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CABANATUAN CITY: Several government and non-government groups laid
down on Tuesday the groundwork toward making Nueva Ecija the dairy
capital of the Philippines by promoting a sustained industry of
carabao milk-based products.
Spearheaded by the Philippine Carabao Center and
Gov. Aurelio Umali, the project gained support from the Department
of Trade and Industry (DTI) that adopted the industry as a feature
product under its One Town One Product Program.
Some 2,500 children simultaneously drank carabao
milk in selected areas across the province Tuesday to promote its
nutritional as well as economic value, said Dr. Raymundo Sarmiendo,
head of the provincial affairs monitoring office.
Blesila Lantayona, director of DTI Region 3,
said the project would be fully supported by the agency all the way
from production to marketing, being an OTOP feature industry. But
she stressed the need for all sectors to work as one.
DTI provincial director Bi Pili said some of the
farmers’ groups engaged in dairy production have made it to the
Bureau of Food and drugs. “It’s still a long way,” she said
when asked if the products are ready for the international market.
“It’s a continuing program and the department will support them
[producers] from packaging to marketing.”
The PCC reported that with 3,000 gestating
carabaos, Nueva Ecija easily has the largest population of cattle.
Vicky Gaetos, commerce and industry regional
chair was upbeat on the prospect of making Nueva Ecija known for its
dairy products. She noted that Bulacan is popular for pastries made
from carabao milk. “While the milk they use comes from Nueva Ecija,
but it’s the pastries that made Bulacan popular,” she said.
-- Armand M. Galang
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