PCC Newsletter Volume 11 No. 2

Transcription

Official Publication of the Philippine Carabao Center of the Department of Agriculture
ISSN 1655-2496 • VOL. 11 NO. 2 • April-June 2012
Appreciating
the services
that pay
Couples keep milk flowing
from the villages to processors
A trade to last as demand
goes full blast
Single mom of seven
finds glory in milk trading
They seek, they find,
and blurt out:
'Listahe!'
ab
ou
t th
ec
ov
er
PCC
Newsletter
Official Publication of the Philippine Carabao Center
of the Department of Agriculture • Vol. 11 No. 2 • April-June 2012
Editorial Staff
“The time has come to strengthen
the dairy industry in the countryside
and the carabao as an instrument
to alleviate poverty.”
FLORENCIO JACINTO, one of
the major milk suppliers of the
DVF Dairy Farm in Talavera,
Nueva Ecija, delivers 200 to
300 liters of milk which he
collects from dairy farmers in
nearby towns every day. This
translates to a weekly income
of Php5,000 for his family.
[Photo by RGBumanlag]
The Philippine Carabao Center
(PCC), headed by its executive
director Dr. Libertado Cruz, got
a boost from Vice President
Jejomar Binay as he recognized
the agency as the leading R&D
institution for livestock in the
country.
Rowena G. Bumanlag Writers
Joahna G. Goyagoy
Carla F. Padilla
Khrizie Evert M. Padre
Anselmo S. Roque
Eric P. Palacpac
ne
ws
Vice President Binay lauded the
carabao as truly the ally of farmers.
ind
us
try
Carla F. Padilla Editorial Assistants/
Khrizie Evert Marcelo-Padre Circulation Managers
He underscored the significant
role of the carabao as an important
commodity in ushering in additional
income for thousands of smallhold
farming families in the countryside and in
ensuring the eventual food security in the
country.
3 VP Binay pays tribute to PCC, dairy farmers
4 Sustainable, strong policies urged to boost Philippine dairy industry
5 ‘Culture of scientific inquiry’ asserted in R&D in-house review
6 Cong. JV Ejercito pledges support to local dairy industry
“Hinog na ang panahong kailangang
palakasin ang
kabuhayang salig
sa kalabaw sa
mga kanayunan
at bilang
instrumentong
Eric P. Palacpac Chief, Knowledge Resource
Management Division
Libertado C. Cruz
Executive Director/Editorial Adviser
Contributors are welcome!
7 Appreciating the roles of other major actors in the carabao industry
supply and value chains
8 DVF’s corporate social responsibility, Opening windows for services
that pay
10 Couples keep milk flowing from the villages to processors
The PCC Newsletter welcomes industry-related articles not
exceeding 800 words, with photos, and corresponding caption.
12 Sweetening the sweets business in Pampanga
Success stories of farmers, cooperatives, and other beneficiaries
and stakeholders of the Carabao Development Program are
preferred.
14 Quick cash for a brisk task
PCC encourages reproduction of articles from this publication
with proper acknowledgment.
18 Single mom of seven finds glory in milk trading
Topic suggestions and comments are also welcome.
20 Driver wheels in fortune in carabao’s milk
Please send your articles or comments to
[email protected] or mail them to:
22 A trade to last as demand goes full blast
The Editor-in-Chief
PCC Newsletter
Applied Communication Section
Knowledge Resource Management Division
Philippine Carabao Center
National Headquarters and Gene Pool
CLSU Cmpd., Science City of Muñoz
3120 Nueva Ecija
or call Tel. No.: 044-456-0731 (loc) 479
2
www.pcc.gov.ph
PCC Newsletter • April-June 2012
16 They seek, they find, and blurt out: ‘Listahe!’
24 Needs for supply boom as carabao-based industry blooms
26 She revs up the carabeef & hide supply chain
28 A family that prides in hides
30 They move horns & hooves for the craftsmen
If this can be done, he said, dairy farmers
can rise from subsistence to becoming
progressive carabao raisers and, eventually,
big income-earners in carabao-based
entrepreneurship.
“Sa pamamagitan ng tamang programa
ng gobyerno at pakikilahok ng ating mga
magsasaka rito, magkakaroon ng magandang
bunga ang ating lokal na industriya ng gatas
(Through the right government programs
and our farmers’ cooperation, we can
expect a progressive state of our local dairy
industry),” VP Binay said.
He stressed his stand, and the
government’s, on protecting the welfare
of dairy farmers, among other frontline
workers in the country’s economic
backbone.
“Ang tingin ko sa kalabaw ay kaagapay ng
ating mga magsasaka, katulad doon sa aking
kinalakihan (I see the carabao as the ally of
our farmers, just like where I grew up),” VP
Binay said.
He hails from Isabela, which is one of the
major agricultural producers in the country.
During the short program, VP Binay,
together with Dr. Cruz, awarded certificates
of entrustment of the 25-dairy buffalo
module to selected dairy cooperatives in the
National Impact Zone (NIZ), which is Nueva
Ecija.
Photo by JGGoyagoy
Anselmo S. Roque Editorial Consultant
fea
tur
es
Kimberly B. Turaja Contributing Writer
Daniel L. Aquino Subject Matter Specialists
Romel John B.Carag
VP Binay pays tribute
to PCC, dairy farmers
By ROWENA G. BUMANLAG
Rowena Galang-Bumanlag Editor-in-Chief/Layout Artist
Joahna G. Goyagoy Managing Editor
industry news
tutulong
sa pagsugpo
ng kahirapan
(The time has come
to strengthen the dairy
industry in the countryside
to alleviate poverty),” VP Binay said.
The vice president was guest in a
short “Ugnayan at Talakayan” program
at the PCC headquarters in the Science City
of Muñoz last April 12. Some 700 farmermembers of dairy cooperatives in Nueva Ecija
attended the program.
He emphasized the importance of close
cooperation and linkage between the farmers
and the government agencies such as PCC to
sustain development programs that can surely
usher in progress in the lives of smallhold
farmers.
He further emphasized the many benefits
that the carabao raisers can obtain from the
venture. He even enumerated the salient
features of major products from the carabao
such as milk and meat.
VP Binay’s visit was also in time with a
series of lectures organized by the PCC’s
NIZ coordinating unit such as “ensuring
quality in the milk supply chain” and “animal
reproduction”. The farmer-participants
were also given a briefing on the massive
deworming against liverfluke and Hemosep
vaccination.
VP Binay visited PCC with a small group
that included Rep. Mitos Magsaysay of
Zambales, Joey de Venecia of the United
Nationalist Alliance (UNA) political party,
and Atty. JV Bautista.
He later motored to Cabanatuan
City where he was guest speaker at the
graduation program of the Wesleyan
University-Philippines.
3
ab
ou
t th
ec
ov
er
PCC
Newsletter
Official Publication of the Philippine Carabao Center
of the Department of Agriculture • Vol. 11 No. 2 • April-June 2012
Editorial Staff
“The time has come to strengthen
the dairy industry in the countryside
to alleviate poverty.”
FLORENCIO JACINTO, one of
the major milk suppliers of the
DVF Dairy Farm in Talavera,
Nueva Ecija, delivers 200 to
300 liters of milk which he
collects from dairy farmers in
nearby towns every day. This
translates to a weekly income
of Php5,000 for his family.
[Photo by RGBumanlag]
The Philippine Carabao Center
(PCC), headed by its executive
director Dr. Libertado Cruz, got
a boost from Vice President
Jejomar Binay as he recognized
the agency as the leading R&D
institution for livestock in the
country.
Rowena G. Bumanlag Writers
Joahna G. Goyagoy
Carla F. Padilla
Khrizie Evert M. Padre
Anselmo S. Roque
Eric P. Palacpac
ne
ws
Vice President Binay lauded the
carabao as truly the ally of farmers.
ind
us
try
Carla F. Padilla Editorial Assistants/
Khrizie Evert Marcelo-Padre Circulation Managers
He underscored the significant
role of the carabao as an important
commodity in ushering in additional
income for thousands of smallhold
farming families in the countryside and in
ensuring the eventual food security in the
country.
3 VP Binay pays tribute to PCC, dairy farmers
4 Sustainable, strong policies urged to boost Philippine dairy industry
5 ‘Culture of scientific inquiry’ asserted in R&D in-house review
6 Cong. JV Ejercito pledges support to local dairy industry
“Hinog na ang panahong kailangang
palakasin ang
kabuhayang salig
sa kalabaw sa
mga kanayunan
at bilang
instrumentong
Eric P. Palacpac Chief, Knowledge Resource
Management Division
Libertado C. Cruz
Executive Director/Editorial Adviser
Contributors are welcome!
7 Appreciating the roles of other major actors in the carabao industry
supply and value chains
8 DVF’s corporate social responsibility, Opening windows for services
that pay
10 Couples keep milk flowing from the villages to processors
The PCC Newsletter welcomes industry-related articles not
exceeding 800 words, with photos, and corresponding caption.
12 Sweetening the sweets business in Pampanga
Success stories of farmers, cooperatives, and other beneficiaries
and stakeholders of the Carabao Development Program are
preferred.
14 Quick cash for a brisk task
PCC encourages reproduction of articles from this publication
with proper acknowledgment.
18 Single mom of seven finds glory in milk trading
Topic suggestions and comments are also welcome.
20 Driver wheels in fortune in carabao’s milk
Please send your articles or comments to
[email protected] or mail them to:
22 A trade to last as demand goes full blast
The Editor-in-Chief
PCC Newsletter
Applied Communication Section
Knowledge Resource Management Division
Philippine Carabao Center
National Headquarters and Gene Pool
CLSU Cmpd., Science City of Muñoz
3120 Nueva Ecija
or call Tel. No.: 044-456-0731 (loc) 479
2
www.pcc.gov.ph
16 They seek, they find, and blurt out: ‘Listahe!’
24 Needs for supply boom as carabao-based industry blooms
26 She revs up the carabeef & hide supply chain
28 A family that prides in hides
30 They move horns & hooves for the craftsmen
If this can be done, he said, dairy farmers
can rise from subsistence to becoming
progressive carabao raisers and, eventually,
big income-earners in carabao-based
entrepreneurship.
“Sa pamamagitan ng tamang programa
ng gobyerno at pakikilahok ng ating mga
magsasaka rito, magkakaroon ng magandang
bunga ang ating lokal na industriya ng gatas
(Through the right government programs
and our farmers’ cooperation, we can
expect a progressive state of our local dairy
industry),” VP Binay said.
He stressed his stand, and the
government’s, on protecting the welfare
of dairy farmers, among other frontline
workers in the country’s economic
backbone.
“Ang tingin ko sa kalabaw ay kaagapay ng
ating mga magsasaka, katulad doon sa aking
kinalakihan (I see the carabao as the ally of
our farmers, just like where I grew up),” VP
Binay said.
He hails from Isabela, which is one of the
major agricultural producers in the country.
During the short program, VP Binay,
together with Dr. Cruz, awarded certificates
of entrustment of the 25-dairy buffalo
module to selected dairy cooperatives in the
National Impact Zone (NIZ), which is Nueva
Ecija.
Photo by JGGoyagoy
Anselmo S. Roque Editorial Consultant
fea
tur
es
Kimberly B. Turaja Contributing Writer
Daniel L. Aquino Subject Matter Specialists
Romel John B.Carag
VP Binay pays tribute
to PCC, dairy farmers
Rowena Galang-Bumanlag Editor-in-Chief/Layout Artist
Joahna G. Goyagoy Managing Editor
industry news
tutulong
sa pagsugpo
ng kahirapan
(The time has come
to strengthen the dairy
industry in the countryside
to alleviate poverty),” VP Binay said.
The vice president was guest in a
short “Ugnayan at Talakayan” program
at the PCC headquarters in the Science City
of Muñoz last April 12. Some 700 farmermembers of dairy cooperatives in Nueva Ecija
attended the program.
He emphasized the importance of close
cooperation and linkage between the farmers
and the government agencies such as PCC to
sustain development programs that can surely
usher in progress in the lives of smallhold
farmers.
He further emphasized the many benefits
that the carabao raisers can obtain from the
venture. He even enumerated the salient
features of major products from the carabao
such as milk and meat.
VP Binay’s visit was also in time with a
series of lectures organized by the PCC’s
NIZ coordinating unit such as “ensuring
quality in the milk supply chain” and “animal
reproduction”. The farmer-participants
were also given a briefing on the massive
deworming against liverfluke and Hemosep
vaccination.
VP Binay visited PCC with a small group
that included Rep. Mitos Magsaysay of
Zambales, Joey de Venecia of the United
Nationalist Alliance (UNA) political party,
and Atty. JV Bautista.
He later motored to Cabanatuan
City where he was guest speaker at the
graduation program of the Wesleyan
University-Philippines.
3
industry news
Photo by JGGoyagoy
Sustainable, strong policies urged
to boost Philippine dairy industry
By JOAHNA G. GOYAGOY
Boosting the industry is the
increasing number of farmers who
see dairying as a profitable business
enterprise.
These pronouncements were made
during the 15th Dairy Congress and
Expo held in Baguio City from May
The PCC mascot, “CB”, greets visitors to the DairyCon Exhibit led by its chair Danilo
15–18.
The dairy sector, it was pointed
out, is faced with the challenge of
sustaining its role in the economic
development of the country
considering that the importation rate
of milk remains steady at 99%.
V. Fausto. Right behind (left) him is former Pangasinan 2nd district Cong. Mark
Cojuangco and (right) USDA agricultural counselor Philip Shull.
in particular, and the agricultural sector
in general.
To make this more possible,
Fausto said, the concerned agencies,
Also weighing down on
specifically the National Dairy Authority
smallholder milk producers, according (NDA), Philippine Carabao Center
to Danilo Fausto, chair of the Dairy
(PCC), various local government units
Confederation of the Philippines,
(LGUs), and cooperatives, should
are big problems that include poor
take every opportunity to train and
access to support services, low capital educate the dairy farmers on new
reserves and limited access to credit,
methods and technologies and make
low productivity, and poor milk
them understand the technicalities of
quality.
dairy farming in the areas of forage
Because of these, Fausto said, they and pasture production, proper milk
limit the ability of the dairy farmers to collection, and breeding, among others.
cash in on the market opportunities.
He also urged his co-dairymen to
focus
on shifting the interest of the
Fausto emphasized in his talk the
youth
toward dairy farming as a viable
enormous role of each key player
opportunity
in achieving economic
in the industry which includes the
development
in the country.
farmers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers.
Interventions from among the
policy-makers, the government, and
the universities, he said, are urgently
needed to create favorable actions for
sustainable local dairy enterprise in
the country.
4
Fausto emphasized, nevertheless, a
ray of hope for the industry.
“The big boys are coming. They are
our partners who will help us keep
abreast of the latest technologies and
solutions in facing these challenges. We
have the strong support of the NDA,
PCC, LGUs, and the Department of
Agriculture,” he said.
Strong policies, he added, are
needed to improve the market
penetration of the dairy business thru
He added, “We have international
focused and relevant programs toward networks from New Zealand that are
the development of the dairy industry more than willing to help us stand up
to the challenges faced by our dairy
industry nowadays.”
Fausto said in exchange for
this, continuous innovation and
improvement on the quality of the
products, proper branding, processing,
packaging, promotion, and practice of
efficient distribution must be done.
The Dairy Confederation of the
Philippines, with its annual activity
of holding the dairy congress and
expo, traces its inception in 1997. It
was organized for dairy farmers all
over the country to discuss the trends
and issues affecting the local dairy
industry as well as to showcase the
newest technologies in improving this
industry.
This year, the congress carried
the theme, “Gatas Pinoy: Paunlarin,
Tangkilikin, Palaganapin!”
The invited guest speakers
during the event were Ambassador
Reuben Levermore of New Zealand,
Agricultural Counselor Philip Shull of
USAD’s Foreign Agricultural Service in
Manila, Agriculture Secretary Proceso
Alcala, who was represented by
Assistant Secretary Davinio Catbagan,
and Vice President Jejomar Binay, who
was represented by Dr. Ernesto Santos,
consultant of the Vice President on
health concerns.
Photo by JGGoyagoy
The dairy industries in the
country are continuously gaining
momentum among Filipinos who
are appreciating the value of
locally-produced milk.
‘Culture of scientific inquiry’
asserted in R&D in-house review
National R&D coordinator Dr. Eric P. Palacpac
shows to the participants of the R&D in-house
review the “R&D Highlights”, one of the medium
of information harnessed by PCC to let its public
know of the results of its research efforts.
Practicing the culture of scientific
inquiry in producing researches that
directly impacts on the institution’s
mandate as a whole is indispensable.
This was reiterated by Dr. Libertado
Cruz, Philippine Carabao Center (PCC)
executive director, during the agency’s
annual R&D In-house Review held last
May 29–30.
PCC, one of the government
institutions that grew from a mere
research project, continually focuses its
attention on strengthening its research
capabilities to meet its mandate.
“This activity is just a reiteration
of the value of the scientific method of
inquiry. Hopefully, it will sustain the
efforts toward addressing the identified
issues in a scientific way,” Dr. Cruz said.
Dr. Cruz also highlighted the
importance of human capacitation.
The annual review serves
as a monitoring and evaluation
tool to ensure alignment of R&D
efforts to the R&D agenda of the
agency.
It is also aimed at recognizing the
research activities done by the pool
of researchers and scientists of PCC
in its continuous quest to understand
the dynamics of and polish solutions for
genetic improvement, improve animal
health and nutrition, develop buffalobased enterprises, and address socioeconomic issues that are related to
program implementation.
In the last review, 27 papers were
presented of which 15 were completed
studies. This number includes the
student thesis of veterinary students of
Central Luzon State University (CLSU)
whose studies are related to buffalo’s
animal health and reproduction.
The review also aimed to evaluate
the completed and on-going research
activities as to their merits, problems,
limitations, and opportunities for
improvement; to serve as a venue for
sharing research results with the R&D
community; to function as a motivating
tool for researchers to strengthen
their interest in conducting pertinent
researches in line with the agency’s
mandate; and to give due recognition to
those individuals who excelled in their
research endeavors.
He succinctly pointed out this
way: “The most important thing is not
the laboratory or the building or the
equipment. Instead it is the human
resource, thus, we want to put emphasis
Three types of awards were given
on capacitating our people.”
during the in-house review.
The study titled, “Detection of
Caprine Arthritis-Encephalitis Virus
from Goats Using Competitive ELISA
and Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction”
by Justin Christian V. Gonzales of
the College of Veterinary Science
and Medicine in CLSU garnered the
“Best Paper for Completed Research
(undergraduate thesis category)” award.
On the other hand, the studies
“Development of a Sustainable VillageBased Artificial Insemination System:
The VBAIT Approach” of PCC at
Mariano Marcos State University and
the “Development of Animal Health
and Management Protocol for Grazing
Buffaloes: Improving Reproductive
Performance in Dairy Buffaloes Through
Uterine Betadine Flushing and Use of
Teaser Bull” of PCC at Ubay Stock Farm
both garnered the “Best Papers for
Completed Research (PCC researches)”
award.
Prof. Metilde Melicent SantosRecto of CLSU was awarded the
“Best Presenter” on the basis of
demonstrating comprehensive
knowledge on her research study
coupled with clear and relevant visual
aids.
Dr. Eric P. Palacpac, R&D National
Coordinator, underscored the
importance of being critical in the
technical aspects of writing a research
paper.
Specifically, he emphasized the
proper composition of the literature
review saying “it is very important
in every research as a basis of any
new intervention and/or research
objectives.”
Dr. Palacpac also appealed to the
researchers to come up with relevant
studies that will be of practical use
to the farmers and to the livestock
industry.
5
industry news
Photo by JGGoyagoy
Sustainable, strong policies urged
to boost Philippine dairy industry
Boosting the industry is the
increasing number of farmers who
see dairying as a profitable business
enterprise.
These pronouncements were made
during the 15th Dairy Congress and
Expo held in Baguio City from May
The PCC mascot, “CB”, greets visitors to the DairyCon Exhibit led by its chair Danilo
15–18.
The dairy sector, it was pointed
out, is faced with the challenge of
sustaining its role in the economic
development of the country
considering that the importation rate
of milk remains steady at 99%.
V. Fausto. Right behind (left) him is former Pangasinan 2nd district Cong. Mark
Cojuangco and (right) USDA agricultural counselor Philip Shull.
in particular, and the agricultural sector
in general.
To make this more possible,
Fausto said, the concerned agencies,
Also weighing down on
specifically the National Dairy Authority
smallholder milk producers, according (NDA), Philippine Carabao Center
to Danilo Fausto, chair of the Dairy
(PCC), various local government units
Confederation of the Philippines,
(LGUs), and cooperatives, should
are big problems that include poor
take every opportunity to train and
access to support services, low capital educate the dairy farmers on new
reserves and limited access to credit,
methods and technologies and make
low productivity, and poor milk
them understand the technicalities of
quality.
dairy farming in the areas of forage
Because of these, Fausto said, they and pasture production, proper milk
limit the ability of the dairy farmers to collection, and breeding, among others.
cash in on the market opportunities.
He also urged his co-dairymen to
focus
on shifting the interest of the
Fausto emphasized in his talk the
youth
toward dairy farming as a viable
enormous role of each key player
opportunity
in achieving economic
in the industry which includes the
development
in the country.
farmers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers.
Interventions from among the
policy-makers, the government, and
the universities, he said, are urgently
needed to create favorable actions for
sustainable local dairy enterprise in
the country.
4
Fausto emphasized, nevertheless, a
ray of hope for the industry.
“The big boys are coming. They are
our partners who will help us keep
abreast of the latest technologies and
solutions in facing these challenges. We
have the strong support of the NDA,
PCC, LGUs, and the Department of
Agriculture,” he said.
Strong policies, he added, are
needed to improve the market
penetration of the dairy business thru
He added, “We have international
focused and relevant programs toward networks from New Zealand that are
the development of the dairy industry more than willing to help us stand up
to the challenges faced by our dairy
industry nowadays.”
Fausto said in exchange for
this, continuous innovation and
improvement on the quality of the
products, proper branding, processing,
packaging, promotion, and practice of
efficient distribution must be done.
The Dairy Confederation of the
Philippines, with its annual activity
of holding the dairy congress and
expo, traces its inception in 1997. It
was organized for dairy farmers all
over the country to discuss the trends
and issues affecting the local dairy
industry as well as to showcase the
newest technologies in improving this
industry.
This year, the congress carried
the theme, “Gatas Pinoy: Paunlarin,
Tangkilikin, Palaganapin!”
The invited guest speakers
during the event were Ambassador
Reuben Levermore of New Zealand,
Agricultural Counselor Philip Shull of
USAD’s Foreign Agricultural Service in
Manila, Agriculture Secretary Proceso
Alcala, who was represented by
Assistant Secretary Davinio Catbagan,
and Vice President Jejomar Binay, who
was represented by Dr. Ernesto Santos,
consultant of the Vice President on
health concerns.
Photo by JGGoyagoy
The dairy industries in the
country are continuously gaining
momentum among Filipinos who
are appreciating the value of
locally-produced milk.
‘Culture of scientific inquiry’
asserted in R&D in-house review
National R&D coordinator Dr. Eric P. Palacpac
shows to the participants of the R&D in-house
review the “R&D Highlights”, one of the medium
of information harnessed by PCC to let its public
know of the results of its research efforts.
Practicing the culture of scientific
inquiry in producing researches that
directly impacts on the institution’s
mandate as a whole is indispensable.
This was reiterated by Dr. Libertado
Cruz, Philippine Carabao Center (PCC)
executive director, during the agency’s
annual R&D In-house Review held last
May 29–30.
