1st Dairy Box project in MisOcc breaks ground in Plaridel

The Philippine Carabao Center headed by PCC Musuan Bukidnon Center Director and Plaridel Mayor Gadwin Handumon together with PMPC Chairperson Eda Tanya Chupuico-Lee and CBIN Project, National Focal Person Paul Andrew Texon lead the ground-breaking Ceremony of the Dairy Box Project in Plaridel. (SMRN/ PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)

In support to the carabao value chain stakeholders, particularly carabao keepers, the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Carabao Center in partnership with Paglaum Multi-Purpose Cooperative, local government of Plaridel, and the province of Misamis Occidental held a ground breaking ceremony and signing of Tripartite Memorandum of Agreement of establishment of Dairy Box, a Carabao-Based Business Improvement Network (CBIN) project on July 25, at Calacaan Plaridel, Misamis Occidental.

The project also aims to ensure the availability of locally produced milk in support of Republic Act (RA) 11037 to help address the problem of undernutrition among school children.

Mayor Gadwin E. Handumon expressed his gratitude for being part of the project, a welcome development for the municipality of Plaridel, and a challenge to the beneficiaries.

“Atong paningkamotan ug dili nato sayangan ang gihatag sa atoa. We will produce milk para sa atong mga kabataan. Daghan kaayo ang challenges, issues and concerns ang atong giatubang just to materialize this kind of project. Kini nga opportunity nga gihatag sa atong pangagamhanan atong e maximise ug magtinabangay tang tanan,” the mayor said.

(Let's try and we should not waste what is given to us. We will produce milk for our children. We are facing many challenges, issues and concerns just to materialize this kind of project. Let's maximize this opportunity given by our government and let's all work together.)

As for the project rationale, Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) in Musuan, Maramag, Bukidnon Center Director Dr. Lowell Paraguas shared that the Carabao-Based Business Improvement Network (CBIN) project or popularly known as "Accelerating Livelihood and Assets Buildup (ALAB)-Karbawan" is implemented by DA-PCC and funded by the Office of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform Chairperson Senator Cynthia Villar, which aims to support carabao value chain stakeholders, particularly carabao keepers.

PCC- Musuan Bukidnon Center Director Dr. Lowell Paraguas also said that the very purpose of CBIN project is to alleviate or increase income of the farmers and also improve the health condition of undernourished children.

“Kami sa PCC, we are pushing for the provincial dairy development program nga naa unta ni nga program sa probinsya nga ma fundingan aron mas kusog ug mas lig-on ka’y what we invision dili lang dinhi sa Plaridel, maduplicate ni sa ubang lungsod,” he said.

(We in the PCC are pushing for the provincial dairy development program to be funded by the province because what we envision is not only here in Plaridel but it can be duplicated in other towns.)

Meanwhile, CBIN Project, National Focal Person Paul Andrew Texon challenged Paglaum Multi-Purpose Cooperative and Plaridelians to be a model of this program.

“Ito pong programang ito ay market driven. Ito po ay napakalaking challenge hindi lang sa Paglaum Multi-Purpose Cooperative of course sa buong municipyo ng Plaridel na kayo po ang magiging modelo sa Misamis Occidental. This is a very big challenge of course but a very big opportunity as well. E-claim po natin na mag succeed tayo,” he said.

(This program is market driven. This is a huge challenge not only in Paglaum Multi-Purpose Cooperative of course in the entire municipality of Plaridel that you will be the model in Misamis Occidental. This is a very big challenge of course but a very big opportunity as well. Let's claim that we will succeed.)

In her closing message, Board of Directors, Paglaum Multi-Purpose Cooperative Chairperson Eda Tanya Chupuico-Lee said that this project will give significant contribution to the agri-business industry and good news for the carabao farmers to address malnutrition.

This project will be the first in the province of Misamis Occidental and will be completed in 90 days and will be operational as soon as there is carabao milk in Plaridel town.(Shaine Mae R. Nagtalon/ PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)