Ilonggo creativity and flavor take the spotlight as Jame Rob Dadivas, a BS Hospitality Management major in Cruiseship student from ISAT-University, proudly represents Iloilo City in the 2025 Unibeverage Competition by Allegro — a premier national competition for aspiring baristas and mixologists.
Dadivas will showcase his creations at the Visayas leg of the Unibeverage Competition, happening in Cebu City on November 29, 2025. The event gathers the most promising student baristas and mixologists from across the region, each presenting beverages that celebrate Filipino culture and festivity.
During a recent visit to The Yield Specialty Coffee, Dadivas was seen fine-tuning his beverage creations — two unique drinks that fuse Filipino culture and culinary artistry.
For his Signature Coffee, Dadivas aims to showcase a comforting local favorite in a refined specialty coffee experience — a tribute to the flavors that shaped his Ilonggo roots.
His cocktail entry looks to capture the vibrant energy of local festivities. He describes it as a drink where “the flavors dance on your tongue,” embodying the festive spirit that defines Iloilo’s world-famous celebration.
Carrying Iloilo’s Pride
Excited yet pressured, Dadivas shared that representing Iloilo on a national stage is both an honor and a challenge.
“I’m thrilled to represent Iloilo, but at the same time pressured because I’m the lone competitor from the province. I’ll go for the win and give pride to Iloilo City,” he said.
The Yield Specialty Coffee: Home of Iloilo’s Rising Barista Talents
Behind Dadivas’ preparation is The Yield Specialty Coffee, which continues to be a nurturing space for Ilonggo baristas and coffee professionals honing their craft. The café has become a training hub for aspiring champions — the same place where Karl Gabriel Aguilos, the first Ilonggo to compete at the Philippine National Barista Competition (PNBC) last June, also trained and refined his performance.
Under the guidance of The Yield’s owner and seasoned baristas, both Aguilos and Dadivas have found a supportive community that fosters learning, collaboration, and the pursuit of excellence in coffee craftsmanship.
The Unibeverage Competition by Allegro invites student baristas and mixologists nationwide to create two signature beverages — one coffee-based drink inspired by Philippine cultures and a cocktail inspired by local festivities.
As Dadivas prepares to compete in Cebu this November, Iloilo’s coffee and beverage community rallies behind him — confident that his creativity and passion will shine on the national stage.