PCC, one of the government
institutions that grew from a mere
research project, continually focuses its
attention on strengthening its research
capabilities to meet its mandate.
“This activity is just a reiteration
of the value of the scientific method of
inquiry. Hopefully, it will sustain the
efforts toward addressing the identified
issues in a scientific way,” Dr. Cruz said.
Dr. Cruz also highlighted the
importance of human capacitation.
The annual review serves
as a monitoring and evaluation
tool to ensure alignment of R&D
efforts to the R&D agenda of the
agency.
It is also aimed at recognizing the
research activities done by the pool
of researchers and scientists of PCC
in its continuous quest to understand
the dynamics of and polish solutions for
genetic improvement, improve animal
health and nutrition, develop buffalobased enterprises, and address socioeconomic issues that are related to
program implementation.
In the last review, 27 papers were
presented of which 15 were completed
studies. This number includes the
student thesis of veterinary students of
Central Luzon State University (CLSU)
whose studies are related to buffalo’s
animal health and reproduction.
The review also aimed to evaluate
the completed and on-going research
activities as to their merits, problems,
limitations, and opportunities for
improvement; to serve as a venue for
sharing research results with the R&D
community; to function as a motivating
tool for researchers to strengthen
their interest in conducting pertinent
researches in line with the agency’s
mandate; and to give due recognition to
those individuals who excelled in their
research endeavors.
He succinctly pointed out this
way: “The most important thing is not
the laboratory or the building or the
equipment. Instead it is the human
resource, thus, we want to put emphasis
Three types of awards were given
on capacitating our people.”
during the in-house review.
The study titled, “Detection of
Caprine Arthritis-Encephalitis Virus
from Goats Using Competitive ELISA
and Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction”
by Justin Christian V. Gonzales of
the College of Veterinary Science
and Medicine in CLSU garnered the
“Best Paper for Completed Research
(undergraduate thesis category)” award.
On the other hand, the studies
“Development of a Sustainable VillageBased Artificial Insemination System:
The VBAIT Approach” of PCC at
Mariano Marcos State University and
the “Development of Animal Health
and Management Protocol for Grazing
Buffaloes: Improving Reproductive
Performance in Dairy Buffaloes Through
Uterine Betadine Flushing and Use of
Teaser Bull” of PCC at Ubay Stock Farm
both garnered the “Best Papers for
Completed Research (PCC researches)”
award.
Prof. Metilde Melicent SantosRecto of CLSU was awarded the
“Best Presenter” on the basis of
demonstrating comprehensive
knowledge on her research study
coupled with clear and relevant visual
aids.
Dr. Eric P. Palacpac, R&D National
Coordinator, underscored the
importance of being critical in the
technical aspects of writing a research
paper.
Specifically, he emphasized the
proper composition of the literature
review saying “it is very important
in every research as a basis of any
new intervention and/or research
objectives.”
Dr. Palacpac also appealed to the
researchers to come up with relevant
studies that will be of practical use
to the farmers and to the livestock
industry.
5
Photo by JGGoyagoy
PCC executive director Dr.
Libertado Cruz (left) and Cong.
JV Ejercito (right) pose for a milk
toast to show their partnership
in promoting the local dairy
industry during the latter’s visit
at the PCC headquarters last
June 13.
Appreciating
the roles
of other
major actors
in the carabao industry supply and value chains
Cong. JV Ejercito pledges support to local dairy industry
Congressman Joseph Victor “JV”
Ejercito made a commitment to
support the local dairy industry in
whatever way he can if ever he gets
a seat in the Senate come May 2013
national elections.
He made this promise in front of
dairy buffalo farmers and cooperatives
in Nueva Ecija which is the National
Impact Zone of dairy carabao-based
enterprise development in the PCC
network.
The forum-dialogue with farmers
was held last June 13 at the PCC training
hall with some 200 dairy farmers and
village-based artificial insemination
technicians in the province in
attendance.
The PCC organized the forumdialogue in time for Cong. Ejercito’s
visit to the facilities of the PCC national
headquarters which included the
National Gene Pool for superior dairy
buffaloes and the R&D laboratories.
In his message, Cong. Ejercito
expressed his gratitude to the Novo
Ecijanos for their staunch support to his
family, particularly to his father Joseph
Ejercito Estrada’s political career.
6
He said if he will be given the chance
to take a seat in the upper legislative
house, he will pursue what his father
advocated for agriculture during his
term.
initially in Nueva Ecija, will be collected
and processed based on set quality
standards.
Cong. Ejercito further underscored in
his message the importance of tourism
and agriculture as major boosters of
Philippine economy. These two areas,
he said, needed more focus from the
national government.
One of his commitments for now,
he said, is to champion milk feeding.
He intends to start this in San Juan city
where his mother, former socialiteactress Guia Gomez is the mayor, he
said.
The former President was the 13th
President of the Republic and the man
behind the creation of the Philippine
Carabao Act of 1992.
In terms of expanding the niche
market for carabaos’ milk, Cong. Ejercito
promised that he will look into the
matter once he gets back to his office.
Dr. Libertado Cruz, PCC’s executive
director, responded to this issue raised
by a dairy cooperative’s chairperson
saying that value-adding in the milk can
make it a competitive commodity in the
market.
This problem among dairy farmers
has been partially addressed by the PCC
through the establishment of a central
milk processing plant carrying the
brand “Milka Krem” where all the milk
produce of primary dairy cooperatives,
The other concerns of dairy farmers
that were brought up to the knowledge
of the congressman were generally on
the kinds of support that he is willing to
commit once he gets elected as Senator
next year.
He gave the audience an assurance
that their concerns will be of primal
importance in the list of things that he
will attend to once he gets to the upper
chamber.
Cong. Ejercito’s first leg of visit to
Nueva Ecija was in Cabanatuan City
where he had a dialogue with the
academic community on fund allocation
for education.
The congressman is known for his
strong advocacy for education.
He and his contingent flew back to
Manila in a private chopper shortly after
a conference with local mediamen.
By Eric P. Palacpac
In the past issues of
the PCC Newsletter, we
featured many articles
depicting the stories of
farmer-cooperators who
are taking care of buffaloes
for milk production, of
service providers like the
artificial insemination (AI)
technicians, of technologies
being communicated by
the PCC scientists and field
personnel, and of milk,
meat, and by-products
processors.
They are integral
components of what we call
carabao industry “supply chain”
which traces the flow of goods,
services, and other resources
from the suppliers to the
ultimate customers. From the
perspective of the customers,
they are also important players
in what we call “value chain”,
which traces all activities
undertaken in order to create
or add value to a particular
product or service.
In either way, the industry
players, while may be working
individually, are naturally
interconnected in a grand chain
of actors akin to network. Their
unifying element or common
denominator is the carabao,
once tagged as a beast of
burden but has since evolved
into a multipurpose commodity.
In our desire to have a more
inclusive account of the supply
or value chains, we interviewed
those industry players
who provide materials like
concentrate feeds, mineral licks,
milk replacer, and equipment
like milking machine, for use
by the buffalo raisers. We also
interviewed those who market,
trade, or distribute products
and by-products derived from
carabao production such
as liquid milk, live animals,
meat, horns, and hoof for
use by processors and other
manufacturers.
In presenting their stories,
we hope we can imbue the
readers with a new sense of
awareness and appreciation of
the important and critical roles
that these actors play for the
development of the carabao
industry.
Similarly, we also hope
that appropriate financial,
technical, or policy support for
these industry players would
be accorded further by both
the government and private
entities.
7
Photo by JGGoyagoy
PCC executive director Dr.
Libertado Cruz (left) and Cong.
JV Ejercito (right) pose for a milk
toast to show their partnership
in promoting the local dairy
industry during the latter’s visit
at the PCC headquarters last
June 13.
Appreciating
the roles
of other
major actors
in the carabao industry supply and value chains
Cong. JV Ejercito pledges support to local dairy industry
Congressman Joseph Victor “JV”
Ejercito made a commitment to
support the local dairy industry in
whatever way he can if ever he gets
a seat in the Senate come May 2013
national elections.
He made this promise in front of
dairy buffalo farmers and cooperatives
in Nueva Ecija which is the National
Impact Zone of dairy carabao-based
enterprise development in the PCC
network.
The forum-dialogue with farmers
was held last June 13 at the PCC training
hall with some 200 dairy farmers and
village-based artificial insemination
technicians in the province in
attendance.
The PCC organized the forumdialogue in time for Cong. Ejercito’s
visit to the facilities of the PCC national
headquarters which included the
National Gene Pool for superior dairy
buffaloes and the R&D laboratories.
In his message, Cong. Ejercito
expressed his gratitude to the Novo
Ecijanos for their staunch support to his
family, particularly to his father Joseph
Ejercito Estrada’s political career.
6
He said if he will be given the chance
to take a seat in the upper legislative
house, he will pursue what his father
advocated for agriculture during his
term.
initially in Nueva Ecija, will be collected
and processed based on set quality
standards.
Cong. Ejercito further underscored in
his message the importance of tourism
and agriculture as major boosters of
Philippine economy. These two areas,
he said, needed more focus from the
national government.
One of his commitments for now,
he said, is to champion milk feeding.
He intends to start this in San Juan city
where his mother, former socialiteactress Guia Gomez is the mayor, he
said.
The former President was the 13th
President of the Republic and the man
behind the creation of the Philippine
Carabao Act of 1992.
In terms of expanding the niche
market for carabaos’ milk, Cong. Ejercito
promised that he will look into the
matter once he gets back to his office.
Dr. Libertado Cruz, PCC’s executive
director, responded to this issue raised
by a dairy cooperative’s chairperson
saying that value-adding in the milk can
make it a competitive commodity in the
market.
This problem among dairy farmers
has been partially addressed by the PCC
through the establishment of a central
milk processing plant carrying the
brand “Milka Krem” where all the milk
produce of primary dairy cooperatives,
The other concerns of dairy farmers
that were brought up to the knowledge
of the congressman were generally on
the kinds of support that he is willing to
commit once he gets elected as Senator
next year.
He gave the audience an assurance
that their concerns will be of primal
importance in the list of things that he
will attend to once he gets to the upper
chamber.
Cong. Ejercito’s first leg of visit to
Nueva Ecija was in Cabanatuan City
where he had a dialogue with the
academic community on fund allocation
for education.
The congressman is known for his
strong advocacy for education.
He and his contingent flew back to
Manila in a private chopper shortly after
a conference with local mediamen.
By Eric P. Palacpac
In the past issues of
the PCC Newsletter, we
featured many articles
depicting the stories of
farmer-cooperators who
are taking care of buffaloes
for milk production, of
service providers like the
artificial insemination (AI)
technicians, of technologies
being communicated by
the PCC scientists and field
personnel, and of milk,
meat, and by-products
processors.
They are integral
components of what we call
carabao industry “supply chain”
which traces the flow of goods,
services, and other resources
from the suppliers to the
ultimate customers. From the
perspective of the customers,
they are also important players
in what we call “value chain”,
which traces all activities
undertaken in order to create
or add value to a particular
product or service.
In either way, the industry
players, while may be working
individually, are naturally
interconnected in a grand chain
of actors akin to network. Their
unifying element or common
denominator is the carabao,
once tagged as a beast of
burden but has since evolved
into a multipurpose commodity.
In our desire to have a more
inclusive account of the supply
or value chains, we interviewed
those industry players
who provide materials like
concentrate feeds, mineral licks,
milk replacer, and equipment
like milking machine, for use
by the buffalo raisers. We also
interviewed those who market,
trade, or distribute products
and by-products derived from
carabao production such
as liquid milk, live animals,
meat, horns, and hoof for
use by processors and other
manufacturers.
In presenting their stories,
we hope we can imbue the
readers with a new sense of
awareness and appreciation of
the important and critical roles
that these actors play for the
development of the carabao
industry.
Similarly, we also hope
that appropriate financial,
technical, or policy support for
these industry players would
be accorded further by both
the government and private
entities.
7
features
Fausto, a native of Talavera town,
is an economics graduate from the
University of the Philippines and a
holder of a master’s degree in business
administration at the De La Salle
University. He was used to bigger
investment and finance concerns before
he involved himself in the cumbersome
world of raising carabaos and dairying.
About 4:30 that morning,
lights were on in the
house of husband and wife
Florencio and Hilda Jacinto.
In front of their house
in Mamandil, Talavera,
Nueva Ecija, their kolongkolong (a tricycle used for
transporting goods), is ready
with the five stainless steel
and plastic canisters used
for milk collections.
Before putting up the DVF Dairy
Farm, he established himself in the
business of originating, designing, and
implementing government and private
securities in the financial market. From
1982 to 1985, he was executive vice
president and general manager of the
Preferred Securities Corporation.
DVF's corporate social responsibility
Opening windows
for services that pay
By Anselmo S. Roque
Photos by Joahna G. Goyagoy
A book authored by DVF
That morning, it was the turn of
Hilda to make the rounds of collecting
milk from about 60 farmers in eight
villages in Talavera and nearby town of
Aliaga.
recorded. When the procedure was
finished, and feeling satisfied, they
proceeded home in their respective
villages.
At about the same time, Rogelio and
Juanita Ortomio, also a husband and
wife team, were also ready with their
daily grind of collecting milk from 40 to
50 farmers in the different villages in
Quezon. They also use a kolong-kolong
and stainless steel and plastic milk
canisters for their milk collection.
On Saturdays, they collect payment
from the DVF Dairy Farm for the milk
submitted. They in turn go back to the
individual farmers to pay for the milk
collected from them during the week.
Florencio and Hilda alternate in
collecting the milk harvest of individual
dairy farmers.
The Jacintos and Ortomios met at
9:00 a. m. in the compound of the DVF
Dairy Farm in Poblacion Sur, Talavera.
One at a time, they submitted their
milk collection for the day and waited
as their commodities were being
examined, classified, weighed, and
8
The company is set to export its
products to Hong Kong soon, Sibayan
said.
The beginning
The two couples are major regular
milk collectors of the DVF Dairy Farm.
Other than them, there are many others
who provide milk supply to the farm.
“Kumikita naman po ng Php5,000 sa
isang linggo (We earn about Php5,000 a
week),” Florencio said.
“Malaking karagdagan po sa
kita namin sa gatas na nakukuha sa
sarili naming dalawang kalabaw na
ginagatasan (It’s a big addition to what
we are earning from our two dairy
carabaos),” Rogelio, referring to their
income from milk collection to supply
the needs of the DVF Farm, said.
They were among the people who
were given opportunities by the DVF
Dairy Farm to provide services that can
give them a good source of livelihood.
Of course, the individual dairy
farmers, who are also rice farmers, gain
from their business of providing the
milk being collected by the two couples.
They regularly get the pay for their
commodity which color of the money
they usually see only at the end of the
cropping season, which is for three to
four months.
“It’s the advocacy of the president of
our company to provide opportunities
for the farmers to have good sources of
their livelihood,” Miracle Sibayan, plant
manager of the DVF Farm, Inc., said.
She was referring to Danilo V. Fausto
whose official position in the company
is chairman and president.
He also syndicated and acted as
the lead underwriter of the successful
floatation of the Php350-million
National Housing Authority bonds to
fund its housing projects and in the
floatation of “Bahayan Certificates”,
“Bahayan Mortgage Participation
Certificates”, “ASSET Certification
Certificates”, and “Land Bank of the
Philippines Investors Series Bonds”.
He executed one of the first and
biggest debt issues of the National
Mortgage Finance Corp worth Php100
million which signaled the birth of the
secondary mortgage money market in
the country.
When Fausto learned in 1992 about
the programs on carabao improvement
and carabao-based enterprises, he did
not hesitate to get involved in both
programs. He formed a 15-member
dairy cooperative in his hometown and
became its chair.
The formation of the dairy
cooperative was promoted by the
Philippine Carabao Center (PCC).
Fausto took advantage in learning the
correct way of raising quality breed
dairy animals which the PCC was then
distributing based on agreed upon
terms and conditions.
Fausto underwent training for
milk processing and then instituted
strict procedures in the testing,
pasteurization, and homogenization of
the milk delivered by the farmers to the
milk processing plant that he put up.
The facility was put in his property.
He procured from Thailand a batch
“We are the only company engaged
in carabao’s milk processing with a
complete array of products,” Sibayan
said.
Helping others earn
Miracle Sibayan, plant
manager of the DVF Farm,
Inc., shows some of the
dairy products processed
out of carabao’s milk.
of pasteurizer and homogenizer to
ensure thorough mixing of the milk’s fat
and the liquid. He also trained several
people to produce top quality milk
products in his plant.
In his company’s mission, Fausto’s
desire to provide opportunities for
various services for the farmers to
earn dividends, is ensconced in the
company’s mission he crafted and
upheld.
The mission reads: “A pioneering
company in the local dairy industry,
providing livelihood opportunities in
the countryside, making the farmers’
dairy produce available, in the highest
standard of quality and excellence
acceptable to the discriminating
market.”
Milk and products
“We use from 800 to 1,200 liters of
milk a day,” Sibayan said.
The milk supply is turned into liquid
products (pasteurized milk), flavored
milk (choco, buko-pandan extract, and
melon flavored), cheese line (kesong
puti, queso blanco, and mozzarella
cheese), yogurt line (creamy, crunchy
yogurt with nata de coco, non-fat yogurt,
and mango-flavored yogurt), and dry
products (pastillas, espasol, and milk
candies).
They are produced by 12 production
people with administrative and
supervisory assistance from seven
office people. About 10 percent of the
products are retained for in-house
business and the rest to the company’s
Manila office for distribution to different
malls and other outlets in Metro Manila,
Pampanga, and Cebu.
“Our company has already organized
four dairy cooperatives,” Sibayan said.
“Their members are now earning
income from their activities,” she added.
The company also runs a dairy
carabao farm wherein about a hundred
animals are raised.
Many of these carabaos are from
individual investors, many of whom are
overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who
agreed to buy carabaos and give them as
“paiwi” to interested farmers.
“Of course, we hired workers to
attend to them and they are paid well,”
Sibayan said. “We also contract people
to supply forage at Php1 per kilogram,”
she added.
She said residents in the area plant
Napier grass to be sold to the company
as forage. High-grade organic fertilizer,
turned out by night crawlers from the
animal wastes, is also produced by the
company.
“We conduct seminars for dairy
farmers to strengthen their skills in
raising dairy animals. We also conduct
training as regards maintenance of good
hygiene in milk collection, ensuring high
quality of the milk, milk testing, and
others,” Sibayan said.
She said that from among the many
business concerns of Fausto, the DVF
Dairy Farm in Talavera and its concern
of helping the farmers maintain a steady
source for livelihood, are his pet-project.
He always comes home to see what is
obtaining in the company’s affairs.
For Fausto, he must be in “cloud
nine” for the dream he dared to dream,
as regards carabao dairying and
carabao-based enterprise with ultimate
aim of helping farmers have a reliable
source of livelihood, has attained
satisfactory realization.
He detailed his experiences in his
book, about a Filipino’s tale of success in
dairy farming, titled “Dare to Dream”.
9
features
Fausto, a native of Talavera town,
is an economics graduate from the
University of the Philippines and a
holder of a master’s degree in business
administration at the De La Salle
University. He was used to bigger
investment and finance concerns before
he involved himself in the cumbersome
world of raising carabaos and dairying.
About 4:30 that morning,
lights were on in the
house of husband and wife
Florencio and Hilda Jacinto.
In front of their house
in Mamandil, Talavera,
Nueva Ecija, their kolongkolong (a tricycle used for
transporting goods), is ready
with the five stainless steel
and plastic canisters used
for milk collections.
Before putting up the DVF Dairy
Farm, he established himself in the
business of originating, designing, and
implementing government and private
securities in the financial market. From
1982 to 1985, he was executive vice
president and general manager of the
Preferred Securities Corporation.
DVF's corporate social responsibility
Opening windows
for services that pay
By Anselmo S. Roque
A book authored by DVF
That morning, it was the turn of
Hilda to make the rounds of collecting
milk from about 60 farmers in eight
villages in Talavera and nearby town of
Aliaga.
recorded. When the procedure was
finished, and feeling satisfied, they
proceeded home in their respective
villages.
At about the same time, Rogelio and
Juanita Ortomio, also a husband and
wife team, were also ready with their
daily grind of collecting milk from 40 to
50 farmers in the different villages in
Quezon. They also use a kolong-kolong
and stainless steel and plastic milk
canisters for their milk collection.
On Saturdays, they collect payment
from the DVF Dairy Farm for the milk
submitted. They in turn go back to the
individual farmers to pay for the milk
collected from them during the week.
Florencio and Hilda alternate in
collecting the milk harvest of individual
dairy farmers.
The Jacintos and Ortomios met at
9:00 a. m. in the compound of the DVF
Dairy Farm in Poblacion Sur, Talavera.
One at a time, they submitted their
milk collection for the day and waited
as their commodities were being
examined, classified, weighed, and
8
The company is set to export its
products to Hong Kong soon, Sibayan
said.
The beginning
The two couples are major regular
milk collectors of the DVF Dairy Farm.
Other than them, there are many others
who provide milk supply to the farm.
“Kumikita naman po ng Php5,000 sa
isang linggo (We earn about Php5,000 a
week),” Florencio said.
“Malaking karagdagan po sa
kita namin sa gatas na nakukuha sa
sarili naming dalawang kalabaw na
ginagatasan (It’s a big addition to what
we are earning from our two dairy
carabaos),” Rogelio, referring to their
income from milk collection to supply
the needs of the DVF Farm, said.
They were among the people who
were given opportunities by the DVF
Dairy Farm to provide services that can
give them a good source of livelihood.
Of course, the individual dairy
farmers, who are also rice farmers, gain
from their business of providing the
milk being collected by the two couples.
They regularly get the pay for their
commodity which color of the money
they usually see only at the end of the
cropping season, which is for three to
four months.
“It’s the advocacy of the president of
our company to provide opportunities
for the farmers to have good sources of
their livelihood,” Miracle Sibayan, plant
manager of the DVF Farm, Inc., said.
She was referring to Danilo V. Fausto
whose official position in the company
is chairman and president.
He also syndicated and acted as
the lead underwriter of the successful
floatation of the Php350-million
National Housing Authority bonds to
fund its housing projects and in the
floatation of “Bahayan Certificates”,
“Bahayan Mortgage Participation
Certificates”, “ASSET Certification
Certificates”, and “Land Bank of the
Philippines Investors Series Bonds”.
He executed one of the first and
biggest debt issues of the National
Mortgage Finance Corp worth Php100
million which signaled the birth of the
secondary mortgage money market in
the country.
When Fausto learned in 1992 about
the programs on carabao improvement
and carabao-based enterprises, he did
not hesitate to get involved in both
programs. He formed a 15-member
dairy cooperative in his hometown and
became its chair.
The formation of the dairy
cooperative was promoted by the
Philippine Carabao Center (PCC).
Fausto took advantage in learning the
correct way of raising quality breed
dairy animals which the PCC was then
distributing based on agreed upon
terms and conditions.
Fausto underwent training for
milk processing and then instituted
strict procedures in the testing,
pasteurization, and homogenization of
the milk delivered by the farmers to the
milk processing plant that he put up.
The facility was put in his property.
He procured from Thailand a batch
“We are the only company engaged
in carabao’s milk processing with a
complete array of products,” Sibayan
said.
Helping others earn
Miracle Sibayan, plant
manager of the DVF Farm,
Inc., shows some of the
dairy products processed
out of carabao’s milk.
of pasteurizer and homogenizer to
ensure thorough mixing of the milk’s fat
and the liquid. He also trained several
people to produce top quality milk
products in his plant.
