Bantog buffalo milk. Helping farmers help themselves

dmmmsuASINGAN, PANGASINAN - Sunday, 25 September 2011, at 1400 hours, I am with the 7 Vet Med students from the Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University (DMMSU) in La Union Province who have just finished their practicum at the individual buffalo farms of members of the Bantog Coop led by Modesto "Modi" Gabriel.

The 7 are: Jonathan Cariaga, Edmar Cardaño, Cherry Mae Castillo, Jenny Ruth Catabay, Cristy Caoile, Catherine Lobrete, and Marie Claire Cablac. The natural leader turned out to be Jonathan; the first 3 are Seniors, the rest Juniors. They were sent to the Bantog Coop by their professor, Dr Elizabeth P Galaraga whom they fondly call Doc Aga. She has heard about the success of this coop in raising imported buffalos for milk production. They were very thankful of their hands-on experience.

It is their 3rd and last day; I just happen to be visiting my hometown and I learned about it only today through Neneng Manuel. Modi asks them to share their experience and impressions of the Bantog buffalo milk project, and their common declaration is that they learned a lot, among other things: how to milk a live buffalo by hand - every one of them had the real hands-on experience. They were lectured on by farmers on how to grow Napier grass, and shown how to process milk. They were also shown how to do their own vermiculture by Neneng.

Modi challenged the Vet Med visitors from La Union: "'Wag ninyo akong tularan. Higitan ninyo ako." Don't imitate me - outshine me. He was especially challenging Jonathan to outdo what he has done with the Bantog Coop (full name: Bantog Samahang Nayon Multi-Purpose Cooperative).
They were holding their last (wrap-up) session at the milk processing lab of the Bantog Coop about 2 km away from the town proper of Asingan. The building is newly constructed, 100% finished, but the milk processing facilities worth some PhP 6 M are not yet in place. They have a little problem raising funds to pay for the 1,000 sq m property where the lab has been built. It is within the Jamias Family property.

Governor Amado Espino Jr himself has visited the Bantog Coop and I have reported on that visit (see my "Ranjit & Donita. When Gov Amado Espino came to town," 16 April 2011, Dati, Gawat, blogspot.com). Board Member Ranjit Ramos Shahani has visited the same; he is, after all, from Asingan and has pledged financial support. In fact, it was his mother former Senator Letecia Ramos Shahani who had the bright idea of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) bringing the milk buffalos to Asingan and assigning the animals to the Bantog Coop.

I have seen enough and heard enough of the Bantog Coop buffalo dairy project to say it is very successful. This is also to the credit of Gloria dela Cruz, Region 1 Director of the PCC, whose passion for the project to succeed I have witnessed.

There are financial problems, and I hope these are resolved soon. The municipal council of Asingan, particularly Mayor Heidi Chua and Vice Mayor Eleanor Viray are trying to help as much as they can, but the farmers have to help themselves too.

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