BY LEANDER C. DOMINGO
CORDON, Isabela (May 24)—It is all systems go for the first retort facility for the sterilization of carabao’s milk in Region 2 (Cagayan Valley) to serve and boost milk production of Kisaviq dairy zone comprising the provinces of Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino and the region’s neighboring provinces of Ifugao, Kalinga and Aurora.
Noime Liangco, owner of the Amancio Nicolas Agri-Tourism Academy, said the facility in this town is seen boosting milk production and marketing in the Cagayan Valley region.
“This facility is also expected to fulfill its commitment for the School-Based Feeding Program of the Department of Education (DepEd) under Republic Act (RA) 11037, known as the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act,” Liangco added.
She said team Kisaviq, which she spearheaded, is ready to consolidate, process and distribute sterilized carabao’s milk to far-flung areas in Northern Luzon to improve the nutritional status of undernourished children.
“The facility can produce at least 12,000 packs of sterilized carabao’s milk in two shifts per day,” according to Langco.
She said the delivery and installation of the retort facility was completed on April 15 and a trial run was carried out thereafter ready for its full operation.
Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC) has assisted dairy cooperatives in the region.
These are the Quirino Dairy Cooperative (Quidaco) in Maddela town in Quirino province and San Agustin Dairy Cooperative (Sadaco) in San Agustin town in Isabela province.
Liangco said both Quidaco and Sadaco have pledged to consolidate their excess milk production to contribute to the sustainability and realization of the goals and objectives of the dairy zone.
On December 11 of last year, the Kisaviq team conducted their first meeting and strategic planning at Amancio Hotel in this town, through the initiative of Cagayan State University-based DA-PCC, headed by Dr. Rovina Piñera and Dr. Caro Salces, DA-PCC’s deputy executive director for administration and finance.
Liangco said the strategic planning was a move to set a direction on how dairy development will prosper in the region.
With the ongoing intervention, Piñera said the DA-PCC is certain that carabao’s milk is set to reach far, benefitting more undernourished children in previously unreachable areas.
Also present during the meeting were Dr. Ericson de la Cruz, DA-PCC’s officer in charge of planning, and Mina Abella, National Milk Feeding Program coordinator, and representatives from the CSU-based DA-PCC.