In his company’s mission, Fausto’s
desire to provide opportunities for
various services for the farmers to
earn dividends, is ensconced in the
company’s mission he crafted and
upheld.
The mission reads: “A pioneering
company in the local dairy industry,
providing livelihood opportunities in
the countryside, making the farmers’
dairy produce available, in the highest
standard of quality and excellence
acceptable to the discriminating
market.”
Milk and products
“We use from 800 to 1,200 liters of
milk a day,” Sibayan said.
The milk supply is turned into liquid
products (pasteurized milk), flavored
milk (choco, buko-pandan extract, and
melon flavored), cheese line (kesong
puti, queso blanco, and mozzarella
cheese), yogurt line (creamy, crunchy
yogurt with nata de coco, non-fat yogurt,
and mango-flavored yogurt), and dry
products (pastillas, espasol, and milk
candies).
They are produced by 12 production
people with administrative and
supervisory assistance from seven
office people. About 10 percent of the
products are retained for in-house
business and the rest to the company’s
Manila office for distribution to different
malls and other outlets in Metro Manila,
Pampanga, and Cebu.
“Our company has already organized
four dairy cooperatives,” Sibayan said.
“Their members are now earning
income from their activities,” she added.
The company also runs a dairy
carabao farm wherein about a hundred
animals are raised.
Many of these carabaos are from
individual investors, many of whom are
overseas Filipino workers (OFW) who
agreed to buy carabaos and give them as
“paiwi” to interested farmers.
“Of course, we hired workers to
attend to them and they are paid well,”
Sibayan said. “We also contract people
to supply forage at Php1 per kilogram,”
she added.
She said residents in the area plant
Napier grass to be sold to the company
as forage. High-grade organic fertilizer,
turned out by night crawlers from the
animal wastes, is also produced by the
company.
“We conduct seminars for dairy
farmers to strengthen their skills in
raising dairy animals. We also conduct
training as regards maintenance of good
hygiene in milk collection, ensuring high
quality of the milk, milk testing, and
others,” Sibayan said.
She said that from among the many
business concerns of Fausto, the DVF
Dairy Farm in Talavera and its concern
of helping the farmers maintain a steady
source for livelihood, are his pet-project.
He always comes home to see what is
obtaining in the company’s affairs.
For Fausto, he must be in “cloud
nine” for the dream he dared to dream,
as regards carabao dairying and
carabao-based enterprise with ultimate
aim of helping farmers have a reliable
source of livelihood, has attained
satisfactory realization.
He detailed his experiences in his
book, about a Filipino’s tale of success in
dairy farming, titled “Dare to Dream”.
9
Arline said the money she earns
from milking her animals greatly helps
in mitigating difficulties brought about
by her family’s meager income. In fact,
she said, since the animals started to
produce milk in June last year, they
Couples keep
milk flowing
By Joahna G. Goyagoy
Photo by Rowena G. Bumanlag
barely had problems about meeting expenditures for their daily basic needs.
Both Arline and Minerva wish to have more milking animals as these can help them
obtain extra income.
Milk traders
Husband and wife Florencio (left) and Hilda (right) Jacinto
make their regular rounds in Talavera and Aliaga, Nueva
Ecija every morning to collect the milk produce of dairy
farmers. They said milk trading had been their only resort
to rise above their mounting debts.
10 PCC Newsletter • April-June 2012
Two couples in two separate barangays from Nueva Ecija
towns have been helping hundreds of farming families simply
by collecting their animals’ milk and paying them [farmers] later
with a favorable price for their commodity.
In Brgy. Mamandil in Talavera, husband and wife Florencio
and Hilda Jacinto’s house is already lit up before the clock
strikes at four in the morning.
At this unholy hour, the couple braves the biting
morning cool breeze as they start to heat up their kolongkolong (tricycle used as delivery vehicle) and prepare
She nets at least Php5,000 a week
from this milk collection.
This has been the day-to-day activity
of the couple for 15 years now.
For some, this may seem a tedious
work routine, but for Manong Leng and
Hilda, it has become a rewarding way of
life.
In fact, their relatively handsome
income from their work has enabled
them to acquire their own motorcycle
for the kolong-kolong, a second-hand
jeepney which they use for the delivery
of the commodity in Bulacan, a sari-sari
store, and insurance coverage for their
family.
“We barely had enough income
before. When we started life as a family,
we had to work double time just to
bring enough food on our table. It
became even harder when we already
started sending our children to school.
There were times they had to go to
school with money just enough for their
fare,” Hilda said.
Because of this, they resorted to
getting loans which mounted over the
years.
“But now, we no longer have debts.
We don’t even have to stay longer in the
rice fields. A very heavy load was finally
lifted from our shoulders,” Hilda said in
delight with her eyes sparkling.
In Brgy. San Andres Uno in Quezon,
In this bale-bale system, the couple
allows the farmers to take advance
payment which they pay back once their
animals start milking again. In some
urgent cases, the farmers also ask to
advance their weekly sweldo (payment)
instead of getting it during the regular
pay day on Saturdays.
For 13 years in milk trading,
the Ortomios were able to acquire
properties such as a house, a rice farm,
and two motorcycles. They also afforded
to send their children to school without
having to worry about their daily
allowance.
Currently, they own four Bulgarian
Murrah buffaloes, of which, two are
currently lactating. The 7 to 8 liters milk
yield per animal give them additional
income of Php3,000 a week.
Like the Jacintos, they also deliver
their collected milk to the DVF Farm.
Their milk collection peaks at 150 liters
and dips to 90 liters during the dry
period.
This is very possible because the
couples make sure that their farmerclients practice hygienic milk collection,
thorough cleaning of milk pails,
properly preparing the animals for
milking, and proper milking.
To measure the quality of milk
submitted by the farmers, the couples
use certain milk testers. The Ortomios
use a centrifuge while the Jacintos use a
lactometer.
Both are efficient devices for quality
milk testing, said Josephine.
Josephine said these couples are
both very enthusiastic in what they
do. She, thus, regarded them as their
“valuable partners” in the business
considering that 75% of the total milk
they process every day is supplied by
the couples.
They are just but some of the classic
examples of the hundreds of people who
struck a fortune in milk trading.
Overall, the supply chain of milk—
from the dairy farmers to the suppliers
up to the milk processors—provided
them an excellent source of income.
oy
Some of them acquired their
carabaos thru the dairy module project
Arline Sembrana of the same
barangay, on the other hand, owns four
milking carabaos. And she, too, gains
weekly income from it.
At DVF, she supplies 200 to 300
liters every day. From this, she is
paid a weekly sum of Php43,000 to
Php64,000 from which amount she pays
correspondingly the farmers at Php39
per liter.
Josephine Sibayan, DVF Farm general
manager, said the couples rarely bring
in class B milk.
yag
Most of these farmers own at least
two to four milking carabaos, mostly
crossbreds and purebreds. On the
average, they get five to six liters of milk
every day from each of their animal.
The money she gets from it, she said,
is used to sustain her children’s daily
allowance in school. A fraction of it also
goes to their daily expenses, she said.
As it was Wednesday, she brought
her milk collection to the DVF Farm
in Talavera. She delivers milk to this
firm every day except on Tuesdays and
Thursdays which are days for supplying
milk to their Bulacan clients.
While the husband does the driving
and filling up of the canisters, the wife
does the logistics side of their work. She
lists the names of farmers, the number
of liters of milk collected from them,
the amount to be paid later, and gives
advance payment (bale-bale) to some
farmers asking for it.
Since DVF is a highly-commercialized
dairy establishment, the price of the
milk is based on its quality. The buying
prices are Php43 per liter for class A
and Php38 for class B milk.
Go
Earlier, before showing up with pail
in hand, they finished their daily routine
of milking their respective carabaos.
She is paid Php36 per liter giving
her a weekly income of Php800 to
Php1,000.
After a couple of hours, Hilda
completed collecting 300 liters of milk
from more or less 60 farmers in the
barangays she visited.
Riding in their kolong-kolong, the
couple went around certain barangays
in Quezon that included San Andres
Uno, San Andres Dos, Pulong-bahay, and
San Alejandro carrying with them three
empty milk canisters.
Milk processor
JG
This is a common daily scenario among
farmers in barangays Bantug and Mamandil in
Talavera town; Betes, San Carlos, Bibiclat,
Pantoc, Sto. Rosario, and Magsaysay in
Aliaga; and San Andres Uno, San Andres
Dos, Pulong-bahay, and San Alejandro in
Quezon.
Florencio, fondly called “Manong
Leng” was not feeling well that morning,
thus, Hilda took over and maneuvered
the kolong-kolong herself.
another couple, Rogelio and Juanita
Ortomio, is in the same track of morning
activity as that of the Jacintos.
by
Soon, the white liquid content of
their pail will be turned into “gold”. It
is fresh carabao’s milk that’s in their
pail.
The carabaos from which she
collects milk, are owned by a relative of
her husband who asked her to take care
of the animals. In return, the milk she
collects from the two animals goes to
her weekly income.
the empty canisters for their milk
collection.
oto
Aggregately, they number about
a hundred. They are scattered in 12
barangays in three towns in Nueva
Ecija.
of the Philippine Carabao Center. Others
traded a huge piece of their rice farms
in exchange for a milking carabao.
Some others are only caretakers of the
carabaos like Minerva Mateo, 35, of
Brgy. Bibiclat in the town of Aliaga.
Ph
Pail in hand, they come out
of their house between 5
a.m. and 7 a.m.
The couple takes home a weekly
payment of Php19,000 to Php33,000.
At 9 o’clock in the morning, the
Ortomios and the Jacintos met at the
DVF farm.
Upon seeing each other, they both
waved their usual hello by smiling at
each other as if saying: “Another milky
day for us”.
After unloading their milk collection,
they went on their own separate ways
to savor the rest of the day by simply
relaxing in their respective homes.
11
Arline said the money she earns
from milking her animals greatly helps
in mitigating difficulties brought about
by her family’s meager income. In fact,
she said, since the animals started to
produce milk in June last year, they
Couples keep
milk flowing
By Joahna G. Goyagoy
barely had problems about meeting expenditures for their daily basic needs.
Both Arline and Minerva wish to have more milking animals as these can help them
obtain extra income.
Milk traders
Husband and wife Florencio (left) and Hilda (right) Jacinto
make their regular rounds in Talavera and Aliaga, Nueva
Ecija every morning to collect the milk produce of dairy
farmers. They said milk trading had been their only resort
to rise above their mounting debts.
Two couples in two separate barangays from Nueva Ecija
towns have been helping hundreds of farming families simply
by collecting their animals’ milk and paying them [farmers] later
with a favorable price for their commodity.
In Brgy. Mamandil in Talavera, husband and wife Florencio
and Hilda Jacinto’s house is already lit up before the clock
strikes at four in the morning.
At this unholy hour, the couple braves the biting
morning cool breeze as they start to heat up their kolongkolong (tricycle used as delivery vehicle) and prepare
She nets at least Php5,000 a week
from this milk collection.
This has been the day-to-day activity
of the couple for 15 years now.
For some, this may seem a tedious
work routine, but for Manong Leng and
Hilda, it has become a rewarding way of
life.
In fact, their relatively handsome
income from their work has enabled
them to acquire their own motorcycle
for the kolong-kolong, a second-hand
jeepney which they use for the delivery
of the commodity in Bulacan, a sari-sari
store, and insurance coverage for their
family.
“We barely had enough income
before. When we started life as a family,
we had to work double time just to
bring enough food on our table. It
became even harder when we already
started sending our children to school.
There were times they had to go to
school with money just enough for their
fare,” Hilda said.
Because of this, they resorted to
getting loans which mounted over the
years.
“But now, we no longer have debts.
We don’t even have to stay longer in the
rice fields. A very heavy load was finally
lifted from our shoulders,” Hilda said in
delight with her eyes sparkling.
In Brgy. San Andres Uno in Quezon,
In this bale-bale system, the couple
allows the farmers to take advance
payment which they pay back once their
animals start milking again. In some
urgent cases, the farmers also ask to
advance their weekly sweldo (payment)
instead of getting it during the regular
pay day on Saturdays.
For 13 years in milk trading,
the Ortomios were able to acquire
properties such as a house, a rice farm,
and two motorcycles. They also afforded
to send their children to school without
having to worry about their daily
allowance.
Currently, they own four Bulgarian
Murrah buffaloes, of which, two are
currently lactating. The 7 to 8 liters milk
yield per animal give them additional
income of Php3,000 a week.
Like the Jacintos, they also deliver
their collected milk to the DVF Farm.
Their milk collection peaks at 150 liters
and dips to 90 liters during the dry
period.
This is very possible because the
couples make sure that their farmerclients practice hygienic milk collection,
thorough cleaning of milk pails,
properly preparing the animals for
milking, and proper milking.
To measure the quality of milk
submitted by the farmers, the couples
use certain milk testers. The Ortomios
use a centrifuge while the Jacintos use a
lactometer.
Both are efficient devices for quality
milk testing, said Josephine.
Josephine said these couples are
both very enthusiastic in what they
do. She, thus, regarded them as their
“valuable partners” in the business
considering that 75% of the total milk
they process every day is supplied by
the couples.
They are just but some of the classic
examples of the hundreds of people who
struck a fortune in milk trading.
Overall, the supply chain of milk—
from the dairy farmers to the suppliers
up to the milk processors—provided
them an excellent source of income.
oy
Some of them acquired their
carabaos thru the dairy module project
Arline Sembrana of the same
barangay, on the other hand, owns four
milking carabaos. And she, too, gains
weekly income from it.
At DVF, she supplies 200 to 300
liters every day. From this, she is
paid a weekly sum of Php43,000 to
Php64,000 from which amount she pays
correspondingly the farmers at Php39
per liter.
Josephine Sibayan, DVF Farm general
manager, said the couples rarely bring
in class B milk.
yag
Most of these farmers own at least
two to four milking carabaos, mostly
crossbreds and purebreds. On the
average, they get five to six liters of milk
every day from each of their animal.
The money she gets from it, she said,
is used to sustain her children’s daily
allowance in school. A fraction of it also
goes to their daily expenses, she said.
As it was Wednesday, she brought
her milk collection to the DVF Farm
in Talavera. She delivers milk to this
firm every day except on Tuesdays and
Thursdays which are days for supplying
milk to their Bulacan clients.
While the husband does the driving
and filling up of the canisters, the wife
does the logistics side of their work. She
lists the names of farmers, the number
of liters of milk collected from them,
the amount to be paid later, and gives
advance payment (bale-bale) to some
farmers asking for it.
Since DVF is a highly-commercialized
dairy establishment, the price of the
milk is based on its quality. The buying
prices are Php43 per liter for class A
and Php38 for class B milk.
Go
Earlier, before showing up with pail
in hand, they finished their daily routine
of milking their respective carabaos.
She is paid Php36 per liter giving
her a weekly income of Php800 to
Php1,000.
After a couple of hours, Hilda
completed collecting 300 liters of milk
from more or less 60 farmers in the
barangays she visited.
Riding in their kolong-kolong, the
couple went around certain barangays
in Quezon that included San Andres
Uno, San Andres Dos, Pulong-bahay, and
San Alejandro carrying with them three
empty milk canisters.
Milk processor
JG
This is a common daily scenario among
farmers in barangays Bantug and Mamandil in
Talavera town; Betes, San Carlos, Bibiclat,
Pantoc, Sto. Rosario, and Magsaysay in
Aliaga; and San Andres Uno, San Andres
Dos, Pulong-bahay, and San Alejandro in
Quezon.
Florencio, fondly called “Manong
Leng” was not feeling well that morning,
thus, Hilda took over and maneuvered
the kolong-kolong herself.
another couple, Rogelio and Juanita
Ortomio, is in the same track of morning
activity as that of the Jacintos.
by
Soon, the white liquid content of
their pail will be turned into “gold”. It
is fresh carabao’s milk that’s in their
pail.
The carabaos from which she
collects milk, are owned by a relative of
her husband who asked her to take care
of the animals. In return, the milk she
collects from the two animals goes to
her weekly income.
the empty canisters for their milk
collection.
oto
Aggregately, they number about
a hundred. They are scattered in 12
barangays in three towns in Nueva
Ecija.
of the Philippine Carabao Center. Others
traded a huge piece of their rice farms
in exchange for a milking carabao.
Some others are only caretakers of the
carabaos like Minerva Mateo, 35, of
Brgy. Bibiclat in the town of Aliaga.
Ph
Pail in hand, they come out
of their house between 5
a.m. and 7 a.m.
The couple takes home a weekly
payment of Php19,000 to Php33,000.
At 9 o’clock in the morning, the
Ortomios and the Jacintos met at the
DVF farm.
Upon seeing each other, they both
waved their usual hello by smiling at
each other as if saying: “Another milky
day for us”.
After unloading their milk collection,
they went on their own separate ways
to savor the rest of the day by simply
relaxing in their respective homes.
11
Sweetening
the sweets business in Pampanga
By Khrizie Evert Marcelo-Padre
Photo by Joahna G. Goyagoy
More women now are rising
before the sun rises. Not to
make breakfast, mind you,
or to send their kids off
to school. Neither do they
prime up to do household
chores.
They execute a job very crucial
in the dairy industry. Without them,
the success of the dairy industry,
particularly in the rural area, will be at
doubt.
Take the case of Rosalina Cunan of
Sto. Domingo, Angeles City, Pampanga.
She carries out an undertaking that
to a large extent makes dairying more
rewarding.
She is fondly called “Apong Sexy”,
a name she has earned both for her
good womanly appearance and her
inspiring presence as a milk trader.
She provides the milk supply to one of
the more famous makers and sellers of
Pampanga’s native delicacies—Susie’s
Cuisine located at Nepo Mart in Angeles
City.
Established in 1972, Susie’s Cuisine
is known for its tibok-tibok–a sweet
carabao’s milk-based pudding topped
with latik (coconut cream curds).
This product made this business
establishment as the pioneer maker of
tibok-tibok, a favorite sweet delicacy of
many people.
An average of 300 long-necked
bottles of carabao’s milk are usually
delivered at 6:00 a.m. to Susie’s. It is
used as the main ingredient in most of
its home-made food offerings including
tibok-tibok.
Being one of its milk suppliers,
Apong Sexy delivers 175 long-necked
bottles of fresh milk to Susie’s for its
daily operation.
She has been the main supplier of
milk at Susie’s for 12 years now.
Humble beginnings
Rosalina began her calling as a milk
vendor in 1980. She learned doing this
endeavor after marrying his husband
who is a dairy farmer.
“He was still a young boy when
he started tending his father’s native
carabaos. Up until now, he carries
that same passion, only that he now
concentrates on raising dairy carabaos,”
shared Apong Sexy.
When they married, the couple
used to collect 30 “catsup” bottles
(approximately 320 ml) of milk from
their three carabaos, two of which are
crossbreds. Apong Sexy’s husband had
to get up at three in the morning to
milk the animals. By six in the morning,
she is ready to sell their fresh milk to a
nearby local market.
“I was selling it for only Php1.50 per
catsup bottle then. Now, I am selling it at
more or less Php15 per bottle,” she said.
Like any newlyweds would do,
the couple also tried other kinds of
livelihood endeavors. Aside from
dairying, they also ventured in vegetable
farming to augment their daily income.
Apong Sexy sold the vegetable harvest
along with the bottled fresh milk.
“It was a hard time for me then as
I was pregnant with our only child. I
had to get up early in the morning just
to market the milk and the vegetable so
that I can earn money for our needs,”
she said.
“If I didn’t get to sell them before
8 a.m., I do the selling from house to
house and even allowed the customers
to have them on credit to prevent them
from getting spoiled,” she added.
It was in 2000 when she met the
owner-operator of Susie’s cuisine,
Jesusa Yabut. She is the daughter
of Anicia Ayson, the founder of the
establishment.
submitted and the collection must be
finished by 6 a.m. She pays Php45 for
every long-necked bottle delivered to
her.
Since then, Apong Sexy, with the
support of her husband, went on with
her milk collection and supplied Susie’s
with its requirements.
That done, Apong Sexy collects an
average of Php7,000 to Php8,000 for the
bottles of milk delivered. One bottle is
priced at Php50. She gets Php5 for every
bottle of milk collected from her own
milk collectors.
The owner convinced her to become
one of her milk suppliers instead of
selling the commodity in the open
market.
Sweet returns
Apong Sexy and her husband
labored to increase the number of their
crossbred buffaloes. They now have 10
head that yield an average of 80 longnecked bottles.
Because the daily work involved in
operating a dairy farm is generally long
and taxing, they hired two workers
to provide them with much needed
assistance. The workers are tasked to
keep the herd healthy by providing
appropriate forage, feed supplement,
vitamins, and health care. They also
help in milking the animals.
Apong Sexy collects milk from their
herd, from the dairy carabaos owned
by her relatives, and from other dairy
carabao owners in the neighborhood.
They agreed on a common meeting
place where all the milk produce can be
By 6:30 a.m., she delivers the
collected milk to Susie’s kitchen which
serves as the processing area for the
production of tibok-tibok and other
products.
According to her, in her business,
money passes thru her palms like water.
Nevertheless, she relishes the fact that it
has helped her a lot.
With money pouring in from
her trade, Apong Sexy was able to
purchase a tricycle for transport, build
a small house, and support her child’s
education. Her daughter finished a
degree in education.
She is now also able, unlike before,
to lend money to relatives and some
neighbors who are in need of financial
assistance.
“Ako lang ang takbuhan palagi
ng mga kapatid ko, lalo na pag may
nagkakasakit sa sinuman sa kanila. Hindi
ako nagdadalawang-isip na tumulong
sa pangangailangan nila (My siblings
always ask help from me especially
‘Apong Sexy’ has become a common and happy sight
at Susie’s Cuisine in Angeles, Pampanga every day.
Her inspiring character has made her a mainstay
supplier in this popular corner of one of the country’s
home of culinary delights.
when there is a sick member of their
family. I am always willing to lend
help without hesitation),” Apong Sexy
shared.
Maintaining good quality
For Apong Sexy, Susie’s Cuisine
is looked up to as a very steady and
reliable purchaser of the milk that she
collects and sells.
Looking into its operation, this
business firm operates from 7 a.m. to
7 p.m. It currently has 12 branches
strategically situated in different parts
of Pampanga. Its main office is the one
located at the Nepo Mart.
The products of Susie’s are all
produced in the main office. They are
delivered to the different branches
twice to thrice a day depending on the
bulk of orders from their customers.
The success of Susie’s for the past
40 years is a result of maintained good
quality of its homemade delicacies
which are cooked the old-fashioned way.
It has been using Ayson’s concocted
recipes since it started doing business.
It certainly recognizes the
importance of the milk suppliers in its
business. The owners are profuse in
attributing their success to them.
They said they keep an open line of
communication with them to maintain
good business relationship.
“We see to it that we get along very
well. Whenever we have comment
or suggestion regarding their milk
deliveries, they accept and comply with
it gladly,” said Maricel Harnecillo, Susie’s
operations manager.
As for Apong Sexy, she always sees
to it that the milk she delivers is pure
carabao’s milk and of best quality.
She and her husband enjoy a fairly
good life now. Her family is her driving
force to go the extra mile.
In all these, Apong Sexy is proud and
happy that she was able to endure the
difficulties along the way.
Now, she proudly says, while she
helps sweeten the sweets business of
Susie’s Cuisine, it sweetens her and her
family’s life in return.
13
Sweetening
the sweets business in Pampanga
By Khrizie Evert Marcelo-Padre
Photo by Joahna G. Goyagoy
More women now are rising
before the sun rises. Not to
make breakfast, mind you,
or to send their kids off
to school. Neither do they
prime up to do household
chores.
