The DA-Philippine Carabao Center celebrates three decades of service as the lead agency responsible in conserving, propagating, and promoting the carabao as a source of milk, meat, draft power and hide to benefit the rural farmers.

This year’s anniversary is aptly themed, “PCC at 30: Continuing the legacy of service excellence and synergy”, which aims to honor the pillars and pioneers and to continue in carrying on their legacy of service excellence.

Senator Cynthia A. Villar, chairperson of the Office of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform who served as keynote speaker, recognized PCC’s service in improving the productivity of the carabaos as source of meat and milk, for nutritional support and to augment farm income.

The senator said that she will continue to support the PCC for the propagation and distribution of milking carabaos in all the PCC’s regional centers.

Senator Villar asserted in RA 11037 otherwise known as ‘Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act,’ the demand and market for local liquid milk, via the Department of Education’s milk feeding program.

In addition, her office funded the Carabao-based Business Improvement Network (CBIN) project under the banner program “Accelerating Livelihood and Assets Buildup (ALAB)-Karbawan.”

“Milk security is still the challenge for PCC now and in the future. It should continue to champion locally produced carabao’s milk by making it available, accessible, and affordable to all,” Villar ended.

Meanwhile, Senior Undersecretary for Agriculture, Domingo Panganiban conveyed his gratitude to the agency for a job well done especially during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The record of achievement of the PCC inspires us to look upon it both as an inspiration and a source of strength in pursuing even more worthy goals in the future.” Usec Panganiban said.

The DA-PCC was established by virtue of Republic Act No. 7307 in 1992. The agency’s mission is to “conserve, propagate, and promote the carabao as a source of milk, meat, draft power, and hide to benefit rural farmers.” It began operations in 1993 with a small central office in Quezon City, supported by a small network of regional centers.

Later, in 1998, it established its national headquarters and gene pool facilities in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

Currently, the DA-PCC has 12 regional centers spread across the country that collaborate to achieve its noble mission.

The agency’s milestones from 1998 to 2022 include, institutionalization of the carabao upgrading and enterprise development, adherence to international quality standards, assertion as a leading livestock institution, rationalization and strategic shift in program implementation, and shared value creation in carabao industry and digitalization of services.

During the weeklong celebration, the agency introduced new milestones, which include the launching of the Kardeli All Day Breakfast Diner, a fast casual restaurant which showcases carabao meat by offering pre-packed choice cuts, gourmet sausages, and quick meals and snacks; recognition of regional centers (DA-PCC at Visayas State University and DA-PCC at West Visayas State University) as newly certified under ISO 9001; inauguration of DA-Biotech DNA Sequencing Facility; and launching of Milestones Coffee Table Book and AVP and new Corporate AVP.

Moreover, six pillars and pioneers (Dr. Arnel Del Barrio, Dr. Annabelle Sarabia, Dr. Daniel Aquino, Dr. Zosimo Battad, Gloria Dela Cruz, and Grace Marjorie Recta) of the Carabao Development Program were back on PCC stage and provided motivational insights to PCCeans and the agency’s new breed of leaders through the speaking platform dubbed as Knowledge-Talks or K-Talks.

Three outstanding employees who excelled in performing their duties

were honored. They are Dr. Abraham Tandang, Science Research Specialist and Experimental Farm Manager of DA-PCC at UPLB as Outstanding Supervisor; Rebecca Ruby Gabriel, CBED Regional Coordinator of DA-PCC at CLU as Outstanding Development Officer; and Arnold Morales, DA-PCC at CSU’s dairy module in-charge as Outstanding Support Staff.

Likewise, the Knowledge Management Division (KMD) was recognized as 2022’s top performing unit and DA-PCC at Central Luzon State University (DA-PCC at CLSU) as top performing regional center.