Once a woman ruled a cooperative, believe it or not, it hits differently.

In the 24 years of leadership of Dedaci Nepomuceno as a General Manager, the Pandan Multipurpose Cooperative (Pandan MPC) has grown its assets to more than PHP450 million. Her promise to generate services that cater to the needs of its members and even the residents of Pandan, Antique was fulfilled.

But before the achievement came along, Nepomuceno shared that Pandan MPC once became a sinking co-op. It was tested by time due to having multiple debts.

Nepomuceno was challenged in re-establishing the reputation of the cooperative, as well as reconciling the perspectives of the members. But, she showed transparency and credibility in solving the concerns and issues in the co-op. She eventually succeeded in winning back the trust and confidence of the members.

Since then, the members impart the willingness to patronize the coop’s services, such as gasoline stations, co-op farms, lending operations, and telecommunications, which generate an abundant livelihood and income. Good operations and management enabled it to become the 5th multi-millionaire co-op in the province of Antique.

A bigger challenge came along to Nepomuceno, i.e., to identify the ways to sustain the standing of the co-op. She stated humorously that bigger money entails bigger responsibility. Nonetheless, it encourages her to search for a venture that will sustain the economic growth of the co-op for a long time.

In attending various symposia, Nepomuceno found a lucrative business in buffalo dairy farming. With the help of Arn Granada, Center Director of DA-PCC at WVSU, the Pandan MPC entered into a memorandum of agreement to have a partnership with the provincial government of Antique, the municipality of Pandan, and the DA-PCC to establish the Cara-Dairy project in 2020. It was also supported by the DOLE, DTI, and DA.

Efforts were made to build the Cara-Dairy project in the town of Pandan, as the residents have only seen the buffalo as a reliable animal in farming. In their land, occupants are not aware that buffalo can produce nutritious milk. Even the market acceptability of its meat encountered problems as people believed it was tough and of low quality. According to Nepomuceno, its meat would only sell if buffalo died in an accident.

The misconceptions of the people in the town of Pandan and in the province of Antique were changed to a positive outlook through the establishment of the Cara-Dairy project. As time went by, the people and community of Pandan felt the advantages and benefits of buffalo dairying. 

The young and old citizens of Pandan enjoy the presence of buffalo fresh milk through the establishment of Pandan Dairy Box in 2021. Customers love to visit the hub to taste its flavored milk, toned milk, and ice cream. Buffalo products became popular in the place for being delicious and nutritious.

Pandan MPC widened the production of its fresh milk in 2022. It entered the milk feeding program supplying various School Division Offices (SDOs) in the municipalities of Antique. In partnership with the DepEd, it serves 7,483 beneficiaries with a PHP2,274,832 contract covering the municipalities of Patnongon, Bugasong, Valderrama, Laua-An, Barbaza, Tibiao, Culasi, Sebaste, Pandan, and Libertad. Likewise, with its partnership with the DSWD, it serves 1,180 beneficiaries with a PHP2,548,800 contract covering the municipality of Bugasong.

Compliments from parents and teachers of the children who are recipients of the fresh milk encourage the Pandan MPC to work harder to supply the milk feeding program consistently. 

“The people of Pandan warmly accept the venture of buffalo dairy farming. In fact, it distinguished the co-op from other farmer’s organizations in the entire Antique, as before; the buffalo was only used in the farmlands, but now it is also used for collecting and producing fresh milk,” humbly shared by Nepomuceno.

Even if buffalo dairying is a new project for the Pandan MPC and a new business for the municipality of Pandan, dairy buffalo farmers have demonstrated their resolve and commitment. In the first year of its establishment, the co-op had 217 buffalos that were managed by 98 dairy farmers.

Nepomuceno visualizes the potential of the buffalo industry in generating occupation and improving nutrition. It inspires her to pursue the negotiation with the DA in building the “Kadiwa ni Ani at Kita” project, which will strengthen the promotion of dairy products.

Pandan MPC was admired for discovering dairy enterprise, as it made the co-op distinctive in Pandan, Antique. From its current members of 7,800 and counting, a lot of people aspired to enter this co-op.   
Through the commitment of Nepomuceno, who took the challenge to revive the failing co-op, she succeeded in turning it into a competitive organization. With the help of the dairy buffalo enterprise, Nepomuceno is confident that it will attract more opportunities, securing the co-op’s status.

Milking the carabao is a new venture for our farmers. The establishment of the carabao-based dairy hub provides the Pandan MPC with many opportunities.