They execute a job very crucial
in the dairy industry. Without them,
the success of the dairy industry,
particularly in the rural area, will be at
doubt.
Take the case of Rosalina Cunan of
Sto. Domingo, Angeles City, Pampanga.
She carries out an undertaking that
to a large extent makes dairying more
rewarding.
She is fondly called “Apong Sexy”,
a name she has earned both for her
good womanly appearance and her
inspiring presence as a milk trader.
She provides the milk supply to one of
the more famous makers and sellers of
Pampanga’s native delicacies—Susie’s
Cuisine located at Nepo Mart in Angeles
City.
Established in 1972, Susie’s Cuisine
is known for its tibok-tibok–a sweet
carabao’s milk-based pudding topped
with latik (coconut cream curds).
This product made this business
establishment as the pioneer maker of
tibok-tibok, a favorite sweet delicacy of
many people.
An average of 300 long-necked
bottles of carabao’s milk are usually
delivered at 6:00 a.m. to Susie’s. It is
used as the main ingredient in most of
its home-made food offerings including
tibok-tibok.
Being one of its milk suppliers,
Apong Sexy delivers 175 long-necked
bottles of fresh milk to Susie’s for its
daily operation.
She has been the main supplier of
milk at Susie’s for 12 years now.
Humble beginnings
Rosalina began her calling as a milk
vendor in 1980. She learned doing this
endeavor after marrying his husband
who is a dairy farmer.
“He was still a young boy when
he started tending his father’s native
carabaos. Up until now, he carries
that same passion, only that he now
concentrates on raising dairy carabaos,”
shared Apong Sexy.
When they married, the couple
used to collect 30 “catsup” bottles
(approximately 320 ml) of milk from
their three carabaos, two of which are
crossbreds. Apong Sexy’s husband had
to get up at three in the morning to
milk the animals. By six in the morning,
she is ready to sell their fresh milk to a
nearby local market.
“I was selling it for only Php1.50 per
catsup bottle then. Now, I am selling it at
more or less Php15 per bottle,” she said.
Like any newlyweds would do,
the couple also tried other kinds of
livelihood endeavors. Aside from
dairying, they also ventured in vegetable
farming to augment their daily income.
Apong Sexy sold the vegetable harvest
along with the bottled fresh milk.
“It was a hard time for me then as
I was pregnant with our only child. I
had to get up early in the morning just
to market the milk and the vegetable so
that I can earn money for our needs,”
she said.
“If I didn’t get to sell them before
8 a.m., I do the selling from house to
house and even allowed the customers
to have them on credit to prevent them
from getting spoiled,” she added.
It was in 2000 when she met the
owner-operator of Susie’s cuisine,
Jesusa Yabut. She is the daughter
of Anicia Ayson, the founder of the
establishment.
submitted and the collection must be
finished by 6 a.m. She pays Php45 for
every long-necked bottle delivered to
her.
Since then, Apong Sexy, with the
support of her husband, went on with
her milk collection and supplied Susie’s
with its requirements.
That done, Apong Sexy collects an
average of Php7,000 to Php8,000 for the
bottles of milk delivered. One bottle is
priced at Php50. She gets Php5 for every
bottle of milk collected from her own
milk collectors.
The owner convinced her to become
one of her milk suppliers instead of
selling the commodity in the open
market.
Sweet returns
Apong Sexy and her husband
labored to increase the number of their
crossbred buffaloes. They now have 10
head that yield an average of 80 longnecked bottles.
Because the daily work involved in
operating a dairy farm is generally long
and taxing, they hired two workers
to provide them with much needed
assistance. The workers are tasked to
keep the herd healthy by providing
appropriate forage, feed supplement,
vitamins, and health care. They also
help in milking the animals.
Apong Sexy collects milk from their
herd, from the dairy carabaos owned
by her relatives, and from other dairy
carabao owners in the neighborhood.
They agreed on a common meeting
place where all the milk produce can be
By 6:30 a.m., she delivers the
collected milk to Susie’s kitchen which
serves as the processing area for the
production of tibok-tibok and other
products.
According to her, in her business,
money passes thru her palms like water.
Nevertheless, she relishes the fact that it
has helped her a lot.
With money pouring in from
her trade, Apong Sexy was able to
purchase a tricycle for transport, build
a small house, and support her child’s
education. Her daughter finished a
degree in education.
She is now also able, unlike before,
to lend money to relatives and some
neighbors who are in need of financial
assistance.
“Ako lang ang takbuhan palagi
ng mga kapatid ko, lalo na pag may
nagkakasakit sa sinuman sa kanila. Hindi
ako nagdadalawang-isip na tumulong
sa pangangailangan nila (My siblings
always ask help from me especially
‘Apong Sexy’ has become a common and happy sight
at Susie’s Cuisine in Angeles, Pampanga every day.
Her inspiring character has made her a mainstay
supplier in this popular corner of one of the country’s
home of culinary delights.
when there is a sick member of their
family. I am always willing to lend
help without hesitation),” Apong Sexy
shared.
Maintaining good quality
For Apong Sexy, Susie’s Cuisine
is looked up to as a very steady and
reliable purchaser of the milk that she
collects and sells.
Looking into its operation, this
business firm operates from 7 a.m. to
7 p.m. It currently has 12 branches
strategically situated in different parts
of Pampanga. Its main office is the one
located at the Nepo Mart.
The products of Susie’s are all
produced in the main office. They are
delivered to the different branches
twice to thrice a day depending on the
bulk of orders from their customers.
The success of Susie’s for the past
40 years is a result of maintained good
quality of its homemade delicacies
which are cooked the old-fashioned way.
It has been using Ayson’s concocted
recipes since it started doing business.
It certainly recognizes the
importance of the milk suppliers in its
business. The owners are profuse in
attributing their success to them.
They said they keep an open line of
communication with them to maintain
good business relationship.
“We see to it that we get along very
well. Whenever we have comment
or suggestion regarding their milk
deliveries, they accept and comply with
it gladly,” said Maricel Harnecillo, Susie’s
operations manager.
As for Apong Sexy, she always sees
to it that the milk she delivers is pure
carabao’s milk and of best quality.
She and her husband enjoy a fairly
good life now. Her family is her driving
force to go the extra mile.
In all these, Apong Sexy is proud and
happy that she was able to endure the
difficulties along the way.
Now, she proudly says, while she
helps sweeten the sweets business of
Susie’s Cuisine, it sweetens her and her
family’s life in return.
13
Quick
cash
Q
for a brisk task
By Kimberly B. Turaja
Two ascriptions define how
Urdaneta City is different
from other cities and towns,
in Pangasinan and probably
in Northern Luzon.
It is the “Trading Post City” of
Pangasinan, commonly called a
“bagsakan center”, and a host to the
biggest auction market for livestock in
that part of the country.
Its trading post, located along the
Friendship Highway, is where farmers
not only in Urdaneta City but also from
nearby and remote places outside of the
city, bring their agricultural harvest and
where wholesale traders and buyers
congregate and transact business.
Its auction market, on the other
hand, has been operating for many,
many years now and has become a part
of the lives of many traders, agents, and
in some ways, of farmers and others
who are raising livestock animals.
The Urdaneta Auction Market is the
biggest of such kind in Northern Luzon
that does business for cattle, carabaos,
horses, goats, and others.
Those involved in this business have
many things to say.
Trading business
The trading business for livestock,
according to many middlemen (also
called traders or intermediaries) in the
auction market, is one of the easiest
ways to earn money.
As they have been in this venture
for many years, they know what they
are saying. Many of them said they
started with the business with an
initial capital ranging from Php100,000
to Php500,000, some of which were
borrowed from their respective
cooperatives. The rest, they said,
came from their own earnings or from
lenders.
Although this trading business in the
auction market generates quick cash, it
requires patience and skills in dealing
with prospective buyers.
The middlemen hail mostly from
the provinces of La Union, Pangasinan,
Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela,
and Abra who converge in the auction
market every Friday afternoon up to
Saturday.
Trading strategies
The buying of livestock, mostly
cattle and carabao, starts in the barrios.
Traders usually pay ahentes or agents
to look for available animals of good
condition, regardless of age, sex, and
breed.
Whenever there are available
animals sold by the farmers, the ahente
will just notify the trader through text
messaging.
The ahente is paid by the trader
with Php400 for every animal scouted.
Sometimes, too, they are paid according
to the size and quality of the animals.
Aside from the ahentes, the traders
also pay for caretakers to look after
and maintain the body condition of
the animals until they are ready to be
transported.
Before the animals are brought to
the livestock market, the necessary
documents are also prepared by the
traders. A maximum of 10-15 head of
livestock are then hauled in hired trucks
which charge Php1,500 per head. The
price also varies depending on the point
of origin of the animal.
The expenses incurred by the
traders don’t end there. Once at the
auction market, they also pay for the
confinement fee and other necessary
papers before the animals can be sold.
These processes made the cost
of livestock more expensive. This,
according to traders, do not deter them
to continue with the business that they
have been accustomed to.
One big buyer
One of the biggest traders is Wilfredo
Leyson from Caniogan, Urdaneta City.
Every week, the average volume of
animals he trades ranges from 23 to 50
head.
C
He has been engaged in the trading
business for almost 33 years. The
animals he trades are cattle and
carabao. Before, he was engaged in a
fishpond business. Because of big losses
he incurred due to fish kill, he was
forced to shift to livestock trading at the
Urdaneta livestock auction market.
evaluating the animal. If the animal is
of good quality, then transactions begin
until he and the owner agree on the
price.
Wilfredo entered in the business
with an initial capital of Php500,000
which he accumulated from his own
savings and contributions from his
business partners.
The income, however, is not fixed.
Most of the time, it depends on the
availability of the animals and the
numbers of succesful transactions he
make with his clients.
“Noon, taga-pakain lang ako ng
kalabaw. Noong nalaman ko ang tungkol
sa business ng pangangalabaw, namili
na rin ako ng mga kalabaw (I used to
be a mere caretaker of carabaos. When
I learned about the carabao trading
business, I also ventured in it),” Wilfredo
said.
Strategy in buying
Every trader has his/her own way
of buying animals. As for Wilfredo, he
employs scientific method by physically
After buying from the farmers,
the animals are confined in his yard
for two to three days prior to selling.
Three caretakers are hired to look after
the animals. They are paid Php150 to
Php200 per day. Afterwhich, the animals
are brought to the auction market for
trading. In case the animals were not
sold until Saturday, which is the last
day of auction, the animals are directly
brought to the slaughter houses in
Mangaldan, Pangasinan.
But then, Wilfredo said while the
trading business for livestock has many
ups and downs, he finds enough reasons
to stay with the business for it provides
him sufficient income to support his
family.
15
Quick
cash
Q
for a brisk task
By Kimberly B. Turaja
Two ascriptions define how
Urdaneta City is different
from other cities and towns,
in Pangasinan and probably
in Northern Luzon.
It is the “Trading Post City” of
Pangasinan, commonly called a
“bagsakan center”, and a host to the
biggest auction market for livestock in
that part of the country.
Its trading post, located along the
Friendship Highway, is where farmers
not only in Urdaneta City but also from
nearby and remote places outside of the
city, bring their agricultural harvest and
where wholesale traders and buyers
congregate and transact business.
Its auction market, on the other
hand, has been operating for many,
many years now and has become a part
of the lives of many traders, agents, and
in some ways, of farmers and others
who are raising livestock animals.
The Urdaneta Auction Market is the
biggest of such kind in Northern Luzon
that does business for cattle, carabaos,
horses, goats, and others.
Those involved in this business have
many things to say.
Trading business
The trading business for livestock,
according to many middlemen (also
called traders or intermediaries) in the
auction market, is one of the easiest
ways to earn money.
As they have been in this venture
for many years, they know what they
are saying. Many of them said they
started with the business with an
initial capital ranging from Php100,000
to Php500,000, some of which were
borrowed from their respective
cooperatives. The rest, they said,
came from their own earnings or from
lenders.
Although this trading business in the
auction market generates quick cash, it
requires patience and skills in dealing
with prospective buyers.
The middlemen hail mostly from
the provinces of La Union, Pangasinan,
Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela,
and Abra who converge in the auction
market every Friday afternoon up to
Saturday.
Trading strategies
The buying of livestock, mostly
cattle and carabao, starts in the barrios.
Traders usually pay ahentes or agents
to look for available animals of good
condition, regardless of age, sex, and
breed.
Whenever there are available
animals sold by the farmers, the ahente
will just notify the trader through text
messaging.
The ahente is paid by the trader
with Php400 for every animal scouted.
Sometimes, too, they are paid according
to the size and quality of the animals.
Aside from the ahentes, the traders
also pay for caretakers to look after
and maintain the body condition of
the animals until they are ready to be
transported.
Before the animals are brought to
the livestock market, the necessary
documents are also prepared by the
traders. A maximum of 10-15 head of
livestock are then hauled in hired trucks
which charge Php1,500 per head. The
price also varies depending on the point
of origin of the animal.
The expenses incurred by the
traders don’t end there. Once at the
auction market, they also pay for the
confinement fee and other necessary
papers before the animals can be sold.
These processes made the cost
of livestock more expensive. This,
according to traders, do not deter them
to continue with the business that they
have been accustomed to.
One big buyer
One of the biggest traders is Wilfredo
Leyson from Caniogan, Urdaneta City.
Every week, the average volume of
animals he trades ranges from 23 to 50
head.
C
He has been engaged in the trading
business for almost 33 years. The
animals he trades are cattle and
carabao. Before, he was engaged in a
fishpond business. Because of big losses
he incurred due to fish kill, he was
forced to shift to livestock trading at the
Urdaneta livestock auction market.
evaluating the animal. If the animal is
of good quality, then transactions begin
until he and the owner agree on the
price.
Wilfredo entered in the business
with an initial capital of Php500,000
which he accumulated from his own
savings and contributions from his
business partners.
The income, however, is not fixed.
Most of the time, it depends on the
availability of the animals and the
numbers of succesful transactions he
make with his clients.
“Noon, taga-pakain lang ako ng
kalabaw. Noong nalaman ko ang tungkol
sa business ng pangangalabaw, namili
na rin ako ng mga kalabaw (I used to
be a mere caretaker of carabaos. When
I learned about the carabao trading
business, I also ventured in it),” Wilfredo
said.
Strategy in buying
Every trader has his/her own way
of buying animals. As for Wilfredo, he
employs scientific method by physically
After buying from the farmers,
the animals are confined in his yard
for two to three days prior to selling.
Three caretakers are hired to look after
the animals. They are paid Php150 to
Php200 per day. Afterwhich, the animals
are brought to the auction market for
trading. In case the animals were not
sold until Saturday, which is the last
day of auction, the animals are directly
brought to the slaughter houses in
Mangaldan, Pangasinan.
But then, Wilfredo said while the
trading business for livestock has many
ups and downs, he finds enough reasons
to stay with the business for it provides
him sufficient income to support his
family.
15
and blurt out:
Text and Photos by
Rowena Galang-Bumanlag
Listahe!
This is the word they want
to blurt out again and again.
In their business world, it
means that “what they are
seeking out has been found”.
Simply put, it’s a done deal and the
money flows.
They are the traders in a business
that is all about seeking out from among
prospects and finding the best. They put
in their skill for the “best buy”, a skill
honed by years of experience.
Their world is in the livestock
auction market in Padre Garcia in
eastern Batangas.
They are mostly men and they
manifest their skill in this kind of
business every Friday. Conversely, they
are a vital component in a system that
provides services and hope especially
for livestock raisers, including farmers
who are raising carabaos, for a means of
sustaining life.
In this auction market in Padre
Garcia, touted to be the biggest of its
kind in the country, they are one of the
“key players”—the others being the
sellers, buyers, and middlemen—that
keep this bustling industry in this part
of southern Luzon moving mightily.
Alex Dalit, 45, of Camarines Norte
has been in the business of buying
and selling carabaos for a decade now.
“Listahe!” is the word, and the personal
silent cheer, that he is opting to hoot
every time his animals go on auction.
Alex is one of the biggest traders in
the livestock auction market referred to
by many livestock traders as paradahan
or bakahan (a venue for parading of
livestock animals for sale).
'Listahe!'
Known as the livestock animal
trading capital of the Philippines, the
Padre Garcia Livestock Auction Market
is also considered as the biggest hub for
livestock animal trading in Southeast
Asia.
Romeo Magbuhos, the officer incharge of the auction market, said an
average of 1,700 livestock animals
are sold weekly during auction days
on weekdays, except Tuesdays. The
number includes carabaos, cattle,
horses, goats, and pigs from nearby
towns, Bicol region, and the provinces
of Quezon, Mindoro, and Iloilo.
Occupying a 1.7-ha municipal
property that adjoins the public market,
the auction market was conceptualized
in 1952 by the first elected mayor of the
town, Jose A. Pesige. The ex-mayor was
correct in putting up the auction market
that proved to be beneficial to many
people, including trader Alex Dalit.
Alex is a viajero or carabao trader
who takes an important role in making
this auction market reign supreme
among its kind in the country.
Alex sells an average of 15 head
weekly. The animals are mostly sold
to intermediaries who are in turn
suppliers of big-time carabeef retailers
in Manila.
Alex said he buys the animals from
farmers in his hometown of Labo,
Camarines Norte, and other nearby
areas. To free him from the burden
of scouting carabaos for sale, he
established a network of ahentes or
booking agents who facilitates the sale
between him and the farmer or carabao
owner.
“The ahentes simply send me a text
message once they find a carabao for
sale. I then go with him, negotiate with
the farmer, and take home the animal,”
Alex explains.
Scouting for the right choice. . .
Selecting the right one. . .
Marking the chosen one. . .
Listahe!
For every animal that is referred to
Alex, regardless of age, the ahente is
paid Php500.
It takes Alex a week to buy enough
number of animals to fill a truckload
that he will take to Padre Garcia. A
truckload means about 15 head of
carabaos.
From Bicol, he and his three laborers,
one driver and two porters, will spend
four hours of travel to negotiate the
240-km distance. Travel time is on a
Thursday night for them to be at the
auction market in Padre Garcia about
midnight.
All the animals that he brought in
the auction venue are accounted for in
a record book upon entering the gates.
Once in an appropriate place inside the
auction market, the carabaos are fed
with grasses that can be bought from
enterprising individuals at Php80 to
Php100 per sack.
Alex and his men can then take their
rest in a hammock until auction time
which is at 3 a.m. Friday, the peak of
much actions in the auction market of
Padre Garcia.
During auction time, Alex’s carabaos
are displayed for auction scrutiny by
buyers.
In the principle of auction trading,
the highest bidder takes home the
commodity.
Alex and his men always pray and
wish that at 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., their herd
of carabaos is sold out. Otherwise, they
will have to settle paying a return fee of
Php55 for every unsold animal.
Alex is paid either in cash for the
animals sold in the auction deal or thru
his bank account.
He said trust and confidence on
co-players in the auction market are key
factors that he must exercise to keep his
business going and last long.
For the good income and other
fulfilling significance to his life, Alex is
more than convinced that buying and
selling of carabaos is several notches
better than any other ventures. He said
he is sure of it as he tried many kinds
of business ventures prior to his march
into the world of auction market.
“I used to be a viajero of fruits to
Manila. My income then was not always
good because I often experienced losses
when the fruits rotted away,” lamented
Alex. “I also delved in other works after
that but they did not do good in my life
either,” he added.
“Now, I am assured of a weekly
income,” he happily said.
Alex said he sets a markup of an
average Php1,000 per animal.
He said the going price of a 200-kg
carabao in the auction market is at
Php25,000 each, regardless of gender.
While securing a profitable business
venture for himself and his family,
Alex said he is happy that he is also
able to provide income to his laborers
on a weekly basis. He pays his driver
Php1,000 per round trip to Padre Garcia
and Php500 each for his two porters.
Quarterly, he incurs an additional
expense of Php2,500 for business
permits and government taxes.
Beyond auction days, Alex attends
to his 4-ha coconut plantation in Bicol.
Being a viajero, he said, afforded him
the means to purchase the farm land on
installment basis. He is now about to
complete full payment of the property.
As long as he sees trading carabaos
as a profitable venture, Alex said he will
continue to be a mainstay trader at the
Padre Garcia auction market.
Meanwhile, at the other side of the
spectrum during auction time, another
player, Edwin Magbuhos, buzzes off
with the activity of going from one
trader to the next to find a carabao
which he thinks will be a “best buy”.
In the livestock auction scene, he is
the counterpart of Alex. They often meet
in the auction market and end up with a
good transaction, as sukis or loyal trade
partners would do.
Edwin has been in the business of
buying carabaos in the auction market
since 1987.
He supplies the needs of a big
carabeef retailer in a public market in
Manila. This retailer finances Edwin
and his team to buy carabaos in Padre
Garcia. They earn when the carcass
yield from the animal exceeds that of
their live weight estimate.
Edwin’s team is composed of three
other men: an assistant, a “marker”, and
another “classifier”.
The “marker” goes around with
Edwin to mark the animal with a
distinct initial and to number it for
recognition and counting when the
auction ends. The other classifier, on the
other hand, scouts for good animals, in
physique and price, and refers them to
Edwin who makes the final decision as
to whether or not to buy the animal.
In his almost three decades of
experience in buying carabaos, Edwin
already gained the expertise of knowing
a “best buy”.
“We only buy those carabaos that
weigh 200 kg and above. We also
scrutinize the physical traits of the
animal. It should have a good body
conformation and stature,” Edwin
explained.
The price estimate per kg when
bidding for an adult carabao is pegged
continued on page 29
17
and blurt out:
Text and Photos by
Rowena Galang-Bumanlag
Listahe!
This is the word they want
to blurt out again and again.
In their business world, it
means that “what they are
seeking out has been found”.
Simply put, it’s a done deal and the
money flows.
They are the traders in a business
that is all about seeking out from among
prospects and finding the best. They put
in their skill for the “best buy”, a skill
honed by years of experience.
Their world is in the livestock
auction market in Padre Garcia in
eastern Batangas.
They are mostly men and they
manifest their skill in this kind of
business every Friday. Conversely, they
are a vital component in a system that
provides services and hope especially
for livestock raisers, including farmers
who are raising carabaos, for a means of
sustaining life.
In this auction market in Padre
Garcia, touted to be the biggest of its
kind in the country, they are one of the
“key players”—the others being the
sellers, buyers, and middlemen—that
keep this bustling industry in this part
of southern Luzon moving mightily.
Alex Dalit, 45, of Camarines Norte
has been in the business of buying
and selling carabaos for a decade now.
“Listahe!” is the word, and the personal
silent cheer, that he is opting to hoot
every time his animals go on auction.
Alex is one of the biggest traders in
the livestock auction market referred to
by many livestock traders as paradahan
or bakahan (a venue for parading of
livestock animals for sale).
'Listahe!'
Known as the livestock animal
trading capital of the Philippines, the
Padre Garcia Livestock Auction Market
is also considered as the biggest hub for
livestock animal trading in Southeast
Asia.
Romeo Magbuhos, the officer incharge of the auction market, said an
average of 1,700 livestock animals
are sold weekly during auction days
on weekdays, except Tuesdays. The
number includes carabaos, cattle,
horses, goats, and pigs from nearby
towns, Bicol region, and the provinces
of Quezon, Mindoro, and Iloilo.
Occupying a 1.7-ha municipal
property that adjoins the public market,
the auction market was conceptualized
in 1952 by the first elected mayor of the
town, Jose A. Pesige. The ex-mayor was
correct in putting up the auction market
that proved to be beneficial to many
people, including trader Alex Dalit.
