We acknowledge the observation of Senator Cynthia Villar on the real situation of the country’s dairy industry, particularly the measly supply of locally-produced milk.
We appreciate her passion for our local dairy industry to produce the needed milk to feed our children.
That is why we must elevate the game by geometrically increasing the population of dairy cattle and upgraded carabaos, which could produce at least 12 -15 liters per day.
We will overhaul the programs and respective targets of the National Dairy Authority (NDA) and the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), and encourage the active participation of the private sector, local government units and concerned agencies, particularly the Department of Education, and Department of Health through the National Nutrition Council.
In particular, the PCC and NDA will massively improve the genetics of dairy buffaloes and cattle to produce seven liters and 18 liters, respectively.
We will expand our current herd of 7,573 head of purebred dairy buffaloes and 14,354 tropicalized dairy cattle.
We will seek increased budget from Congress to launch a revitalized dairy industry roadmap up to 2022, that will serve as a foundation to adequately meet the annual per capita milk consumption of 22 kilograms.
We will optimize the limited dairy stocks of PCC, NDA, and BAI together with the LGUs, and select the best males as semen donors for artificial insemination throughout the country, transforming about 100,000 native animals every year as potential dairy milk producers.
We will focus on provinces that have a comparative advantage in producing dairy milk.
In 2019, the country’s dairy sector produced 23.69 million liters of milk and has registered annual growth equivalent to 5.4 percent. This is not enough!
In all, we will harmonize and strengthen the plans and programs of the PCC and NDA, inputting innovative and new strategies to once and for all develop the Philippine dairy industry.
The approval of RA 11037 otherwise known as “Masustansiyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act,” that creates the demand and market for liquid milk, will serve as an impetus and guide for us to perform better. Further, we will provide a conducive environment for the private sector and LGUs to invest in our national dairy industry, and join hands to complement and enhance our efforts to at least double local milk production in the next five years.
