Cebuano farmers in the northern part of Cebu recently celebrated the graduation of 230 individuals from the Eskwelahan sa Kahanginan (School-on-the-Air): Radio Broadcast on Dairy Buffalo Production. The ceremony took place on January 22 at Cebu Technological University (CTU)-Tuburan.

Conducted collaboratively by CTU-Tuburan, DA-Philippine Carabao Center at Ubay Stock Farm (DA-PCC at USF), and the First Consolidated Cooperative Along Tañon Seaboards (FCCT), the School-on-the-Air (SOA) program consisted of 16 sessions broadcasted on "Bulawanong Tinubdan" (BT) radio at 98.1 MHz every Tuesday from 5:00-6:00 PM. The curriculum covered topics such as buffalo management, nutrition, health, breeding, milking procedures, milk handling, quality testing, carabao-based enterprises, and financial management.

In her welcome address during the ceremony, Engr. Naomi Bajao, project leader counterpart of CTU-Tuburan, expressed her gratitude for the realization of the program.

"Who would have thought that someone in the engineering and IT field like me would be engaged in a farmer-focused program?" she said. "But because of this (radio) technology, we were able to deliver the lessons to you," she added.

Dr. Carla Y. Abaquita, campus director of CTU-Tuburan, acknowledged the university's crucial role in extending agriculture-related technologies to farmers through its BT Radio Extension and Technology Transfer (BEATT) program, where the School-on-the-Air (SOA) was anchored.

On the other hand, Dr. Maria Dinah Loculan, center director of DA-PCC at USF, congratulated the farmers for completing the 16 sessions. She emphasized that in the process of learning, a learner can develop skills and shared her hopes that the farmers will apply what they have learned during the schooling.

Magdaleno Bargamento, chief executive officer of FCCT, mentioned during his inspirational message that one of the co-op’s thrusts is to support the national government's call for food security. Thus, collaboration with institutions is helpful to expand its campaign to its members.

“Nagpasalamat jud ko nga na-connect mi sa DA-PCC…kay dako kaayo’g tabang sa katuyoan nga makagatas ta…ug sa FCCT niini nga partnership, aron daghan ang makahibalo sa maong mga teknolohiya…(I’m thankful that we have linked with DA-PCC…for they have been helpful to us to start dairying…and with the partnership with FCCT so that more farmers will know about the technologies…,” Bargamento added.

Egino Parone, a 15-year-old from Gimama-a, Tuburan, Cebu, one of the enrollees of the SOA, shared his testimony on how dairying has holistically helped his family. Aside from its contribution to his parents' livelihood, dairying has also helped him be productive and stay away from being addicted to gadgets.

Dr. Eric P. Palacpac, chief of the Knowledge Management Division of DA-PCC, expressed his felicitations to the graduates and facilitators for the successful delivery of the program. He encouraged the former that the journey in dairying has just started.

One hundred sixty-six (166) of the SOA graduates are from the municipality of Tuburan, Cebu, 43 from Tabuelan, 12 from Medellin, five (5) from Asturias, two (2) from Daan Bantayan, one (1) from Balamban, and one (1) from Bogo.

The graduates present at the ceremony received production support items such as rubber boots, silage bags, pails, aprons, and mineral supplements for animals through a raffle.

The ceremony also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement between DA-PCC and CTU-Tuburan for the installation of the Carabao Development Program (CDP)-KIOSK (Karunungan, Impormasyon, at Oportunidad sa Kalabawan). The CDP-KIOSK, to be installed at the CTU-Tuburan library, consists of display panels and portable shelves for DA-PCC’s knowledge products or publications.