Behind a riveting story is a plot twist of circumstances unimaginable and hurdles unthinkable.

Such is the story behind the success of the first and only retort facility for sterilized carabao’s milk in the entire Cagayan Valley, which also faced major impediments prior to its eventual operationalization.

Noemi Liangco, president of the Amancio Nicolas Agri-Tourism Academy (AATA) in Cordon, Isabela, which manages the retort facility, wore her heart on her sleeve as she described the hardships she and her husband, Amancio Jr., confronted when they first started the carabao-based business. 

Her story was specifically about the setbacks she encountered in supplying sterilized milk and how her team was able to bounce back with the help and support of their community.

“I am just one person among the many people who made this possible. I want to acknowledge the people who helped us during the hard times because the whole story is not really about me; I’m just a part of it,” Noemi said.

Noemi’s family business grappled with the economic disruptions brought about by the pandemic. One of the three branches of their popular fast-food chain had to close. Due to the unprecedented losses, their three chains of restaurants and hotels also ceased operations.

Aware of the impact this would have on her staff and colleagues in the business who depend only on their company, Noemi decided to venture into the carabao-based enterprise so they could have another source of income. This was after she was encouraged by the DA-PCC.

Noemi made the decision to contact her friends Jum Supaksiri and Yay San Pedro of Belldas Thailand for assistance with the retort facility for sterilized carabao’s milk, after conducting extensive research and study about the new business she intended to launch.

However, her journey through the dairy enterprise wasn’t a straight line. It was like a squiggly line with some ups, downs, and troubles along the way. Throughout her venture, she was constantly hit with one adversity after the other, most of which she had no control over. Noemi had a packaging issue, delaying the operation of the retort facility and necessitating the temporary production of pasteurized milk.

“Despite so many challenges, I was taught by those who love me, my parents, and my mentors, that the effort that is required to proceed to succeed and the effort to give up, I was told: ‘Noemi, it’s the same. Take your pick.’ And I always choose to proceed and give it my all. I’m a risk-taker, especially in this field of agriculture,” Noemi said.

Mina Abella, DA-PCC’s former national milk feeding coordinator, assisted Noemi in contacting and consulting Jaime Tiongson of Laguna Training and Consultancy Services for the operation of their retort facility and Noel Laforteza of Bagong Pag-asa Engineering Company for packaging machines.

“It is indeed at your lowest point that you can see the blessings flowing in, and there were a lot of people who came in to help. One thing that I’ve learned is that when you are achieving something good, good people will also come to you,” Noemi stated. 

Since its inception in 2020, the AATA has supplied more than 1.9 million pouches of sterilized milk to 86,182 schoolchildren in Region 2 (except Batanes) and the Cordillera Administrative Region (except Baguio) in partnership with the Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and DA-PCC. 

“Milk feeding is a miracle making an impact on its stakeholders in various forms. Now, when we look back, we’re grateful for those trials that came because they brought a lot more people to help in the cause. They brought many more opportunities I did not imagine coming,” Noemi narrated.

The AATA believes in the mission of RA 11037. It took part in the milk feeding program for three reasons: to help increase milk production in the Philippines, to give farmers in the countryside an extra source of income and livelihood, and to help combat hunger and malnutrition in the country.

“For me, these challenges are opportunities. When we define the opportunity, it’s something to champion. It’s an opportunity to grow cooperatives and to further educate farmers, among others,” she argued.

Noemi’s journey in the dairy industry mirrors many other experiences that prove “no man is an island,” and that collaboration and meaningful partnership always bring forth beneficial outcomes. 

Amancio Nicolas’ participation in the milk feeding program is rooted in the fundamental thought that we are being synchronized to be of added value in the institutionalization of RA 11037. For three feeding cycles and counting, the program, together with the DA-PCC, DepEd, and DSWD, has created a positive economic impact through local employment and farmers’ awareness of the significance of taking care of their carabaos, among others. May the milk beneficiaries include farming as one of their options in planning their future career.