First-ever MisOcc's dairy box outlet opens in Plaridel

As part of the Carabao-based Business Improvement Network Project (CBIN), popularly known as ALAB-Karbawan, the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC) at Central Mindanao University (CMU) entrusted the newly opened Dairy Box facility, the first in the province, to Paglaum Multi-Purpose Cooperative (PMPC), July 28, at Calacaan, Plaridel, here.

The facility, accomplished in partnership with the Local Government of Plaridel and the Provincial Government of Misamis Occidental, is comprised of a dairy processing area and a product outlet.

"Kani atong (our) cooperative movement balances economic viability and social responsibility. Economic in the sense that through this partnership with the PCC and the office of the good Senator Villar, makahatag siya og income sa atong mga (we can provide income to our) member farmer beneficiaries, and social responsibility because we will be participating in the feeding programs of the government," said Board of Directors Chairperson Edna Tanya C. Lee of PMPC.

For his part, Plaridel Mayor Gadwin Handumon vowed to promote Carabao’s milk and milk-based products available at the Dairy Box outlet to the Plaridelians and Misamisnons. He also emphasized that there is a need to advocate aggressively and to market this project so people can patronize it.

"We are creating opportunity, so in CBIN, production and consolidation, processing, marketing, capacity building, and technical support, unsa pa’y kulang dinha kundi kakugi lang, innovations sa unsa man ang naa sa ato karon (what is missing there is hard work, innovations in what we have now). This is accelerating livelihood assets to build up the ALAB KARBAWAN Project," Handumon said.

He added that the aim of the "Dairy Box" is to highlight the town of Plaridel as a tourism destination for dairy products.

Meanwhile, Center Director of the Philippine Carabao Center, Musuan Bukidnon Dr. Lowell Paraguas, shared the goal and desire of the new dairy box so that they can provide the farmer with more income and encourage the beneficiaries to just continue with their farming because these Buffaloes can increase their income as well as help reduce malnutrition.

Paraguas hopes that their collaboration with PCC, Paglaum, and LGU, as well as partner agencies from the Department of Science and Technology, the Department of Trade and Industry, and the Department of Education, will develop the project.

He added that it is the goal of Senator Cynthia Villar to have every province be given such a milk project to further help farmers.

One of the 25 farmer beneficiaries, Olive Buena, shared her gratitude for PMPC and the local government for the opportunity and shared that they have been waiting for the project since 2015.

"Rest assured that we will do our best to help in everything we can, para mapalambo ni kay kinahanglan gyud og focus ug gamay nga pamuhonan pud sa side sa farmers," Buena said.

(Rest assured that we will do our best to do everything we can to help develop those because we need focus and a little investment on the part of the farmers)

Fresh and locally produced buffalo's milk products, such as white cheese and fresh and flavored milk, are available in Dairy Box Plaridel.

The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform's Chair, Senator Cynthia A. Villar, has funded the ALAB-Karbawan project. (SMRN/PIA-10/Misamis Occidental)