Alex is a viajero or carabao trader
who takes an important role in making
this auction market reign supreme
among its kind in the country.
Alex sells an average of 15 head
weekly. The animals are mostly sold
to intermediaries who are in turn
suppliers of big-time carabeef retailers
in Manila.
Alex said he buys the animals from
farmers in his hometown of Labo,
Camarines Norte, and other nearby
areas. To free him from the burden
of scouting carabaos for sale, he
established a network of ahentes or
booking agents who facilitates the sale
between him and the farmer or carabao
owner.
“The ahentes simply send me a text
message once they find a carabao for
sale. I then go with him, negotiate with
the farmer, and take home the animal,”
Alex explains.
Scouting for the right choice. . .
Selecting the right one. . .
Marking the chosen one. . .
Listahe!
For every animal that is referred to
Alex, regardless of age, the ahente is
paid Php500.
It takes Alex a week to buy enough
number of animals to fill a truckload
that he will take to Padre Garcia. A
truckload means about 15 head of
carabaos.
From Bicol, he and his three laborers,
one driver and two porters, will spend
four hours of travel to negotiate the
240-km distance. Travel time is on a
Thursday night for them to be at the
auction market in Padre Garcia about
midnight.
All the animals that he brought in
the auction venue are accounted for in
a record book upon entering the gates.
Once in an appropriate place inside the
auction market, the carabaos are fed
with grasses that can be bought from
enterprising individuals at Php80 to
Php100 per sack.
Alex and his men can then take their
rest in a hammock until auction time
which is at 3 a.m. Friday, the peak of
much actions in the auction market of
Padre Garcia.
During auction time, Alex’s carabaos
are displayed for auction scrutiny by
buyers.
In the principle of auction trading,
the highest bidder takes home the
commodity.
Alex and his men always pray and
wish that at 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., their herd
of carabaos is sold out. Otherwise, they
will have to settle paying a return fee of
Php55 for every unsold animal.
Alex is paid either in cash for the
animals sold in the auction deal or thru
his bank account.
He said trust and confidence on
co-players in the auction market are key
factors that he must exercise to keep his
business going and last long.
For the good income and other
fulfilling significance to his life, Alex is
more than convinced that buying and
selling of carabaos is several notches
better than any other ventures. He said
he is sure of it as he tried many kinds
of business ventures prior to his march
into the world of auction market.
“I used to be a viajero of fruits to
Manila. My income then was not always
good because I often experienced losses
when the fruits rotted away,” lamented
Alex. “I also delved in other works after
that but they did not do good in my life
either,” he added.
“Now, I am assured of a weekly
income,” he happily said.
Alex said he sets a markup of an
average Php1,000 per animal.
He said the going price of a 200-kg
carabao in the auction market is at
Php25,000 each, regardless of gender.
While securing a profitable business
venture for himself and his family,
Alex said he is happy that he is also
able to provide income to his laborers
on a weekly basis. He pays his driver
Php1,000 per round trip to Padre Garcia
and Php500 each for his two porters.
Quarterly, he incurs an additional
expense of Php2,500 for business
permits and government taxes.
Beyond auction days, Alex attends
to his 4-ha coconut plantation in Bicol.
Being a viajero, he said, afforded him
the means to purchase the farm land on
installment basis. He is now about to
complete full payment of the property.
As long as he sees trading carabaos
as a profitable venture, Alex said he will
continue to be a mainstay trader at the
Padre Garcia auction market.
Meanwhile, at the other side of the
spectrum during auction time, another
player, Edwin Magbuhos, buzzes off
with the activity of going from one
trader to the next to find a carabao
which he thinks will be a “best buy”.
In the livestock auction scene, he is
the counterpart of Alex. They often meet
in the auction market and end up with a
good transaction, as sukis or loyal trade
partners would do.
Edwin has been in the business of
buying carabaos in the auction market
since 1987.
He supplies the needs of a big
carabeef retailer in a public market in
Manila. This retailer finances Edwin
and his team to buy carabaos in Padre
Garcia. They earn when the carcass
yield from the animal exceeds that of
their live weight estimate.
Edwin’s team is composed of three
other men: an assistant, a “marker”, and
another “classifier”.
The “marker” goes around with
Edwin to mark the animal with a
distinct initial and to number it for
recognition and counting when the
auction ends. The other classifier, on the
other hand, scouts for good animals, in
physique and price, and refers them to
Edwin who makes the final decision as
to whether or not to buy the animal.
In his almost three decades of
experience in buying carabaos, Edwin
already gained the expertise of knowing
a “best buy”.
“We only buy those carabaos that
weigh 200 kg and above. We also
scrutinize the physical traits of the
animal. It should have a good body
conformation and stature,” Edwin
explained.
The price estimate per kg when
bidding for an adult carabao is pegged
17
Sin g le mom
of seven finds
glory in milk trading
Out of what turned out as a good
fate, one of her buyers from BAI
recommended her to Selecta which
was then starting to establish its name
in the ice cream industry. She then
became one of the major carabao’s milk
suppliers of the company for 11 years
now.
She supplied Selecta from 125 to
200 liters of milk every day. From then
on, life became more kind to her. She
was able to acquire a motorcycle which
made her daily job easier.
When her contract with Selecta
ended, she started supplying milk to
“Aling Nene’s” and “Lady’s Sweets”
which are pastillas-makers in Buliran,
San Miguel, Bulacan.
During peak season for the pastillasmaking industry, which runs from
October to December, the milk she
supplies is priced at Php50 to Php55. On
off seasons, she is paid Php45 per liter.
She transports 90 kg to 150 kg of
milk every day except on Mondays
and Fridays. Since she only has a
motorcycle, she has to take the public
utility bus. This, according to her, is far
more convenient because all she has to
do is ride on a bus for an hour or two
and come back home with a sum of
money that is more than enough for her
family’s daily needs. In fact, she said, she
is now able to save some more money in
her bank account.
Text and Photos by
Joahna G. Goyagoy
It takes two to tango, the
old saying goes. But Ofelia
Cortez has been tangoing
singly with firm courage
and faith to keep afloat,
unarguably admirable at
that, on life’s rhythm of ups
and downs.
Ofelia, 58, of Brgy. Caalibangbangan
in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, has
been struggling as a single mother of
seven for several years now. But even
when her husband was still around,
Ofelia said that she and he lived apart in
their ‘own respective worlds’.
Married at the age of 17, her young
mind was consumed by splattered
efforts on how to survive in a disarrayed
early marriage as, at that time, she was
getting no support from anyone else
and had to go through life barely all by
herself.
Challenged by her life’s peculiar
adversity, she thought of a job in which
she can easily gain income. Since she
only finished elementary education,
Ofelia felt she had no other choice or
recourse but to try her luck as a vendor
in a public market in Cabanatuan City.
It was from this occupation where she
learned that carabao’s milk is a soughtafter commodity among marketgoers.
At the age of 21, she started
collecting and retailing bottled fresh
carabao’s milk which was priced then
at Php7 per long-necked bottle (¾ of a
liter).
Other than supplying milk in
Bulacan, she also regularly supplies 50
liters of milk to the DVF Dairy Farm in
Talavera, Nueva Ecija on Mondays and
Fridays.
With her years of being a milk trader,
Ofelia was able to establish her rapport
with more than 40 dairy farmers whom
she calls “my suki” (avid customer). Her
farmer-sukis are mostly from barangays
Caalibangbangan, Samon, Caudillo,
Pamaldan, Talipapa, Sumacab, and
Ibabao Bana in Cabanatuan City.
Asked on how she maintains her
good relationship with her many suki,
Ofelia said: “When they [the farmers]
need advanced payment, I give it to
them. I do this not only to gain their
loyalty but because I know how it is
when you are in need and no one is
minding you.”
Today, she is no longer obliged
to wake up and work before the sun
rises. Instead, she starts her work at
9 a.m. and comes back home before 1
o’clock in the afternoon. After that, she
becomes the “queen” of her own house
doing nothing else but relax and savor
the fruits of her unending patience and
perseverance.
To while away her time, too, she
processes pastillas. The milk used for
her own pastillas-making venture is
from her crossbred carabaos. That is
right. Besides milk collection, she also
raises six crossbreds for dairying which
are giving her good dividends.
She harvests an average of six liters
of milk per animal daily.
From being a mere milk collector
and retailer of bottled fresh milk to
being a supplier to big processing
establishments, and a raiser of dairy
carabaos at that, she was able to send
her seven children to college. They
have all graduated with their respective
degrees in the private schools where
they pursued courses of their choice.
“When I saw my children going to
school, I was propelled to double my
patience and determination because I
don’t want them to have the same fate
as I had before,” Ofelia recalled.
“As long as I see my children having
a better life compared to what I had
been through, I am already happy.
My children are witnesses on how I
struggled to raise them,” Ofelia added.
“Sobrang hirap sa simula. Pero kapag
malakas ang loob mo, malalagpasan mo
rin (It was very difficult at first. But if
you have sheer determination, you’ll
surely get through it),” she further said.
But more than having courage, Ofelia
said, having faith in God is also her
abiding anchor—an anchor which keeps
her going up felicitously to this day.
To dairy buffalo owners in Cabanatuan
City, Nueva Ecija, Ofelia Cortez is a
symbol of hope that knocks on their
doors each day. She brings in not only
additional income for them but also
for herself who singly supports her
seven children.
For seven years, her everyday
routine was already in full circle even
before at break of dawn. She would
go around the neighboring barangays
carrying empty plastic gallon containers
in which she puts her milk collection.
She had no service vehicle. She went
moving around using her feet which
contracted and endured calluses over
the years.
After collecting milk, she would go to
the public market to vend it until 7 a.m.
Whenever she had unsold bottled milk,
she would tarry to the collection station
of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI)
at the Nueva Ecija provincial capitol
grounds to sell it.
19
Sin g le mom
of seven finds
glory in milk trading
Out of what turned out as a good
fate, one of her buyers from BAI
recommended her to Selecta which
was then starting to establish its name
in the ice cream industry. She then
became one of the major carabao’s milk
suppliers of the company for 11 years
now.
She supplied Selecta from 125 to
200 liters of milk every day. From then
on, life became more kind to her. She
was able to acquire a motorcycle which
made her daily job easier.
When her contract with Selecta
ended, she started supplying milk to
“Aling Nene’s” and “Lady’s Sweets”
which are pastillas-makers in Buliran,
San Miguel, Bulacan.
During peak season for the pastillasmaking industry, which runs from
October to December, the milk she
supplies is priced at Php50 to Php55. On
off seasons, she is paid Php45 per liter.
She transports 90 kg to 150 kg of
milk every day except on Mondays
and Fridays. Since she only has a
motorcycle, she has to take the public
utility bus. This, according to her, is far
more convenient because all she has to
do is ride on a bus for an hour or two
and come back home with a sum of
money that is more than enough for her
family’s daily needs. In fact, she said, she
is now able to save some more money in
her bank account.
Text and Photos by
Joahna G. Goyagoy
It takes two to tango, the
old saying goes. But Ofelia
Cortez has been tangoing
singly with firm courage
and faith to keep afloat,
unarguably admirable at
that, on life’s rhythm of ups
and downs.
Ofelia, 58, of Brgy. Caalibangbangan
in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, has
been struggling as a single mother of
seven for several years now. But even
when her husband was still around,
Ofelia said that she and he lived apart in
their ‘own respective worlds’.
Married at the age of 17, her young
mind was consumed by splattered
efforts on how to survive in a disarrayed
early marriage as, at that time, she was
getting no support from anyone else
and had to go through life barely all by
herself.
Challenged by her life’s peculiar
adversity, she thought of a job in which
she can easily gain income. Since she
only finished elementary education,
Ofelia felt she had no other choice or
recourse but to try her luck as a vendor
in a public market in Cabanatuan City.
It was from this occupation where she
learned that carabao’s milk is a soughtafter commodity among marketgoers.
At the age of 21, she started
collecting and retailing bottled fresh
carabao’s milk which was priced then
at Php7 per long-necked bottle (¾ of a
liter).
Other than supplying milk in
Bulacan, she also regularly supplies 50
liters of milk to the DVF Dairy Farm in
Talavera, Nueva Ecija on Mondays and
Fridays.
With her years of being a milk trader,
Ofelia was able to establish her rapport
with more than 40 dairy farmers whom
she calls “my suki” (avid customer). Her
farmer-sukis are mostly from barangays
Caalibangbangan, Samon, Caudillo,
Pamaldan, Talipapa, Sumacab, and
Ibabao Bana in Cabanatuan City.
Asked on how she maintains her
good relationship with her many suki,
Ofelia said: “When they [the farmers]
need advanced payment, I give it to
them. I do this not only to gain their
loyalty but because I know how it is
when you are in need and no one is
minding you.”
Today, she is no longer obliged
to wake up and work before the sun
rises. Instead, she starts her work at
9 a.m. and comes back home before 1
o’clock in the afternoon. After that, she
becomes the “queen” of her own house
doing nothing else but relax and savor
the fruits of her unending patience and
perseverance.
To while away her time, too, she
processes pastillas. The milk used for
her own pastillas-making venture is
from her crossbred carabaos. That is
right. Besides milk collection, she also
raises six crossbreds for dairying which
are giving her good dividends.
She harvests an average of six liters
of milk per animal daily.
From being a mere milk collector
and retailer of bottled fresh milk to
being a supplier to big processing
establishments, and a raiser of dairy
carabaos at that, she was able to send
her seven children to college. They
have all graduated with their respective
degrees in the private schools where
they pursued courses of their choice.
“When I saw my children going to
school, I was propelled to double my
patience and determination because I
don’t want them to have the same fate
as I had before,” Ofelia recalled.
“As long as I see my children having
a better life compared to what I had
been through, I am already happy.
My children are witnesses on how I
struggled to raise them,” Ofelia added.
“Sobrang hirap sa simula. Pero kapag
malakas ang loob mo, malalagpasan mo
rin (It was very difficult at first. But if
you have sheer determination, you’ll
surely get through it),” she further said.
But more than having courage, Ofelia
said, having faith in God is also her
abiding anchor—an anchor which keeps
her going up felicitously to this day.
To dairy buffalo owners in Cabanatuan
City, Nueva Ecija, Ofelia Cortez is a
symbol of hope that knocks on their
doors each day. She brings in not only
additional income for them but also
for herself who singly supports her
seven children.
For seven years, her everyday
routine was already in full circle even
before at break of dawn. She would
go around the neighboring barangays
carrying empty plastic gallon containers
in which she puts her milk collection.
She had no service vehicle. She went
moving around using her feet which
contracted and endured calluses over
the years.
After collecting milk, she would go to
the public market to vend it until 7 a.m.
Whenever she had unsold bottled milk,
she would tarry to the collection station
of the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI)
at the Nueva Ecija provincial capitol
grounds to sell it.
19
r
e
v
i
r
n
i
Dheels
e
w
n
u
k
t
l
i
r
m
s
o
'
f o
D
i
By Khrizie Evert M. Padre
Among the important
things behind the success
in commercial dairy
production is a good
working relationship
among the dairy farmer,
milk trader-supplier, and
processor.
People at every step of the
dairy chain, from the dairy farmers
to processors to the commercial
market, will always find ways to work
sustainably and economically.
As dairying grows in popularity
and performance, people like Domingo
Martinez, show their commitment in
supporting this industry.
Mang Domeng, as he is fondly called,
is a milk supplier and trader to one of
the famous makers of sweet delicacies
in Bulacan, the Ocampo’s Sweets.
20
PCCNewsletter
Newsletter••April-June
April-June2012
2012
20 PCC
a
b
a
r
a
c
n
For three years now, he exclusively
delivers 160 to 200 liters of raw milk to
this establishment every day.
It was in August 2009 when he
started his small business of trading
his carabao’s milk produce and that of
farmers’.
Looking back, Mang Domeng recalled
working as a driver-delivery man to the
Nueva Ecija Federation of Dairy Carabao
Cooperatives (NEFEDCCO) in Talavera,
Nueva Ecija.
While working for NEFEDCCO, he
also managed one female Bulgarian
buffalo which he received in 2004 when
he was a member of the Premium Dairy
Cooperative. He was able to multiply its
number as time went by.
But his earnings were not enough
back then. He was longing for something
more.
The right opportunity came at
the right time. With enough money
and good number of herd to start his
business, he decided to go on his own.
With a parcel of land in Palayan City,
Nueva Ecija that he inherited from his
father, he built a small house. From his
savings, he bought one tricycle and two
freezers to start up his dairy operation.
That same time, Ocampo’s Sweets
in Malolos, Bulacan decided to get him
as an exclusive supplier of 200 liters of
milk for its daily need.
“With a good number of herd, I
decided to have a business out of it. I
was able to collect 80 liters from eight
female lactating buffaloes. But the
amount was not enough so I decided to
get more milk from other dairy farmers
which I collect every day,” said Mang
Domeng.
His brother helps him manage his
business. An hour before the day breaks,
Florante is already up to prepare
the tricycle and the things needed
in collecting the milk from the dairy
farmers of Talavera, Cabanatuan and
from the different barangays in Palayan
City. The collected milk came from
Mang Domeng’s herd and from those
owned by 15 dairy farmers in the said
locations.
The raw milk he collects is priced at
Php33 per liter.
The milk is placed in 6-liter plastic
gallons and stored in a chest full of
ice for cooling purposes. From five to
eleven in the morning, Florante has
already harvested an average of 80 li to
120 li of milk from the farmers.
The dairy farmers are paid in a
weekly basis or every Thursdays of the
month.
After collecting, the milk containers
Domingo Martinez exclusively supplies Ocampo’s Sweets in
Malolos, Bulacan with 200 liters of carabao’s milk daily. He happily
drives his way to and from the neighborhood of dairy farmers in
Talavera, Nueva Ecija to sustain the demand of his client.
are placed in his two freezers with a
capacity of 150 liters each. These are
then delivered the following day.
Mang Domeng, on the other hand,
prepares his delivery for the day.
The frozen milk from the other day’s
collection is transferred to a large
container for easy transport. This is
then delivered to Ocampo’s Sweets.
According to him, he travels very
early in the morning to avoid the
sun light which may cause spoilage
to the milk. He uses a multi-cab in
transporting the milk and heads back
home past seven in the morning.
The delivered milk is priced at
Php43 per liter. He collects payment
every Wednesday of the week.
“We process about 200 liters of
milk every day. Domeng is the only
person who delivers our milk. His milk
is of good quality and delivered right
on time. Because of his work attitude,
we have developed a good business
relationship,” says Nenita Ocampo,
owner of Ocampo’s Sweets.
“The excess delivered milk is precooked and then placed and kept in
freezer until it is needed for processing.
The end-products are offered for sale to
local markets and famous bakeshops in
Manila and Laguna,” Nenita said.
Asked about how he maintains the
good quality of the milk, Mang Domeng
shared that he teaches his milkmen to
observe proper sanitation while milking
their animals and make sure that what
has been collected from them are pure
buffalo’s milk.
“I ask them to gather the milk an
hour before we collect it to lessen the
time interval,” shared Mang Domeng.
Asked how he earned the
commitment of the dairy farmers as his
clients, he said whenever the farmers
ask money from him when they need it,
he provides it and just deduct it from
their next earnings.
He encourages his other relatives to
go into carabao raising, saying that it is
a good source of income for small farm
holders like them. According to him,
farmers could earn not only from milk
but also from its offspring. The farmers
can choose for the specific purpose in
raising the animals, either for meat or
for milk.
“Some of them gave up, without even
trying. I work hard every day to earn
money. I told them I need to do this to
provide the needs of my family. Even
when I am sick, I still continue working,”
he said.
“Look at me now, my hard work has
paid off as I have a more comfortable
life than before. I get to earn more
money from this business,” he added.
Mang Domeng gets more than a
reasonable return on his investments
and he used the proceeds for their
daily needs and other expenses. After
two years, he was able to construct a
concrete, modern farm house. He also
employs two staff as his milkmen and
for gathering forages for his herd. They
both receive Php3,000 each as their
monthly salary.
Down the road, he sees himself
someday as a producer of milk products
and a more successful farmer.
It is highly probable that he will
meet his goals with his dedication and
hard work. He also hopes that someday
his children and grandchildren will
continue doing what he has started for
them.
21
r
e
v
i
r
n
i
Dheels
e
w
n
u
k
t
l
i
r
m
s
o
'
f o
D
i
Among the important
things behind the success
in commercial dairy
production is a good
working relationship
among the dairy farmer,
milk trader-supplier, and
processor.
People at every step of the
dairy chain, from the dairy farmers
to processors to the commercial
market, will always find ways to work
sustainably and economically.
As dairying grows in popularity
and performance, people like Domingo
Martinez, show their commitment in
supporting this industry.
Mang Domeng, as he is fondly called,
is a milk supplier and trader to one of
the famous makers of sweet delicacies
in Bulacan, the Ocampo’s Sweets.
20
PCCNewsletter
April-June2012
2012
20 PCC
a
b
a
r
a
c
n
For three years now, he exclusively
delivers 160 to 200 liters of raw milk to
this establishment every day.
It was in August 2009 when he
started his small business of trading
his carabao’s milk produce and that of
farmers’.
Looking back, Mang Domeng recalled
working as a driver-delivery man to the
Nueva Ecija Federation of Dairy Carabao
Cooperatives (NEFEDCCO) in Talavera,
Nueva Ecija.
While working for NEFEDCCO, he
also managed one female Bulgarian
buffalo which he received in 2004 when
he was a member of the Premium Dairy
Cooperative. He was able to multiply its
number as time went by.
But his earnings were not enough
back then. He was longing for something
more.
The right opportunity came at
the right time. With enough money
and good number of herd to start his
business, he decided to go on his own.
With a parcel of land in Palayan City,
Nueva Ecija that he inherited from his
father, he built a small house. From his
savings, he bought one tricycle and two
freezers to start up his dairy operation.
That same time, Ocampo’s Sweets
in Malolos, Bulacan decided to get him
as an exclusive supplier of 200 liters of
milk for its daily need.
“With a good number of herd, I
decided to have a business out of it. I
was able to collect 80 liters from eight
female lactating buffaloes. But the
amount was not enough so I decided to
get more milk from other dairy farmers
which I collect every day,” said Mang
Domeng.
His brother helps him manage his
business. An hour before the day breaks,
Florante is already up to prepare
the tricycle and the things needed
in collecting the milk from the dairy
farmers of Talavera, Cabanatuan and
from the different barangays in Palayan
City. The collected milk came from
Mang Domeng’s herd and from those
owned by 15 dairy farmers in the said
locations.
The raw milk he collects is priced at
Php33 per liter.
The milk is placed in 6-liter plastic
gallons and stored in a chest full of
ice for cooling purposes. From five to
eleven in the morning, Florante has
already harvested an average of 80 li to
120 li of milk from the farmers.
The dairy farmers are paid in a
weekly basis or every Thursdays of the
month.
After collecting, the milk containers
Domingo Martinez exclusively supplies Ocampo’s Sweets in
Malolos, Bulacan with 200 liters of carabao’s milk daily. He happily
drives his way to and from the neighborhood of dairy farmers in
Talavera, Nueva Ecija to sustain the demand of his client.
are placed in his two freezers with a
capacity of 150 liters each. These are
then delivered the following day.
Mang Domeng, on the other hand,
prepares his delivery for the day.
The frozen milk from the other day’s
collection is transferred to a large
container for easy transport. This is
then delivered to Ocampo’s Sweets.
According to him, he travels very
early in the morning to avoid the
sun light which may cause spoilage
to the milk. He uses a multi-cab in
transporting the milk and heads back
home past seven in the morning.
