Dingras: Carabao milk production in the rural farming village of San Marcelino is expected to increase following the entrustment of 29 female dairy buffaloes to a local farmers' association. Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) Batac City Director Joel Cabading announced that the buffaloes, valued at around PHP2.3 million, were turned over to the Timpuyog de San Marcelino Sustainable Livelihood Program Association, Inc.
According to Philippines News Agency, the initiative aims to meet the rising demand for carabao milk-based products while simultaneously addressing malnutrition and promoting food security in the province. "This is a social contract to the association, and the association is only being asked to maintain the original stock and must increase its offspring," Cabading stated in an interview.
Prior to the turnover, the Department of Agriculture-PCC at the Mariano Marcos State University provided specialized training to the members to enhance their skills in dairy buffalo management. The entrustment program is a key strategy of the DA-PCC to conserve the carabao as a primary source of milk, meat, draft power, and hide for rural communities.
Under the social contract, the PCC will continue to provide technical support and marketing assistance to the association to ensure the long-term success of the dairy project. Dingras Mayor Joemelle Go Sy described the initiative as a long-term investment that provides sustainable livelihood opportunities for the community during the turnover ceremony. Sy reaffirmed the local government's commitment to supporting the project to help uplift the lives of farmers and drive agricultural progress in the municipality.
The Timpuyog de San Marcelino association consists of current and former members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and was recently recognized as one of the country's best microenterprises in the 2025 Gawad Sulong - Yabong Awards. Edelberto Reyes Jr., the association's president, shared that his own success with a single PCC-entrusted carabao in 2022 allowed him to build a house and sustain his family's daily needs. The recipients expressed their gratitude for the collaborative efforts of the DA-PCC, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, and the local government in strengthening their livelihoods.
