KABACAN, Cotabato Province (PIA) -- The provincial government of Cotabato is set to buy at least 20 buffaloes for its livestock dispersal and help boost local milk production in support of the program of the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Carabao Center (PCC).

Board Member Jonathan Tabara, chairman of the Committee in Agriculture, announced the province’s initiative during the Mindanao Cluster celebration of the 31st anniversary of the PCC held recently at the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) in Kabacan, Cotabato.

Tabara, who represented Gov. Emmylou "Lala" Mendoza at the event, disclosed that he has authored Provincial Ordinance 684, "An Ordinance for the Enhanced Program to Propagate and Promote Carabaos in the Province of Cotabato, Appropriating Funds Thereof and Other Purposes.”

"In support of your program, this year the provincial government has allocated funds to buy 20 buffaloes," Tabara told officials of the PCC, emphasizing further that the initiative is aimed at addressing the Philippines's need to import milk.

"Para maibsan ‘yong ating pag-i-import ng gatas, ini-encourage namin ang ating mga magsasaka na mag-alaga ng gagatasang kalabaw," he said.

[In order to reduce our milk imports, we encourage our farmers to raise carabao to boost our country’s milk production.]

These buffaloes, he added, will be dispersed to qualified local farmers who will be trained in the productive rearing of the animals.

Aside from the ordinance, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan has also passed a resolution prohibiting the slaughter of productive female carabaos and the sale of the same to buyers outside the jurisdiction of Cotabato Province.

Tabara pointed out that under these legislations, the provincial government buys back trapped animals to be dispersed to interested farmers.

Meanwhile, in response to the efforts of the provincial government, Director Geoffrey Atok of the PCC-USM assured the local government of assistance in the form of training, technical support, and product processing and marketing.

Along with the PCC's mandate to conserve, propagate, and promote carabao as a source of milk, meat, draft power, and hide to benefit rural farmers, the agency has also produced nearly 5,000 genetically improved carabaos since 2019.

Moreover, its farmer-cooperators have produced more than 165,000 liters of milk and recorded P265 million in gross sales.

Three of its assisted cooperatives have also supplied milk to the Department of Education's and the Department of Social Welfare and Development's feeding programs under Republic Act 11037, the “Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act,” and earned aggregate sales of P66.9 million.

According to PCC, eight of its supported farmer groups in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Soccsksargen, and Davao Region will be supplying milk for the government feeding program in 2024, which will help at least 80,701 childcare and schoolchildren. (DED - PIA Region 12)