The delivered milk is priced at
Php43 per liter. He collects payment
every Wednesday of the week.
“We process about 200 liters of
milk every day. Domeng is the only
person who delivers our milk. His milk
is of good quality and delivered right
on time. Because of his work attitude,
we have developed a good business
relationship,” says Nenita Ocampo,
owner of Ocampo’s Sweets.
“The excess delivered milk is precooked and then placed and kept in
freezer until it is needed for processing.
The end-products are offered for sale to
local markets and famous bakeshops in
Manila and Laguna,” Nenita said.
Asked about how he maintains the
good quality of the milk, Mang Domeng
shared that he teaches his milkmen to
observe proper sanitation while milking
their animals and make sure that what
has been collected from them are pure
buffalo’s milk.
“I ask them to gather the milk an
hour before we collect it to lessen the
time interval,” shared Mang Domeng.
Asked how he earned the
commitment of the dairy farmers as his
clients, he said whenever the farmers
ask money from him when they need it,
he provides it and just deduct it from
their next earnings.
He encourages his other relatives to
go into carabao raising, saying that it is
a good source of income for small farm
holders like them. According to him,
farmers could earn not only from milk
but also from its offspring. The farmers
can choose for the specific purpose in
raising the animals, either for meat or
for milk.
“Some of them gave up, without even
trying. I work hard every day to earn
money. I told them I need to do this to
provide the needs of my family. Even
when I am sick, I still continue working,”
he said.
“Look at me now, my hard work has
paid off as I have a more comfortable
life than before. I get to earn more
money from this business,” he added.
Mang Domeng gets more than a
reasonable return on his investments
and he used the proceeds for their
daily needs and other expenses. After
two years, he was able to construct a
concrete, modern farm house. He also
employs two staff as his milkmen and
for gathering forages for his herd. They
both receive Php3,000 each as their
monthly salary.
Down the road, he sees himself
someday as a producer of milk products
and a more successful farmer.
It is highly probable that he will
meet his goals with his dedication and
hard work. He also hopes that someday
his children and grandchildren will
continue doing what he has started for
them.
21
pool national coordinator, said feeding
milk replacer has many benefits. These
include enhanced growth rate, rumen
development, early weaning, and
lessened occurrence of health problems,
such as scouring.
The powdered milk, Dr. Alvarez said,
is imported from France. He added
that 80 to 90 percent of their import is
distributed to PCC.
A. . . astrade
to
last
demand goes full blast
Text and Photo by
Rowena G. Bumanlag
Every dairy buffalo
farm desires optimum
productivity.
Toward this exalted goal, operators
make sure that substantive and
science-based standards designed
to ensure improvement in the herd’s
growth, production, and reproduction
performances are consistently
implemented.
In the Philippine Carabao Center
(PCC) institutional herd, these are
understandably followed to the dot.
But in doing so, it counts on the
support of suppliers that provide its
subsidiary requirements. They are,
thus, seen as equally vital players in the
supply chain.
These subsidiary requirements
supplied to PCC include the powdered
milk or milk replacer for calves,
mineralized salt lick, milking machine,
and paraphernalia for artificial
insemination (AI), among other
livestock equipment.
As a mode of government
procurement, the supply of these
products is acquired thru public
bidding. Albeit competition, wherein the
lowest bidder emerges successful, these
suppliers uphold quality standards
making them qualified providers
of these products to PCC’s herd
requirements.
Powdered milk for the calf
For the supply of milk replacer, or
powdered milk for calves, PCC tapped
a sole distributor of this product in the
Philippines to deliver its requirements.
This company’s credibility in
partnering with PCC is anchored
on its vision to be “the pillar of the
animal health and nutrition industry,
recognized throughout the Philippines
and the first choice of its customers for
the wide range of quality products and
efficient services”.
Dr. Erel Alvarez, the company sales
manager, said their powdered milk has
undergone trials at the PCC gene pool
before it was deliberately offered to the
calves.
The company started supplying the
milk replacer to PCC in 2009.
Previous studies at the gene
pool showed that milk replacer has
an approximate content of protein,
fat, lactose, and other vitamins and
minerals compared to fresh milk from
the dam.
Economic-wise, feeding milk
replacer saves on feed cost for the
calves. A study backs up this finding. It
showed that 4 li of fresh milk from the
dam fed to the calf per day costs Php160
(at Php40 per li) and with the cost of
concentrates of Php2.80 added, the total
feed cost is Php162.80 per calf.
On the other hand, an 800 g
powdered milk plus concentrate given
to a calf everyday only costs Php112.
Clearly, the study indicated, a dairy
farmer can save up to Php48.20 per
day, or a total of Php4,338 for a 90-day
period before the calf is weaned, in feed
cost for the calf.
He said they also supply a different
kind of milk replacer to other industries
such as in swine.
Arnel Generoso, the company’s sales
representative, said the powdered milk
is priced at Php150 per kg or Php750
per 25-kg bag.
Some dairy cooperatives assisted
by PCC also get their supply of the
powdered milk from this company.
Several PCC regional centers,
including the PCCs at University of the
Philippines-Los Banos, Central Luzon
State University, Ubay Stock Farm,
and Cagayan State University get their
supply on a seasonal basis.
Dairy farmers from Talugtog, San
Jose, and Cuyapo towns in Nueva Ecija
are also patronizing this company’s milk
replacer product.
Mineral lick for dairy buffaloes
Minerals have direct influence
on the growth, milk production, and
reproduction of buffaloes, animal
nutrition experts said. They, thus, highly
Thus, the study concluded that milk
replacer can be a very worthy substitute
to the dam’s milk for feeding calves
during their early life.
Prior to offering milk replacer to
the calf, PCC scientists said, it should
be allowed to suckle colostrum during
its first five days. Colostrum is the first
milk of the mother which contains
the essential nutrients and antibodies
needed in the early stages of the calf, the
scientists explained.
Dr. Daniel Aquino, the PCC gene
uf
or b
M
ck f
al lCi C at UPLB
r
e
in P
Pho
om
to fr
f alo
es
recommend its availability in the feed
ration in adequate amount.
Baños and Cagayan State University
stations.
g per cow is a normal ration, the
handbook further advises.
He added that the ease of use of the
mineral lick and its availability makes it
a good choice for a mineral supplement.
the said buffaloes.
A block of the supplement is retailed
in poultry feeds and supply stalls at
Php400. Each weighs 5 kg.
PCC at UPLB’s center director Dr.
Arnel del Barrio, an animal nutrition
expert, said the supplementation of
mineral lick to buffaloes, especially
when they are fully confined, is very
important to provide them with the
The “Dairy Buffalo Production
essential minerals that are needed for
Handbook” published by PCC
recommends that copper, cobalt, iodine, higher productivity.
iron, and selenium are important
“We have been in partnership
everyday supplement for dairy
with the company for 10 years. We
buffaloes because these micro minerals get about 15 boxes of two kinds of
are involved in milk production and
mineral lick from them annually and the
reproduction.
company has been of service to us in a
satisfactory manner,” Dr. del Barrio said.
A daily allowance of 100 g to 150
Commercially available mineral
lick contains different macro and
micro minerals such as magnesium,
manganese, cobalt, iodine, zinc, iron,
copper, selenium, sodium, they said.
The mineral lick is supplied to PCC
A mineral block, Dr. del Barrio said,
by another Filipino company that also
is placed in the barn near the drinking
distributes feed premixes for other
ruminants such as cattle, deer, and goat. area and in other areas where most
animals congregate. A minimum of one
The kind of mineral lick supplied
block is recommended for every five to
to PCC, the company said, has trace
elements for the growth and fertility of 10 animals, he said.
The company’s marketing director,
Dr. Gene Rodriguez, said mineral lick
promotes better water intake among the
The kind of block that is supplied to
animals because of its high salt content PCC, which is more compact compared
to other available mineral lick in the
and, consequently, increases their feed
market, can be consumed by three to
intake.
Also the sole distributor of a popular four buffaloes in one month.
“Supplementation of the mineral lick
allows the animals to secrete adequate
amount of milk and at the same time
One contains a balanced formulation maintain its body condition so that it
can productively perform again,” Dr.
of minerals and trace elements
Rodriguez further explained.
including cobalt which is required for
proper rumen function and production Farming solutions provider
of Vitamin B12 in sheep.
A provider of solutions to almost all
The other one is a balanced
aspects of farming needs has been in
mineral lick formulated especially
partnership with PCC in supplying its
for dairy animals. It has high level of
requirements for AI paraphernalia and
phosphorous that helps replace losses
veterinary pharmaceuticals.
during milk production.
It has also been providing portable
This particular brand of mineral lick milking machines to small-scale dairy
contains a flavoring called “Tastetite”
farms. A unit of a double-milk bucket
which helps improve its palatability.
milking machine is priced at Php78,000.
The company claims that this flavoring
The company, which is on its
can overcome low feed intake among
38th
year of operation, is practically
livestock.
a one-stop-shop for almost all the
This mineral lick is currently used
requirements of a poultry and livestock
at the PCC herd particularly at the
University of the Philippines in Los
mineral lick brand in the Philippines,
the company carries two other
variations of the product.
23
pool national coordinator, said feeding
milk replacer has many benefits. These
include enhanced growth rate, rumen
development, early weaning, and
lessened occurrence of health problems,
such as scouring.
The powdered milk, Dr. Alvarez said,
is imported from France. He added
that 80 to 90 percent of their import is
distributed to PCC.
A. . . astrade
to
last
demand goes full blast
Text and Photo by
Rowena G. Bumanlag
Every dairy buffalo
farm desires optimum
productivity.
Toward this exalted goal, operators
make sure that substantive and
science-based standards designed
to ensure improvement in the herd’s
growth, production, and reproduction
performances are consistently
implemented.
In the Philippine Carabao Center
(PCC) institutional herd, these are
understandably followed to the dot.
But in doing so, it counts on the
support of suppliers that provide its
subsidiary requirements. They are,
thus, seen as equally vital players in the
supply chain.
These subsidiary requirements
supplied to PCC include the powdered
milk or milk replacer for calves,
mineralized salt lick, milking machine,
and paraphernalia for artificial
insemination (AI), among other
livestock equipment.
As a mode of government
procurement, the supply of these
products is acquired thru public
bidding. Albeit competition, wherein the
lowest bidder emerges successful, these
suppliers uphold quality standards
making them qualified providers
of these products to PCC’s herd
requirements.
Powdered milk for the calf
For the supply of milk replacer, or
powdered milk for calves, PCC tapped
a sole distributor of this product in the
Philippines to deliver its requirements.
This company’s credibility in
partnering with PCC is anchored
on its vision to be “the pillar of the
animal health and nutrition industry,
recognized throughout the Philippines
and the first choice of its customers for
the wide range of quality products and
efficient services”.
Dr. Erel Alvarez, the company sales
manager, said their powdered milk has
undergone trials at the PCC gene pool
before it was deliberately offered to the
calves.
The company started supplying the
milk replacer to PCC in 2009.
Previous studies at the gene
pool showed that milk replacer has
an approximate content of protein,
fat, lactose, and other vitamins and
minerals compared to fresh milk from
the dam.
Economic-wise, feeding milk
replacer saves on feed cost for the
calves. A study backs up this finding. It
showed that 4 li of fresh milk from the
dam fed to the calf per day costs Php160
(at Php40 per li) and with the cost of
concentrates of Php2.80 added, the total
feed cost is Php162.80 per calf.
On the other hand, an 800 g
powdered milk plus concentrate given
to a calf everyday only costs Php112.
Clearly, the study indicated, a dairy
farmer can save up to Php48.20 per
day, or a total of Php4,338 for a 90-day
period before the calf is weaned, in feed
cost for the calf.
He said they also supply a different
kind of milk replacer to other industries
such as in swine.
Arnel Generoso, the company’s sales
representative, said the powdered milk
is priced at Php150 per kg or Php750
per 25-kg bag.
Some dairy cooperatives assisted
by PCC also get their supply of the
powdered milk from this company.
Several PCC regional centers,
including the PCCs at University of the
Philippines-Los Banos, Central Luzon
State University, Ubay Stock Farm,
and Cagayan State University get their
supply on a seasonal basis.
Dairy farmers from Talugtog, San
Jose, and Cuyapo towns in Nueva Ecija
are also patronizing this company’s milk
replacer product.
Mineral lick for dairy buffaloes
Minerals have direct influence
on the growth, milk production, and
reproduction of buffaloes, animal
nutrition experts said. They, thus, highly
Thus, the study concluded that milk
replacer can be a very worthy substitute
to the dam’s milk for feeding calves
during their early life.
Prior to offering milk replacer to
the calf, PCC scientists said, it should
be allowed to suckle colostrum during
its first five days. Colostrum is the first
milk of the mother which contains
the essential nutrients and antibodies
needed in the early stages of the calf, the
scientists explained.
Dr. Daniel Aquino, the PCC gene
uf
or b
M
ck f
al lCi C at UPLB
r
e
in P
Pho
om
to fr
f alo
es
recommend its availability in the feed
ration in adequate amount.
Baños and Cagayan State University
stations.
g per cow is a normal ration, the
handbook further advises.
He added that the ease of use of the
mineral lick and its availability makes it
a good choice for a mineral supplement.
the said buffaloes.
A block of the supplement is retailed
in poultry feeds and supply stalls at
Php400. Each weighs 5 kg.
PCC at UPLB’s center director Dr.
Arnel del Barrio, an animal nutrition
expert, said the supplementation of
mineral lick to buffaloes, especially
when they are fully confined, is very
important to provide them with the
The “Dairy Buffalo Production
essential minerals that are needed for
Handbook” published by PCC
recommends that copper, cobalt, iodine, higher productivity.
iron, and selenium are important
“We have been in partnership
everyday supplement for dairy
with the company for 10 years. We
buffaloes because these micro minerals get about 15 boxes of two kinds of
are involved in milk production and
mineral lick from them annually and the
reproduction.
company has been of service to us in a
satisfactory manner,” Dr. del Barrio said.
A daily allowance of 100 g to 150
Commercially available mineral
lick contains different macro and
micro minerals such as magnesium,
manganese, cobalt, iodine, zinc, iron,
copper, selenium, sodium, they said.
The mineral lick is supplied to PCC
A mineral block, Dr. del Barrio said,
by another Filipino company that also
is placed in the barn near the drinking
distributes feed premixes for other
ruminants such as cattle, deer, and goat. area and in other areas where most
animals congregate. A minimum of one
The kind of mineral lick supplied
block is recommended for every five to
to PCC, the company said, has trace
elements for the growth and fertility of 10 animals, he said.
The company’s marketing director,
Dr. Gene Rodriguez, said mineral lick
promotes better water intake among the
The kind of block that is supplied to
animals because of its high salt content PCC, which is more compact compared
to other available mineral lick in the
and, consequently, increases their feed
market, can be consumed by three to
intake.
Also the sole distributor of a popular four buffaloes in one month.
“Supplementation of the mineral lick
allows the animals to secrete adequate
amount of milk and at the same time
One contains a balanced formulation maintain its body condition so that it
can productively perform again,” Dr.
of minerals and trace elements
Rodriguez further explained.
including cobalt which is required for
proper rumen function and production Farming solutions provider
of Vitamin B12 in sheep.
A provider of solutions to almost all
The other one is a balanced
aspects of farming needs has been in
mineral lick formulated especially
partnership with PCC in supplying its
for dairy animals. It has high level of
requirements for AI paraphernalia and
phosphorous that helps replace losses
veterinary pharmaceuticals.
during milk production.
It has also been providing portable
This particular brand of mineral lick milking machines to small-scale dairy
contains a flavoring called “Tastetite”
farms. A unit of a double-milk bucket
which helps improve its palatability.
milking machine is priced at Php78,000.
The company claims that this flavoring
The company, which is on its
can overcome low feed intake among
38th
year of operation, is practically
livestock.
a one-stop-shop for almost all the
This mineral lick is currently used
requirements of a poultry and livestock
at the PCC herd particularly at the
University of the Philippines in Los
mineral lick brand in the Philippines,
the company carries two other
variations of the product.
23
Needs for supply boom
as carabao-based industry
blooms
Text and Photos by
Joahna G. Goyagoy
Excellent feeding system,
for sure, is crucial for
making the carabao reach its
optimum performance and
for its female kind, to pour
out a pronounced amount of
milk into the farmer’s pail.
To respond to this exigency, animal
products developers address this
specific concern by defining the best
solution and developing the best
products they can offer to their clients.
One particular purveyor of animal
feeds in the country makes full use of
science as its underlying principle for its
products development.
This company (name withheld per
editorial policy), started as an animal
health division under a corporation of
feeds manufacturer. Its initial functions
were that of serving the needs of the
corporation’s internal contract growers
and feeds production. It was also
initially set up to reduce the costs of
medication of the mother company's
broiler and breeder flocks.
In 1995, after 15 years of deliberate
undertakings in animal products
development, this animal health
division grew into a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the corporation.
Aside from its deliberate research
and development efforts, the company
also conducts feed trials of its products
which keep it to be on top of other
animal products developers.
“Before we release certain products
in the market, it is our protocol to
conduct field trials first,” says Dr.
Jaspher G. Ignacio, national sales
manager.
Among its many products which
came out of extensive R&D undertaking
is the development of feed concentrates
for carabaos.
Concentrates are feeds containing
high density and highly digestible
nutrients which meets the nutrient
requirement of the animal.
One of its major clients is the Gene
Pool farm of the Philippine Carabao
Center (PCC). The gene pool maintains a
herd of 700 head of buffaloes, majority
of which are female.
With the company’s excellent
R&D-based products and credibility,
it became PCC’s sole supplier of feed
concentrates.
In 2007, the company made research
collaboration with PCC in developing
practical, least cost, and effective feed
supplements.
The feed trials went on for five
months which included calf starter, calf
grower, and dairy concentrates.
Calf starter
The calf starter is specifically
formulated to meet the nutrient
requirement of the caracalves for
balanced feed specifications to ensure
good growth and to reduce weaning
stress.
Provided with milk at 4 liters per day
and good quality roughage ad libitum,
the recommended daily serving of
concentrates for the calf from age 4 days
to 30 days is at 300 g to 500 g daily;
from 31days to 60 days, 750 g to 1,000
g; and from 61 to 90 days, 1.5 kg to 2.0
kg.
As a result, the study showed that
the calves developed higher feed intake
resulting to significant higher live
weight and better ADG (average daily
gain).
“When we started using calf
starter, the calves demonstrated good
body condition, developed shiny and
clean hair coat, and showed healthy
appearance. The calves also expressed
alertness due to the absence of scouring
incidence,” Dr. Aquino attested.
The PCC Gene Pool farm uses 100
bags (50 kg per bag) of calf starter
concentrates monthly.
Grower
The administration of grower
concentrates is specifically designed to
reach the optimum feed specifications
for weaned calves to reduce weaning
stress and growth lag of the animal. It
is formulated using ground grains and
cereals adapted to the digestive capacity
of the animal.
It also contains specific macro and
micro minerals for shinier and healthier
coating.
Animals supplemented with grower
concentrates constantly demonstrated
good body condition and healthy
appearance.
Since the animal exhibit good
performance, the duration of days to
reach the animal’s body weight of 300kg
is shortened by two weeks, the PCC
study showed.
The shortened period translated to
an additional savings of Php324.66 per
animal, the study affirmed.
Every month, the gene pool farm
uses 200 bags (50 kg per bag) of grower
concentrates for the animals’ feed
requirements.
Animal products development,
such as the feed concentrates for
carabaos, undergo science-based
protocols to achieve their optimum
effectiveness.
afternoon.
“At the average, the animals
produced 10 kg to 12 kg of milk every
day,” Dr. Aquino said referring to the
studies made.
Dairy concentrates
The farm purchases 380 bags (50kg
per bag) of dairy concentrates monthly.
“Normally, the dairy cows are fed
with rations that are not based on
standards (e.g. low quality forage such
rice straws) which results in poor
milk performance,” Melba Villaraza,
technical support group manager of the
corporation, says.
The use of concentrates for buffaloes
is not practiced in the PCC gene pool
farm alone. In fact, the 13 regional
centers of the agency are also utilizing
concentrates for administration of
proper feeding in their respective
institutional herds.
Melba adds: “To reach the animal’s
optimum milk production, proper feed
supplement is needed.”
“The roughage is the rice of the
animal while the feed concentrate is
their ulam (viand),” says Dr. Aquino.
In a more concrete explanation,
Dr. Aquino said: “A 500-gram dairy
concentrate translates to an additional 1
kilogram of milk produce.”
At the gene pool farm, the daily
ration per lactating cow is 75% forage
(2.5% to 3.5% of the total body weight)
and 25% concentrates (4 kg to 5 kg).
The concentrates are fed to the animals
twice a day at the rate of 2kg in the
morning and the same amount in the
Array of consumers
Other than the PCC institutional
herds, two exemplary dairy farmers are
also users and prime witnesses on the
benefits of dairy concentrates, hence,
they are regular patrons of this product.
Engr. Jaime Ramos or “Ka Jaime”, an
engineer-turned-model carabao raiser,
is one of them. He hails from Talavera in
Nueva Ecija.
Since he started using dairy
concentrates in 2009, he collects eight
liters to 10 liters of milk daily from each
of his animals. Happily also, one of his
animals reached a peak of 18 liters of
daily milk produce.
Marcelino Mislang or “Ka Marcing”
of San Jose City in Nueva Ecija, on the
other hand, obtained a milking peak
of 16 liters from one of his animals
in his herd. This, according to him, is
also because of the utilization of dairy
concentrates.
The results exhibited in the farms of
these two exemplary farmers and on the
PCC herds reverberated throughout the
dairy zones of the country especially in
the national impact zone and resulted to
more adopters of the practice of feeding
the animals with concentrates.
Currently, the “Nueva Ecija
Federation of Dairy Carabao
Cooperative”, “Pulong Buli Primary
Multi-purpose Cooperative, Inc.”,
and the “Eastern Primary Multipurpose Cooperative” have become
the three primary direct recipients of
concentrates supply.
Regularly, these cooperatives
purchase 50 bags to 150 bags of
dairy concentrates. In turn, they
supply hundreds of dairy farmers in
their respective areas who are also
very willing to reap the fruit of this
technology of giving feed concentrate to
dairy carabaos.
“We recognize that the number of
farmers who are interested to try our
products is getting bigger. Because
of this, we will try to come up with
strategic plan for products’ distribution
to cater to other smallhold farms,”
Jaspher said.
2525
Needs for supply boom
as carabao-based industry
blooms
Text and Photos by
Joahna G. Goyagoy
Excellent feeding system,
for sure, is crucial for
making the carabao reach its
optimum performance and
for its female kind, to pour
out a pronounced amount of
milk into the farmer’s pail.
To respond to this exigency, animal
products developers address this
specific concern by defining the best
solution and developing the best
products they can offer to their clients.
One particular purveyor of animal
feeds in the country makes full use of
science as its underlying principle for its
products development.
This company (name withheld per
editorial policy), started as an animal
health division under a corporation of
feeds manufacturer. Its initial functions
were that of serving the needs of the
corporation’s internal contract growers
and feeds production. It was also
initially set up to reduce the costs of
medication of the mother company's
broiler and breeder flocks.
In 1995, after 15 years of deliberate
undertakings in animal products
development, this animal health
division grew into a wholly-owned
subsidiary of the corporation.
Aside from its deliberate research
and development efforts, the company
also conducts feed trials of its products
which keep it to be on top of other
animal products developers.
“Before we release certain products
in the market, it is our protocol to
conduct field trials first,” says Dr.
