MILK FEEDING IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO BECOME NATIONAL PROGRAM UNDER DUTERTE ADMINISTRATION

 

Incoming Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” F. Piñol has vowed to make the milk feeding in public schools a national program.

The plan aims to address the problem of dairy farmers in marketing and distribution of milk and at the same time, help alleviate malnutrition among school children.

As part of his “Biyaheng Bukid”, Piñol has visited the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) National Headquarters and Gene Pool along with the other DA attached agencies here to see for himself the outcomes and the relevant issues about their respective program.

The incoming agriculture secretary was toured by PCC top personnel at the Milka Krem where carabao’s milk products such as mozzarella, bocconcini, kesong puti, pastillas, yoghurt, fresh milk and different flavored milk drinks were served.

He was also ushered to the national gene pool to visit the purebred buffaloes and later toured the Livestock Innovations and Biotechnology Center where he was briefed about the PCC program in a video presentation featuring success stories of farmers.

Eastern Primary Multi-Purpose Cooperative chairman Melchor Correa, who served as the representative of the buffalo dairying community, shared his testimony on how the PCC’s program helped them improve their daily living.

“In dairying, climate change is never a problem. We can still harvest milk from our buffaloes whether it is raining or shining. In fact, I am earning more than PHP2,000 a day from the milk sales. I won’t need to look for another source of income since I am netting more than enough. Also, I am now hiring workers so that I could also be of help to others especially to those farmers like me,” he said.

“I can say that carabao raising is indeed a successful venture and I think PCC has done its job well in implementing the program and we are the fruits of its success. We are the face of triumph of PCC in its pursuit of helping improve the lives of small-hold farming families,” he added.

In behalf of the dairy farmers, Correa also took the opportunity to ask for help from the government in their problem with the supply and demand of milk. We hope the secretary can help us address this problem through institutionalization of the milk feeding program,” he said.

In response to Correa’s appeal for help, Piñol said that “even before you have mentioned that problem, we already have a crafted program. The concept is from milk collection you will deliver it at the pasteurizing area and then we will have a milk feeding program in public schools from grades 1-4. We will support that program and it will be a national program. That is what we would like to happen and our target are those children in places or areas with high rates of malnutrition.”

The incoming DA Secretary said the program would be multipurpose as it will serve as a business for the dairy farmers, job for the farm workers, and a channel to address malnutrition among children.

“We will coordinate our efforts with the National Dairy Authority and Department of Education to identify schools or barangays that have high rates of malnutrition and we’ll focus our program there. If the carabao program could be replicated in other province successfully, then we will support it all the way,” he said.

He also bared one of their incoming programs and aspirations together with the incoming President Rodrigo Duterte, which includes provision of identification card to farmers so that their names will be included in the database and be able to avail pension fund and life insurance.

Piñol also expressed his appreciation towards the positive impact of PCC’s programs on the lives of dairy farmers.

“Thank you for bringing me here. After listening to your stories, my impression about PCC has changed for good. I will surely come back. Your program is acceptable, just make sure to improve carabaos not only for milk but for draft purposes as well,” he added. (PNA)

(c) tankler