The Department of Education-Tanjay City Division tapped the San Julio Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Cooperative (ARBC), a farmer cooperative in Tanjay City, Negros Oriental engaged in dairy carabao milk production and processing as its partner in the school-base milk feeding program and is expected to supply milk packs intended for the schoolchildren of Tanjay City.
DA-7 Regional Executive Director Atty. Salvador Diputado during his farm visit to the ARBC dairy carabao farm over the weekend saw the potential of the cooperative especially in its agribusiness undertaking.
"We will extend support services to the coop and help ensure the success of the feeding program," Diputado said.
The DA-Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC) is also assisting the coop to support the DepEd's milk feeding program.
ARBC President Cecilio Tacogue said that the coop received 40 heads of carabao from PCC. Out of the 40 heads, 6 carabaos are now producing milk and 15 carabaos are now pregnant.
"Kining gatas sa kabaw or carabao's milk is more creamy, nutritious and even more expensive than cow's mik," Tacogue said.
Tacogue added that the coop had conducted several seminars to carabao owners to enhance their dairy milk production as a source of livelihood.
"Amo silang giingnan nga ang coop maoy mopalit sa gatas sa ilang kabaw aron makab-ot namo ang panginahanglan nga supply sa gatas alang sa milk feeding," Tacogue said. (We inform them that the coop will buy the carabao's milk so that we will be able to supply the needed milk for the feeding program.)
City veterinarian Francis Dino Adelina said that the office gives technical assistance to the coop by conducting de-worming, animal health treatment and checkups from time to time. Artificial insemination is also administered to the animals.
The school-based feeding program is in accordance with the implementation of the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act or the RA 11037.