Jaspher G. Ignacio, national sales
manager.
Among its many products which
came out of extensive R&D undertaking
is the development of feed concentrates
for carabaos.
Concentrates are feeds containing
high density and highly digestible
nutrients which meets the nutrient
requirement of the animal.
One of its major clients is the Gene
Pool farm of the Philippine Carabao
Center (PCC). The gene pool maintains a
herd of 700 head of buffaloes, majority
of which are female.
With the company’s excellent
R&D-based products and credibility,
it became PCC’s sole supplier of feed
concentrates.
In 2007, the company made research
collaboration with PCC in developing
practical, least cost, and effective feed
supplements.
The feed trials went on for five
months which included calf starter, calf
grower, and dairy concentrates.
Calf starter
The calf starter is specifically
formulated to meet the nutrient
requirement of the caracalves for
balanced feed specifications to ensure
good growth and to reduce weaning
stress.
Provided with milk at 4 liters per day
and good quality roughage ad libitum,
the recommended daily serving of
concentrates for the calf from age 4 days
to 30 days is at 300 g to 500 g daily;
from 31days to 60 days, 750 g to 1,000
g; and from 61 to 90 days, 1.5 kg to 2.0
kg.
As a result, the study showed that
the calves developed higher feed intake
resulting to significant higher live
weight and better ADG (average daily
gain).
“When we started using calf
starter, the calves demonstrated good
body condition, developed shiny and
clean hair coat, and showed healthy
appearance. The calves also expressed
alertness due to the absence of scouring
incidence,” Dr. Aquino attested.
The PCC Gene Pool farm uses 100
bags (50 kg per bag) of calf starter
concentrates monthly.
Grower
The administration of grower
concentrates is specifically designed to
reach the optimum feed specifications
for weaned calves to reduce weaning
stress and growth lag of the animal. It
is formulated using ground grains and
cereals adapted to the digestive capacity
of the animal.
It also contains specific macro and
micro minerals for shinier and healthier
coating.
Animals supplemented with grower
concentrates constantly demonstrated
good body condition and healthy
appearance.
Since the animal exhibit good
performance, the duration of days to
reach the animal’s body weight of 300kg
is shortened by two weeks, the PCC
study showed.
The shortened period translated to
an additional savings of Php324.66 per
animal, the study affirmed.
Every month, the gene pool farm
uses 200 bags (50 kg per bag) of grower
concentrates for the animals’ feed
requirements.
Animal products development,
such as the feed concentrates for
carabaos, undergo science-based
protocols to achieve their optimum
effectiveness.
afternoon.
“At the average, the animals
produced 10 kg to 12 kg of milk every
day,” Dr. Aquino said referring to the
studies made.
Dairy concentrates
The farm purchases 380 bags (50kg
per bag) of dairy concentrates monthly.
“Normally, the dairy cows are fed
with rations that are not based on
standards (e.g. low quality forage such
rice straws) which results in poor
milk performance,” Melba Villaraza,
technical support group manager of the
corporation, says.
The use of concentrates for buffaloes
is not practiced in the PCC gene pool
farm alone. In fact, the 13 regional
centers of the agency are also utilizing
concentrates for administration of
proper feeding in their respective
institutional herds.
Melba adds: “To reach the animal’s
optimum milk production, proper feed
supplement is needed.”
“The roughage is the rice of the
animal while the feed concentrate is
their ulam (viand),” says Dr. Aquino.
In a more concrete explanation,
Dr. Aquino said: “A 500-gram dairy
concentrate translates to an additional 1
kilogram of milk produce.”
At the gene pool farm, the daily
ration per lactating cow is 75% forage
(2.5% to 3.5% of the total body weight)
and 25% concentrates (4 kg to 5 kg).
The concentrates are fed to the animals
twice a day at the rate of 2kg in the
morning and the same amount in the
Array of consumers
Other than the PCC institutional
herds, two exemplary dairy farmers are
also users and prime witnesses on the
benefits of dairy concentrates, hence,
they are regular patrons of this product.
Engr. Jaime Ramos or “Ka Jaime”, an
engineer-turned-model carabao raiser,
is one of them. He hails from Talavera in
Nueva Ecija.
Since he started using dairy
concentrates in 2009, he collects eight
liters to 10 liters of milk daily from each
of his animals. Happily also, one of his
animals reached a peak of 18 liters of
daily milk produce.
Marcelino Mislang or “Ka Marcing”
of San Jose City in Nueva Ecija, on the
other hand, obtained a milking peak
of 16 liters from one of his animals
in his herd. This, according to him, is
also because of the utilization of dairy
concentrates.
The results exhibited in the farms of
these two exemplary farmers and on the
PCC herds reverberated throughout the
dairy zones of the country especially in
the national impact zone and resulted to
more adopters of the practice of feeding
the animals with concentrates.
Currently, the “Nueva Ecija
Federation of Dairy Carabao
Cooperative”, “Pulong Buli Primary
Multi-purpose Cooperative, Inc.”,
and the “Eastern Primary Multipurpose Cooperative” have become
the three primary direct recipients of
concentrates supply.
Regularly, these cooperatives
purchase 50 bags to 150 bags of
dairy concentrates. In turn, they
supply hundreds of dairy farmers in
their respective areas who are also
very willing to reap the fruit of this
technology of giving feed concentrate to
dairy carabaos.
“We recognize that the number of
farmers who are interested to try our
products is getting bigger. Because
of this, we will try to come up with
strategic plan for products’ distribution
to cater to other smallhold farms,”
Jaspher said.
2525
Nelly Macabadbad
“Supplying the demand of my
customers sometimes calls for
a sacrifice on my part. I do it as I
don't want to fail them."
She revs up
the carabeef & hide
supply chain
Text and Photos by
Rowena G. Bumanlag
At the crack of dawn,
sounds, movements, and the
hustle and bustle of human
activities sizzle in Barangay
Capatan in Tuguegarao City.
A throng of men cause them.
They are in the slaughterhouse and,
expectedly, they are the main actors in
the exuberant livestock trade in this
capital city of Cagayan.
Some unload animals from trucks
while others carry on their shoulders
slabs of carcass. Still, others just engage
in raucous chats interspersed with
sipping steaming hot coffee.
In a corner, a man with a logbook
and a pen records the animals brought
in and the loads of carcass that go out.
From the slaughterhouse, the slabs
of carcass are brought to the Don
Domingo public market for selling to
consumers. For the carabeef, it goes
straight to the three stalls that are the
only known seller of the carabao’s meat.
One of the stall owners is Nelly
Macabadbad, 52. In this business since
the 1980s, she is a vital cog in the
supply of carabao’s meat to the public.
“Among the original vendors of
carabeef here, I was the only one who
thrived in this business,” Nelly said.
In fact, Nelly is now the biggest
licensed carabao butcher and supplier
of carabao’s meat. She also sells the
skin and horn as raw materials for
manufacturers of carabao-based valueadded products in Tuguegarao City.
Nelly employs six laborers in her
stall in the market.
Her dedication in the business
has earned her several committed
customers who keep doing great
business with her.
customers sometimes calls for a
sacrifice on my part. I do it as I don’t
want to fail them. That’s how I do my
business. I make it a point that I can give
what they need even though it is only at
break-even cost,” Nelly said.
Nelly supplies carabeef to
restaurants, hotels, and to the Cagayan
Valley Medical Center (CVMC) in
Tuguegarao. Her most avid carabeef
buyer, she said, is a panciteria (a
restaurant that specializes in noodles)
that gets 70 kg of carabeef from her
every day.
Other restaurants and hotels get
their carabeef supply from her at
staggered basis, about 30 kg in ordinary
days and up to 180 kg during peak
demand.
On the other hand, she supplies the
CVMC with 36 kg to 40 kg every other
day.
Nelly supplies carabeef to her
regular buyers at Php165 per kilogram.
In her stall, she maintains a selling price
of Php180 for the lean meat and Php130
for the bony parts.
She butchers two to three head of
carabaos daily to meet her customers’
demand for carabeef. During peak days,
though, such as in school days and
holidays, she butchers four to six head.
Only carabaos with ages seven to 11
years are butchered in Tuguegarao City.
Nelly’s acumen in the business
made her sustain a loyal customer—
the Lighthouse Cooperative. The coop
is the maker of the famous processed
meat products in Tuguegarao labeled as
“Carne Ybanag.”
The coop obtains its carabeef supply
of about 100 kg, mostly tenderloin cut,
from Nelly twice a week.
The meat is delivered to
the coop for processing to
carabeef tapa. The excess of
the meat cuts for tapa, and the
ligaments are used for making
carabeef longganisa.
The products of Carne Ybanag
are supplied to local grocery stores,
some outlets in Regions 1 and 3,
Baguio City, and several restaurants in
Manila.
Aside from gaining profit from
carabeef sales, Nelly also earns good
income from selling the skin. She
supplies 180 kg of this (harvested
from six carabaos) to the Lighthouse
Cooperative every day at Php25 to
Php29 a kilogram.
A kilogram of raw skin yields 300 g
of antala (half-cooked chicharon) which,
when fried in low fire, can make 4.5
packs of chicharon.
Nelly sees her five-year partnership
with the coop as a boost to her family’s
livelihood. She said she intends to keep
a healthy and long-term connection
with the coop by ensuring that its
demands are met.
In the event of a scarcity in the
supply of skin, Nelly also picks-up from
other carabao butchers. The coop, she
said, does not get its supply of skin from
other butchers because it prefers to
transact only with her.
For the carabao skin that she
supplies, the coop turns it into
“Chicharabao”. This commodity has
become a popular pasalubong (takehome item) among visitors and tourists
alike in Tuguegarao City.
Arthur Tabbu, the coop’s general
manager, recalled that it wasn’t easy
for the coop then to find for a bulk
supplier of carabao skin. Nelly was
then committed to supplying the raw
material to a manufacturer of leather
goods in Pangasinan.
“We had our raw material only
when there was excess supply from
the butchers. That’s why we had to
bear what was left for us. It was quite
The Lighthouse Cooperative’s general manager Arthur Tabbu tells how the workers at
the Chicharabao plant uphold good management practices when manufacturing the
product which is steadily gaining popularity as one of Tuguegarao City’s specialties.
a while before we had a stable supply
of carabao skin for our “Chicharabao”.
Nelly agreed to supply the carabao skin
to us starting in 2008,” Arthur said.
The coop makes a one-month
deposit or advanced payment for the
skin.
“This chicharon business basically
operates on a 100-percent cash basis.
We incur no debt in this venture,”
Arthur explained.
The Lighthouse Cooperative lives up
to its thrust of generating employment
in the town. It currently maintains 15
employees for the manufacturing of
carabeef products and seven for the
making of chicharon.
Aside from carabeef and carabao
skin, Nelly gets additional sales from
the horns. These are bought by bolo or
knife makers in Tuguegarao City. The
horns are fashioned out by the makers
to become bolo handles.
Tuguegarao City is also known for its
bolo industry.
“I don’t ask a high price for the horns
because I want to help the person who
has found a means for an additional
income out of it,” Nelly said.
65.
She was referring to Alipio Ventura,
Alipio collects an average of six pairs
of carabaos’ horn from butchers in Don
Domingo market, including Nelly, at
Php100 to Php250 per pair depending
on their size.
He either uses the horns for his own
bolo-making business or sells them at
a marked-up price to other large-scale
bolo-makers.
“More than the profit that I get out
of this business, I am glad that I am able
to help other people find an additional
source of income,” Nelly added.
At 11 o’clock in the morning, when
the other vendors of other kinds of
meat are just beginning to heat up in
their sales, Nelly is already starting to
pack up. About that time, her supply of
carabeef for the day, including other raw
materials from the carabao, has already
been sold out.
She then goes home, takes a rest and
looks forward to another day of work.
She knows she should not stop. To do
so will mean that the supply chain in
carabao meat, skin, and horn in their
area will most likely grind to a halt.
27
Nelly Macabadbad
customers sometimes calls for
a sacrifice on my part. I do it as I
don't want to fail them."
She revs up
the carabeef & hide
supply chain
Text and Photos by
Rowena G. Bumanlag
At the crack of dawn,
sounds, movements, and the
hustle and bustle of human
activities sizzle in Barangay
Capatan in Tuguegarao City.
A throng of men cause them.
They are in the slaughterhouse and,
expectedly, they are the main actors in
the exuberant livestock trade in this
capital city of Cagayan.
Some unload animals from trucks
while others carry on their shoulders
slabs of carcass. Still, others just engage
in raucous chats interspersed with
sipping steaming hot coffee.
In a corner, a man with a logbook
and a pen records the animals brought
in and the loads of carcass that go out.
From the slaughterhouse, the slabs
of carcass are brought to the Don
Domingo public market for selling to
consumers. For the carabeef, it goes
straight to the three stalls that are the
only known seller of the carabao’s meat.
One of the stall owners is Nelly
Macabadbad, 52. In this business since
the 1980s, she is a vital cog in the
supply of carabao’s meat to the public.
“Among the original vendors of
carabeef here, I was the only one who
thrived in this business,” Nelly said.
In fact, Nelly is now the biggest
licensed carabao butcher and supplier
of carabao’s meat. She also sells the
skin and horn as raw materials for
manufacturers of carabao-based valueadded products in Tuguegarao City.
Nelly employs six laborers in her
stall in the market.
Her dedication in the business
has earned her several committed
customers who keep doing great
business with her.
customers sometimes calls for a
sacrifice on my part. I do it as I don’t
want to fail them. That’s how I do my
business. I make it a point that I can give
what they need even though it is only at
break-even cost,” Nelly said.
Nelly supplies carabeef to
restaurants, hotels, and to the Cagayan
Valley Medical Center (CVMC) in
Tuguegarao. Her most avid carabeef
buyer, she said, is a panciteria (a
restaurant that specializes in noodles)
that gets 70 kg of carabeef from her
every day.
Other restaurants and hotels get
their carabeef supply from her at
staggered basis, about 30 kg in ordinary
days and up to 180 kg during peak
demand.
On the other hand, she supplies the
CVMC with 36 kg to 40 kg every other
day.
Nelly supplies carabeef to her
regular buyers at Php165 per kilogram.
In her stall, she maintains a selling price
of Php180 for the lean meat and Php130
for the bony parts.
She butchers two to three head of
carabaos daily to meet her customers’
demand for carabeef. During peak days,
though, such as in school days and
holidays, she butchers four to six head.
Only carabaos with ages seven to 11
years are butchered in Tuguegarao City.
Nelly’s acumen in the business
made her sustain a loyal customer—
the Lighthouse Cooperative. The coop
is the maker of the famous processed
meat products in Tuguegarao labeled as
“Carne Ybanag.”
The coop obtains its carabeef supply
of about 100 kg, mostly tenderloin cut,
from Nelly twice a week.
The meat is delivered to
the coop for processing to
carabeef tapa. The excess of
the meat cuts for tapa, and the
ligaments are used for making
carabeef longganisa.
The products of Carne Ybanag
are supplied to local grocery stores,
some outlets in Regions 1 and 3,
Baguio City, and several restaurants in
Manila.
Aside from gaining profit from
carabeef sales, Nelly also earns good
income from selling the skin. She
supplies 180 kg of this (harvested
from six carabaos) to the Lighthouse
Cooperative every day at Php25 to
Php29 a kilogram.
A kilogram of raw skin yields 300 g
of antala (half-cooked chicharon) which,
when fried in low fire, can make 4.5
packs of chicharon.
Nelly sees her five-year partnership
with the coop as a boost to her family’s
livelihood. She said she intends to keep
a healthy and long-term connection
with the coop by ensuring that its
demands are met.
In the event of a scarcity in the
supply of skin, Nelly also picks-up from
other carabao butchers. The coop, she
said, does not get its supply of skin from
other butchers because it prefers to
transact only with her.
For the carabao skin that she
supplies, the coop turns it into
“Chicharabao”. This commodity has
become a popular pasalubong (takehome item) among visitors and tourists
alike in Tuguegarao City.
Arthur Tabbu, the coop’s general
manager, recalled that it wasn’t easy
for the coop then to find for a bulk
supplier of carabao skin. Nelly was
then committed to supplying the raw
material to a manufacturer of leather
goods in Pangasinan.
“We had our raw material only
when there was excess supply from
the butchers. That’s why we had to
bear what was left for us. It was quite
The Lighthouse Cooperative’s general manager Arthur Tabbu tells how the workers at
the Chicharabao plant uphold good management practices when manufacturing the
product which is steadily gaining popularity as one of Tuguegarao City’s specialties.
a while before we had a stable supply
of carabao skin for our “Chicharabao”.
Nelly agreed to supply the carabao skin
to us starting in 2008,” Arthur said.
The coop makes a one-month
deposit or advanced payment for the
skin.
“This chicharon business basically
operates on a 100-percent cash basis.
We incur no debt in this venture,”
Arthur explained.
The Lighthouse Cooperative lives up
to its thrust of generating employment
in the town. It currently maintains 15
employees for the manufacturing of
carabeef products and seven for the
making of chicharon.
Aside from carabeef and carabao
skin, Nelly gets additional sales from
the horns. These are bought by bolo or
knife makers in Tuguegarao City. The
horns are fashioned out by the makers
to become bolo handles.
Tuguegarao City is also known for its
bolo industry.
“I don’t ask a high price for the horns
because I want to help the person who
has found a means for an additional
income out of it,” Nelly said.
65.
She was referring to Alipio Ventura,
Alipio collects an average of six pairs
of carabaos’ horn from butchers in Don
Domingo market, including Nelly, at
Php100 to Php250 per pair depending
on their size.
He either uses the horns for his own
bolo-making business or sells them at
a marked-up price to other large-scale
bolo-makers.
“More than the profit that I get out
of this business, I am glad that I am able
to help other people find an additional
source of income,” Nelly added.
At 11 o’clock in the morning, when
the other vendors of other kinds of
meat are just beginning to heat up in
their sales, Nelly is already starting to
pack up. About that time, her supply of
carabeef for the day, including other raw
materials from the carabao, has already
been sold out.
She then goes home, takes a rest and
looks forward to another day of work.
She knows she should not stop. To do
so will mean that the supply chain in
carabao meat, skin, and horn in their
area will most likely grind to a halt.
27
and blurt out. . .
A family that prides
in
hides
Couple Jesse and Veronica
Agustin strives to revive the
leather industry in Iloilo as they
also try to keep their mother’s
legacy alive in the business
thru the years.
of cured raw hides are being shipped to
Manila and eventually to Bulacan. Forty
percent of these are carabao hides while
the rest are cow hides.
Manufacturing of leather
goods is a tough business to
engage in. Stiff competition
exists, with China fiercely in
it.
One company in the Philippines,
though, that supplies carabao raw
hides for manufacturing leather goods,
manages to keep itself alive for years
now.
J.J. Agustin Trading in Iloilo City
continues to specialize in the collection
of raw water buffalo and cow hides used
in making quality leather goods such as
shoes and apparel items.
It has been continuing its age-old
legacy in the dealership of raw hide
since 1936.
Then and now
The raw hide dealership which
started with the Blanco/Rubio Clan
of Bangkal, Meycauayan, Bulacan was
inherited by the late Margarita Rubio
Lizardo, simply known as Aling Etang.
Her mother was the first to venture
in the raw hide dealership during the
late 1930’s. But it was Aling Etang who
made it prosper.
Aling Etang, guided by her
entrepreneurial spirit, migrated to Rizal
Street, Iloilo City Proper in the mid-
1950 where she chose to have her own
business, “Margarita Lizardo raw hides”,
a dealer of raw hides coming from cow,
carabao, and even goat.
She was considered as the pioneer in
raw hide dealership in Iloilo City.
She also engaged in manufacturing
slippers made of leather materials such
as cow and carabao hides. She also
operated a small tannery at Balantang,
Jaro, Iloilo City for a short period of
time until she decided to transfer the
processing of the hide to Meycauayan,
Bulacan tannery due to leather demand
for Marikina and abroad.
She also became one of the slipper
and shoe makers in Iloilo City and the
popular shoe supplier to Colegio de
Las Hijas de Jesus in Iloilo City, and
neighboring towns within the Visayan
Region, and as far as Mindanao Island.
In her supply business, Aling Etang
supplied the raw hides mostly to some
firms in Manila, and in Guiguinto and
Meycauayan in Bulacan.
It was during the 70s when her
business boomed. Her delivery of raw
hides in a month ranged from 30 to 40
tons of mixed carabao and cow hides.
Aling Etang made good “harvest”
from her business. She was able to
procure properties and made travels
abroad with her family. She has 10
children, all of whom helped her
manage the business.
Her children helped sourcing out
stocks of raw hides from Antique, Capiz,
Aklan, and Negros.
Unfortunately, Aling Etang passed
away leaving behind the management
of the business to her children. The
business met difficulties and eventually
led to its bankruptcy in 2008.
That same year, Veronica the sixth
child of Aling Etang, with husband Jesse
James Agustin, decided to revive the
business and put it up as their own after
their retirement from abroad.
They decided to acquire a property
in Barangay Bolilao, Mandurriao, Iloilo
City where the business establishment
is also located. Veronica wanted to
rejuvenate the business because she still
wanted to continue her mother’s legacy.
They named it “J.J. Agustin Trading”
after her husband’s initials.
J.J. Agustin Trading keeps the passion
in doing this endeavor equipped with
the knowledge of the old techniques and
methods that came from their ancestral
background.
In effect, Veronica and her husband
are the third generation of raw hide
dealer started by Aling Etang’s mother.
Shipment
Every three months, eight to 10 tons
The hides are sourced out from
the stocks of local market butchers of
Passi City, Zaraga, Pototan, and Barotac
Nuevo in the province of Iloilo; San
Jose, Sibalum, Hamtic in the province
of Antique; and Navas, Ibahay in the
province of Aklan within the Island of
Panay.
The collected raw hides from the
three provincial sources are already
cured. It was learned that the curing of
raw carabao and cow hides takes three
months.
According to Jesse, 4 kg of salt are
needed for every 30 kg of raw hide
when curing.
Each source provides at least three
tons of cured raw hide. The couple is
informed thru a phone call whenever
the desired amount of hides is already
available.
The couple pay Php25 to Php26 per
kilo of cured raw hide delivered to them.
“The cured raw hides are kept in
our storage area until such time that
we accumulate the needed amount
required by our buyers,” explained
Jesse.
“The initial condition of raw hides
depends on how it is preserved. Less
salt makes the hide more prone to
breakage and shedding of hair. We
always ask them to properly handle the
removal of the hide from the animal
to avoid possible hole marks. Every
hide must be round in shape for design
purposes,” he added.
Their son, Jon, takes charge of the
shipment to Manila.
The delivered hides are priced at
Php32 per kilo.
from page 17
at Php140 and Php150 for younger
carabaos.
The buyers pay them with postdated checks or cash upon delivery. The
hides are picked-up by the buyers in the
port area.
Leather products
The leathers produced from the
hides are made into footwear, bags,
belts, accessories, and upholstery by the
manufacturers who ordered the hides.
“Unlike cow, carabao leather has
coarser grains and natural hardness. It
is mostly used in thicker products such
as belts and soles,” Veronica said.
Jesse and Veronica admitted that
the leather industry is experiencing a
slowdown. At the same time, they said,
the carabao hides are now popularly
used for food processing thus limiting
its use for leather-making.
Faced with these challenges,
Veronica still holds on to her passion of
continuing the business even if it is not
as profitable anymore compared to her
mother’s. Her husband supports her all
the way.
Meanwhile, Jon has explored the
possibilities of exporting the raw
materials as well as the finished
products like bags and purse. He
promotes the business thru the internet.
