their search eventually led them back to the foothills of Mayon Volcano, where they established The Ube Origins, a commercial ube plantation they hope will one day supply export markets while creating opportunities for local farmers.Choosing Albay was not simply about returning to Bicol for Segui, whose mother is from Legazpi City.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785214411690UBE5.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Bianca Segui</div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785214422609UBE4.jpg" style="width:960px;display:block;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/>Pablo FermoselleBefore relocating to the Philippines, she had been living in Washington state in the United States for the past 17 years, where she worked in the real estate industry. </div>Fermoselle, meanwhile, is a Spanish chef whose career took him around the world. Before moving to the Philippines, he was based in Indonesia after years of working as a private chef aboard luxury yachts and in Michelin-starred restaurants in Spain, France and Italy.When they began exploring the possibility of starting a farm in the Philippines, they did not settle on the first place they visited. Instead, they traveled across several provinces — including Cebu, Mindoro, Batangas, Nasugbu and Pangasinan — comparing growing conditions before returning to Albay.&quot;We traveled all over the Philippines,&quot; Segui said.According to her, what convinced them was the volcanic soil surrounding Mayon Volcano.Located about eight kilometers from the volcano, the farm sits on soil composed of pumice, volcanic ash and basalt, which she said provides favorable conditions for growing ube.Today, rows of vigorous vines climbing bamboo trellises and the broad canopy of leaves spreading across the field reflect the crop&#x27;s steady growth only months after planting.<div>BEGINNINGS</div>The idea to grow ube did not begin in a field. It started in the kitchen of the couple&#x27;s home in the United States.Although Fermoselle had spent years working in professional kitchens across Europe and on luxury yachts, he had never tasted Philippine ube until Segui introduced it to him.He was familiar with other varieties of yam, known in parts of Europe as ñame, but he found the Philippine purple yam to be unlike any he had encountered before.Unlike the white yams commonly prepared as savory dishes, Philippine ube stood out for its vibrant color, distinct flavor and versatility.Drawing on his experience as a chef, Fermoselle began experimenting with different ways of preparing ube to better understand the ingredient. He tried using it not only in desserts but also in savory dishes, soups and beverages.As they continued exploring its possibilities, the couple noticed ube becoming increasingly popular overseas, particularly in the United States.That combination of culinary potential and growing demand convinced them that the crop deserved greater attention at its source — the Philippines.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785214461567UBEBICOL.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div>The plantation currently occupies one hectare of the 23-hectare MP Brizuela Natural Farm, a property that has long produced coconuts, cacao, pili and other crops.Farm owner Mark Brizuela said he welcomed the partnership after seeing the increasing interest in ube and the opportunity to diversify agricultural production in the area.Although ube has long been grown in Albay, Brizuela said most farmers cultivate it only on a small scale or in backyard gardens. &quot;Usually, backyard farming lang ang ube dito,&quot; he said.He hopes the plantation will encourage more growers to consider commercial production while eventually serving as a learning site for improved farming practices.The family also plans to develop the property further as an agritourism destination, complementing its existing farm operations.Inside a small shed beside the plantation, hundreds of sprouting seed tubers are carefully prepared before planting. Outside, the vines continue climbing bamboo trellises arranged in orderly rows across the field. The farm now has around 25,000 ube plants.Using conservative estimates, the couple hopes to harvest about 25 metric tons of ube between January and February next year, although actual yields will depend on the size of each tuber.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785214485030UBE3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><div>GROWING WITH COMMUNITY</div>From the beginning, Fermoselle and Segui said they wanted the plantation to grow alongside the community.When they first arrived in Tabiguian, the property was heavily overgrown and had to be cleared manually before planting could begin. Nine local workers were initially hired to rehabilitate the land. Today, five continue maintaining the plantation.Rather than bringing in workers from elsewhere, the couple chose residents who were already familiar with the land and had experience in farming. &quot;Without the farmers, we are nothing,&quot; Fermoselle said.The plantation also sources its bamboo stakes and initial planting materials from Albay, supporting local growers and suppliers as the project expands.While building the plantation is the immediate priority, the couple said they hope the project will eventually extend beyond producing and exporting ube. One of their long-term plans is to establish a small learning center where farmers and aspiring growers can learn practical techniques in ube cultivation — from preparing planting materials and fertilizing crops to managing plantations for better yields.During their travels, the couple visited San Pablo, Laguna, a city known for its ube delicacies. They were surprised to learn that many processors source their raw materials from other parts of the country rather than growing the crop themselves.For Fermoselle and Segui, that highlighted the importance of strengthening production at the farm level.Rather than focusing solely on processed products, they hope to help build a stronger supply of quality ube in Albay while encouraging more farmers to consider commercial cultivation.Among those helping care for the plantation is Juan Bongon, a farmer from Tabiguian who said the project has become another source of livelihood for his family.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1785214586587UBE6.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div>Like many farmers in the area, Bongon had long relied on planting vegetables and other crops. Working on the ube plantation has provided him with additional income while allowing him to continue farming close to home.He said the earnings help cover household expenses, purchase farming supplies and support his family&#x27;s daily needs.For Bongon, the plantation represents more than another field to tend. It is another opportunity for farming families to earn a living without leaving their community. <div>PLANTING FOR THE FUTURE</div>The one-hectare plantation is only the beginning. The couple plans to expand the farm to two hectares before eventually reaching about 20 hectares over the next few years.Exporting remains part of their long-term vision, but they said the larger goal is to help build a stronger local ube industry by working with farmers and sharing what they have learned.For now, the first harvest still lies beneath the soil.Above ground, however, the rows of climbing vines already tell a different story — of a once-overgrown field transformed into a commercial plantation, of local farmers finding new opportunities, and of two people from opposite sides of the world who found common ground in a distinctly Filipino crop.As the vines continue to climb their bamboo trellises beneath the shadow of Mayon Volcano, Fermoselle and Segui hope the project will demonstrate that Albay&#x27;s fertile volcanic landscape can support not only quality ube, but also new possibilities for the farming communities that have long called it home.

A Spanish chef and a Filipina traveled across the Philippines before deciding that Albay province offered the conditions they were looking for to grow ube.

A Spanish chef and a Filipina traveled across the Philippines before deciding that Albay province offered the conditions they were looking for to grow ube.

After searching PH, couple chooses Albay to grow ube

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After searching PH, couple chooses Albay to grow ube

Aireen Perol

Published July 28, 2026 01:31 PM PHT

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