As of now, possible clients from
Oman, United States, and United
Kingdom have been asking for samples.
“Lying low seems to be a practical
approach since the leather business is
not as good as it used to be during my
grandmother's time. I may have to find
some other ways to come up with end
products for the raw material if ever I
decide to boost and revive the business
of my mother,” Jon said.
When inspecting a potential carabao to
buy, Edwin gives the animal a rub on the
rump, chest, and body to have a feel of its
overall physique. Another manifestation
that a carabao is well-nourished, he said,
is the feel of a medium fat layer under the
animal’s skin.
He is also careful, like any livestock
buyer in the auction market, not to buy
a carabao with a cut-off tail. Livestock
traders in Padre Garcia believe that
a carabao with a cut-off tail brings a
twofold bad luck to someone who buys it.
Thus, this “unlucky carabao” fetches only
about 50 percent of the actual price in the
auction market.
An albino carabao, on the other
hand, is believed to bring fortune to the
paradahan as it will usher more animals
for trading.
Edwin buys 25 head of carabaos per
day or 100 head per week. He brings
25 head everyday to the retailer who
usually slaughters about 17 to 20 head.
During peak season, especially during the
Christmas and New Year seasons, Edwin
said this retailer requires 50 head per day
for them to deliver.
For every 10 head of carabaos,
Edwin and his team earn an average of
Php20,000.
For every carabao that he pulls out
from the auction market, Edwin pays an
ownership transfer fee of Php90.
For as long as ‘Listahe!’ is a
reverberating exclamation every auction
day at Padre Garcia, which equally means
a resounding pouring in of cash in the
pockets, Edwin, Alex, and the other key
players in the auction market of Padre
Garcia look forward, with buoyant hope,
to more years of being mainstays in the
livestock trade.
That positive outlook, happily, augurs
well, too, for the livestock raisers,
including the raisers of carabaos to supply
the gourmand’s delight for carabao meat’s
delicacies.
29
29
and blurt out. . .
A family that prides
in
hides
Couple Jesse and Veronica
Agustin strives to revive the
leather industry in Iloilo as they
also try to keep their mother’s
legacy alive in the business
thru the years.
of cured raw hides are being shipped to
Manila and eventually to Bulacan. Forty
percent of these are carabao hides while
the rest are cow hides.
Manufacturing of leather
goods is a tough business to
engage in. Stiff competition
exists, with China fiercely in
it.
One company in the Philippines,
though, that supplies carabao raw
hides for manufacturing leather goods,
manages to keep itself alive for years
now.
J.J. Agustin Trading in Iloilo City
continues to specialize in the collection
of raw water buffalo and cow hides used
in making quality leather goods such as
shoes and apparel items.
It has been continuing its age-old
legacy in the dealership of raw hide
since 1936.
Then and now
The raw hide dealership which
started with the Blanco/Rubio Clan
of Bangkal, Meycauayan, Bulacan was
inherited by the late Margarita Rubio
Lizardo, simply known as Aling Etang.
Her mother was the first to venture
in the raw hide dealership during the
late 1930’s. But it was Aling Etang who
made it prosper.
Aling Etang, guided by her
entrepreneurial spirit, migrated to Rizal
Street, Iloilo City Proper in the mid-
1950 where she chose to have her own
business, “Margarita Lizardo raw hides”,
a dealer of raw hides coming from cow,
carabao, and even goat.
She was considered as the pioneer in
raw hide dealership in Iloilo City.
She also engaged in manufacturing
slippers made of leather materials such
as cow and carabao hides. She also
operated a small tannery at Balantang,
Jaro, Iloilo City for a short period of
time until she decided to transfer the
processing of the hide to Meycauayan,
Bulacan tannery due to leather demand
for Marikina and abroad.
She also became one of the slipper
and shoe makers in Iloilo City and the
popular shoe supplier to Colegio de
Las Hijas de Jesus in Iloilo City, and
neighboring towns within the Visayan
Region, and as far as Mindanao Island.
In her supply business, Aling Etang
supplied the raw hides mostly to some
firms in Manila, and in Guiguinto and
Meycauayan in Bulacan.
It was during the 70s when her
business boomed. Her delivery of raw
hides in a month ranged from 30 to 40
tons of mixed carabao and cow hides.
Aling Etang made good “harvest”
from her business. She was able to
procure properties and made travels
abroad with her family. She has 10
children, all of whom helped her
manage the business.
Her children helped sourcing out
stocks of raw hides from Antique, Capiz,
Aklan, and Negros.
Unfortunately, Aling Etang passed
away leaving behind the management
of the business to her children. The
business met difficulties and eventually
led to its bankruptcy in 2008.
That same year, Veronica the sixth
child of Aling Etang, with husband Jesse
James Agustin, decided to revive the
business and put it up as their own after
their retirement from abroad.
They decided to acquire a property
in Barangay Bolilao, Mandurriao, Iloilo
City where the business establishment
is also located. Veronica wanted to
rejuvenate the business because she still
wanted to continue her mother’s legacy.
They named it “J.J. Agustin Trading”
after her husband’s initials.
J.J. Agustin Trading keeps the passion
in doing this endeavor equipped with
the knowledge of the old techniques and
methods that came from their ancestral
background.
In effect, Veronica and her husband
are the third generation of raw hide
dealer started by Aling Etang’s mother.
Shipment
Every three months, eight to 10 tons
The hides are sourced out from
the stocks of local market butchers of
Passi City, Zaraga, Pototan, and Barotac
Nuevo in the province of Iloilo; San
Jose, Sibalum, Hamtic in the province
of Antique; and Navas, Ibahay in the
province of Aklan within the Island of
Panay.
The collected raw hides from the
three provincial sources are already
cured. It was learned that the curing of
raw carabao and cow hides takes three
months.
According to Jesse, 4 kg of salt are
needed for every 30 kg of raw hide
when curing.
Each source provides at least three
tons of cured raw hide. The couple is
informed thru a phone call whenever
the desired amount of hides is already
available.
The couple pay Php25 to Php26 per
kilo of cured raw hide delivered to them.
“The cured raw hides are kept in
our storage area until such time that
we accumulate the needed amount
required by our buyers,” explained
Jesse.
“The initial condition of raw hides
depends on how it is preserved. Less
salt makes the hide more prone to
breakage and shedding of hair. We
always ask them to properly handle the
removal of the hide from the animal
to avoid possible hole marks. Every
hide must be round in shape for design
purposes,” he added.
Their son, Jon, takes charge of the
shipment to Manila.
The delivered hides are priced at
Php32 per kilo.
from page 17
at Php140 and Php150 for younger
carabaos.
The buyers pay them with postdated checks or cash upon delivery. The
hides are picked-up by the buyers in the
port area.
Leather products
The leathers produced from the
hides are made into footwear, bags,
belts, accessories, and upholstery by the
manufacturers who ordered the hides.
“Unlike cow, carabao leather has
coarser grains and natural hardness. It
is mostly used in thicker products such
as belts and soles,” Veronica said.
Jesse and Veronica admitted that
the leather industry is experiencing a
slowdown. At the same time, they said,
the carabao hides are now popularly
used for food processing thus limiting
its use for leather-making.
Faced with these challenges,
Veronica still holds on to her passion of
continuing the business even if it is not
as profitable anymore compared to her
mother’s. Her husband supports her all
the way.
Meanwhile, Jon has explored the
possibilities of exporting the raw
materials as well as the finished
products like bags and purse. He
promotes the business thru the internet.
As of now, possible clients from
Oman, United States, and United
Kingdom have been asking for samples.
“Lying low seems to be a practical
approach since the leather business is
not as good as it used to be during my
grandmother's time. I may have to find
some other ways to come up with end
products for the raw material if ever I
decide to boost and revive the business
of my mother,” Jon said.
When inspecting a potential carabao to
buy, Edwin gives the animal a rub on the
rump, chest, and body to have a feel of its
overall physique. Another manifestation
that a carabao is well-nourished, he said,
is the feel of a medium fat layer under the
animal’s skin.
He is also careful, like any livestock
buyer in the auction market, not to buy
a carabao with a cut-off tail. Livestock
traders in Padre Garcia believe that
a carabao with a cut-off tail brings a
twofold bad luck to someone who buys it.
Thus, this “unlucky carabao” fetches only
about 50 percent of the actual price in the
auction market.
An albino carabao, on the other
hand, is believed to bring fortune to the
paradahan as it will usher more animals
for trading.
Edwin buys 25 head of carabaos per
day or 100 head per week. He brings
25 head everyday to the retailer who
usually slaughters about 17 to 20 head.
During peak season, especially during the
Christmas and New Year seasons, Edwin
said this retailer requires 50 head per day
for them to deliver.
For every 10 head of carabaos,
Edwin and his team earn an average of
Php20,000.
For every carabao that he pulls out
from the auction market, Edwin pays an
ownership transfer fee of Php90.
For as long as ‘Listahe!’ is a
reverberating exclamation every auction
day at Padre Garcia, which equally means
a resounding pouring in of cash in the
pockets, Edwin, Alex, and the other key
players in the auction market of Padre
Garcia look forward, with buoyant hope,
to more years of being mainstays in the
livestock trade.
That positive outlook, happily, augurs
well, too, for the livestock raisers,
including the raisers of carabaos to supply
the gourmand’s delight for carabao meat’s
delicacies.
29
29
Silverio Butay
the needs of his family.
“Collecting these materials from
different locations is not easy. With my
age, I easily get tired. But despite that,
I go on for the sake of my family. It’s
where we get our main income from. I
was able to send my three children to
school and has provided a better life
ahead of them,” Alain said.
In Tuguegarao City
Photos by Rowena G. Bumanlag
In Cebu City
Through the years, the
Philippine handicrafts have
evolved through inventive
changes in designs bolstered
by exciting choices and
combination of indigenous
materials. Among these raw
materials are carabao horn
and hoof.
These carabao’s by-products are
turned into masterpieces of various
workmanships like necklace, earrings,
bracelets, buttons, and bolo handle.
Any material, says the expert of
the handicraft industry, can be used in
making a beautiful craft. But it takes
some imagination and creativity of the
designer.
In the country, the carabao hooves’
and horns are turning to be good
materials for works of art and for
convenience.
A trade to last. . .
from page 23
farm, says its special projects manager
Bimbie J. Pineda.
“We supply all sorts of poultry and
livestock paraphernalia, equipment, and
veterinary pharmaceuticals. We gain
pride in caring for the welfare of our
clients’ animals,” Bimbie said about the
30
PCCNewsletter
April-June2012
2012
30 PCC
Cebu City is known internationally
for its unique fashion accessories
made from indigenous materials.
Carabao horn and hoof are among
these materials, the others being exotic
seashells, wood, bone, coco shell, seeds
and nuts, and limestone corals.
Filipino artisans in Cebu City rely
on what raw materials are supplied to
them for their craftsmanship. These
suppliers come from different provinces
in the Visayas.
Alain Lizardo, 42, of Brgy. Salvacion,
Apog-Apog Baluarte, Iloilo City makes
a living by supplying carabao horns
and hooves to different handicraft
manufacturers in Cebu City.
He supplies 2,000 pairs of carabao
horns every three months and 1,000
pieces of carabao hooves every month
to his buyers.
The stocks are sourced out from
local market butchers of Estancia,
Barutac Nuevo, and Balasan in Iloilo
City and in Capiz, Roxas City.
company.
She said being one of the top players
in the supply chain for poultry and
livestock needs is a mandate on the
provision of quality service that the
company continues to uphold.
The company is mainly engaged
in importing and distributing animal
nutrition products, feed additives,
veterinary drugs, biosecurity products,
and equipment and instruments for
animal husbandry.
The horns are classified into three
based on their measurement. The first
class measures more than one meter.
The second class measures less than 24
inches while the third class is only 12
inches.
Alain usually collects the 1st and 2nd
classes of horns and is paid Php50 per
pair. He sells the 1st class for Php200
per pair while the second class for
Php100 per pair.
The hooves are sold in kilograms. He
gets a kg of hoofs for Php2 and sells it at
Php8 per kg.
Bolo-making is a well-known
source of livelihood in two villages in
Tuguegarao City. Barangays Larion Bajo
and Larion Alto are the top producers
of quality hand-made boloes in the
province.
Alipio Ventura
Alipio Dayag Ventura, 65, is the
top collector of carabao horns in the
vicinity. His collections are supplied
to the blacksmiths of Barangay Larion
Bajo and Larion Alto, one of whom is
considered as the topnotch maker of
boloes in the city.
Silverio Butay, 79, owner of “The
Blade Master Shop” located in Barangay
Larion Bajo is the pioneer maker and
producer of boloes in the city.
His products, that include bolos and
samurai marked with his SVB initials,
are sought-after products in his shop.
Most of the handles of boloes and
samurai are made out of carabao’s horn.
According to Mang Silverio, the
handles made from carabao horns are
more durable compared to the rubber
materials that are sometimes used by
the blacksmiths for handle-making
because they are cheaper.
Mang Ely gets his stocks from the
Don Domingo public market which is
located along Balzain East, Tuguegarao
City. It is the second public market in
the city after the old “Pamilihang Bayan
ng Tuguegarao”.
The collected stocks are shipped
to Cebu where they will be picked-up
by the buyers. Advanced payments are
made to the suppliers before shipping
the stocks.
Every Wednesday and Sunday,
Mang Ely collects carabao horns from
the carabao meat dealers in the public
market. His job requires him to be there
every 3 a.m. His main supplier, Nelly
Alain has been doing this source of
livelihood for 27 years now. He said it’s
a good business because he can provide
“The company acquired the
specialization in the direct selling of AI
paraphernalia and materials for cattle,
goats, sheep, and swine,” she added.
The company recently supplied,
for the first semester requirement
One of the raw materials being used
by the local blacksmiths in bolo-making
includes carabao horns.
Alipio, who is more known as Mang
Ely, regularly delivers horns to Mang
Silverio.
“My contacts inform me through
phone calls whenever the ideal number
of horns and hooves are already
available,” Alain said.
Bimbie shared that the company
has won a bid for supplying PCC’s
requirement for AI paraphernalia
several times and that “it has been a
pleasure to partner with PCC for its
needs for 15 years.”
This hand-made craft involves the
use of a traditional forging technique
which has been passed down from
generation to generation.
of PCC, a total of 30,000 doses of
estrus inducer. The hormone is used
by PCC AI technicians for its estrus
synchronization activities.
“Most of our clients are government
agencies and local government units,”
Bimbie said.
She said the company has also the
capability to set up milking parlors.
Most of the company’s products are
sourced out from reputable companies
in Germany, UK, Italy, France, Spain,
USA, China, Korea, Taiwan, and Malaysia,
she said.
Aside from the credible source of its
products, Bimbie said the company is
proud of providing after-sales service to
their clients.
“We make sure that we immediately
respond to our clients’ concerns not
only before the sale but even after
that. We send a technician to our
customers in case they will be needing
troubleshooting, demonstration,
Macabadbad, reserves the horns for him
which are ready for pick-up.
He buys the horn in bulk which is
paid at an average price of Php450 to
Php600 per sack depending on the size
of the horn.
In the open market, each pair of
horns costs Php150. He sells every pair
to the blacksmith at Php180.
Buying and delivering horns is just a
sideline for Mang Ely. His main income,
though, comes from bolo-making, as
he is a blacksmith, too. He also repairs
butcher’s knife in the market.
He uses his unsold horns in making
his own craft which he also sells to the
butchers.
“Sourcing out of horns is not that
easy nowadays. Blacksmiths have also
lowered the buying price for them
compared to what they offered in the
past few years I have been selling them”,
shared Mang Ely.
The number of carabao horns that
he is able to collect and sell depends on
the number of slaughtered carabaos for
selling in the public market.
According to John Cabrera,
slaughterhouse meat inspector, five
to 11 head of carabaos are being
slaughtered every day. The carcass
and by-products are delivered to Don
Domingo Public Market.
Mang Ely has been in the business
since he was 18 years old. He said that
even with a minimal profit that he earns
out of it, this helps him provide for his
family.
On the other hand, his service helps
much in the venture of blacksmiths in
coming out with boloes and knives with
durable handles.
and installation. We also have
readily available spare parts. So,
troubleshooting doesn’t have to take
a long time as our company can do it,”
Bimbie explained.
With the kind of service that the
company pursues to consistently
commit, Bimbie is positive that they will
continue to be one of the leading animal
health care products providers in the
country.
31
31
Silverio Butay
the needs of his family.
“Collecting these materials from
different locations is not easy. With my
age, I easily get tired. But despite that,
I go on for the sake of my family. It’s
where we get our main income from. I
was able to send my three children to
school and has provided a better life
ahead of them,” Alain said.
In Tuguegarao City
Photos by Rowena G. Bumanlag
In Cebu City
Through the years, the
Philippine handicrafts have
evolved through inventive
changes in designs bolstered
by exciting choices and
combination of indigenous
materials. Among these raw
materials are carabao horn
and hoof.
These carabao’s by-products are
turned into masterpieces of various
workmanships like necklace, earrings,
bracelets, buttons, and bolo handle.
Any material, says the expert of
the handicraft industry, can be used in
making a beautiful craft. But it takes
some imagination and creativity of the
designer.
In the country, the carabao hooves’
and horns are turning to be good
materials for works of art and for
convenience.
A trade to last. . .
from page 23
farm, says its special projects manager
Bimbie J. Pineda.
“We supply all sorts of poultry and
livestock paraphernalia, equipment, and
veterinary pharmaceuticals. We gain
pride in caring for the welfare of our
clients’ animals,” Bimbie said about the
30
PCCNewsletter
April-June2012
2012
30 PCC
Cebu City is known internationally
for its unique fashion accessories
made from indigenous materials.
Carabao horn and hoof are among
these materials, the others being exotic
seashells, wood, bone, coco shell, seeds
and nuts, and limestone corals.
Filipino artisans in Cebu City rely
on what raw materials are supplied to
them for their craftsmanship. These
suppliers come from different provinces
in the Visayas.
Alain Lizardo, 42, of Brgy. Salvacion,
Apog-Apog Baluarte, Iloilo City makes
a living by supplying carabao horns
and hooves to different handicraft
manufacturers in Cebu City.
He supplies 2,000 pairs of carabao
horns every three months and 1,000
pieces of carabao hooves every month
to his buyers.
The stocks are sourced out from
local market butchers of Estancia,
Barutac Nuevo, and Balasan in Iloilo
City and in Capiz, Roxas City.
company.
She said being one of the top players
in the supply chain for poultry and
livestock needs is a mandate on the
provision of quality service that the
company continues to uphold.
The company is mainly engaged
in importing and distributing animal
nutrition products, feed additives,
veterinary drugs, biosecurity products,
and equipment and instruments for
animal husbandry.
The horns are classified into three
based on their measurement. The first
class measures more than one meter.
The second class measures less than 24
inches while the third class is only 12
inches.
Alain usually collects the 1st and 2nd
classes of horns and is paid Php50 per
pair. He sells the 1st class for Php200
per pair while the second class for
Php100 per pair.
The hooves are sold in kilograms. He
gets a kg of hoofs for Php2 and sells it at
Php8 per kg.
Bolo-making is a well-known
source of livelihood in two villages in
Tuguegarao City. Barangays Larion Bajo
and Larion Alto are the top producers
of quality hand-made boloes in the
province.
Alipio Ventura
Alipio Dayag Ventura, 65, is the
top collector of carabao horns in the
vicinity. His collections are supplied
to the blacksmiths of Barangay Larion
Bajo and Larion Alto, one of whom is
considered as the topnotch maker of
boloes in the city.
Silverio Butay, 79, owner of “The
Blade Master Shop” located in Barangay
Larion Bajo is the pioneer maker and
producer of boloes in the city.
His products, that include bolos and
samurai marked with his SVB initials,
are sought-after products in his shop.
Most of the handles of boloes and
samurai are made out of carabao’s horn.
According to Mang Silverio, the
handles made from carabao horns are
more durable compared to the rubber
materials that are sometimes used by
the blacksmiths for handle-making
because they are cheaper.
Mang Ely gets his stocks from the
Don Domingo public market which is
located along Balzain East, Tuguegarao
City. It is the second public market in
the city after the old “Pamilihang Bayan
ng Tuguegarao”.
The collected stocks are shipped
to Cebu where they will be picked-up
by the buyers. Advanced payments are
made to the suppliers before shipping
the stocks.
Every Wednesday and Sunday,
Mang Ely collects carabao horns from
the carabao meat dealers in the public
market. His job requires him to be there
every 3 a.m. His main supplier, Nelly
Alain has been doing this source of
livelihood for 27 years now. He said it’s
a good business because he can provide
“The company acquired the
specialization in the direct selling of AI
paraphernalia and materials for cattle,
goats, sheep, and swine,” she added.
The company recently supplied,
for the first semester requirement
One of the raw materials being used
by the local blacksmiths in bolo-making
includes carabao horns.
Alipio, who is more known as Mang
Ely, regularly delivers horns to Mang
Silverio.
“My contacts inform me through
phone calls whenever the ideal number
of horns and hooves are already
available,” Alain said.
Bimbie shared that the company
has won a bid for supplying PCC’s
requirement for AI paraphernalia
several times and that “it has been a
pleasure to partner with PCC for its
needs for 15 years.”
This hand-made craft involves the
use of a traditional forging technique
which has been passed down from
generation to generation.
of PCC, a total of 30,000 doses of
estrus inducer. The hormone is used
by PCC AI technicians for its estrus
synchronization activities.
“Most of our clients are government
agencies and local government units,”
Bimbie said.
She said the company has also the
capability to set up milking parlors.
Most of the company’s products are
sourced out from reputable companies
in Germany, UK, Italy, France, Spain,
USA, China, Korea, Taiwan, and Malaysia,
she said.
Aside from the credible source of its
products, Bimbie said the company is
proud of providing after-sales service to
their clients.
“We make sure that we immediately
respond to our clients’ concerns not
only before the sale but even after
that. We send a technician to our
customers in case they will be needing
troubleshooting, demonstration,
Macabadbad, reserves the horns for him
which are ready for pick-up.
He buys the horn in bulk which is
paid at an average price of Php450 to
Php600 per sack depending on the size
of the horn.
In the open market, each pair of
horns costs Php150. He sells every pair
to the blacksmith at Php180.
Buying and delivering horns is just a
sideline for Mang Ely. His main income,
though, comes from bolo-making, as
he is a blacksmith, too. He also repairs
butcher’s knife in the market.
He uses his unsold horns in making
his own craft which he also sells to the
butchers.
“Sourcing out of horns is not that
easy nowadays. Blacksmiths have also
lowered the buying price for them
compared to what they offered in the
past few years I have been selling them”,
shared Mang Ely.
The number of carabao horns that
he is able to collect and sell depends on
the number of slaughtered carabaos for
selling in the public market.
According to John Cabrera,
slaughterhouse meat inspector, five
to 11 head of carabaos are being
slaughtered every day. The carcass
and by-products are delivered to Don
Domingo Public Market.
Mang Ely has been in the business
since he was 18 years old. He said that
even with a minimal profit that he earns
out of it, this helps him provide for his
family.
On the other hand, his service helps
much in the venture of blacksmiths in
coming out with boloes and knives with
durable handles.
and installation. We also have
readily available spare parts. So,
troubleshooting doesn’t have to take
a long time as our company can do it,”
Bimbie explained.
With the kind of service that the
company pursues to consistently
commit, Bimbie is positive that they will
continue to be one of the leading animal
health care products providers in the
country.
31
31
Slices of Life in Carabao-based Industry

PCC Newsletter Volume 11 No. 2

Transcription

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