THE Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) inaugurated new Dairy Box stores in Cebu and Nueva Ecija.
The PCC opened the 48th Dairy Box store in the country in Barangay Pajo in Tabuelan, Cebu, the fourth in the province and the first to be managed by the First Consolidated Cooperative Along Tañon Seaboards (FCCT).
In a message from Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. relayed by USF Center Director Maria Dinah Loculan, he said that he hopes the Dairy Box would help expand market opportunities for local dairy farmers.
PCC Community-based Business Improvement Network (CBIN) project focal person Estella Valiente commended the FCCT for their work and reminded them of the value of cooperation in ensuring the success of a business venture. She also thanked Sen. Cynthia Villar for providing financial assistance for the project.
Through Municipal Agriculture Officer Antonio Luyao, Mayor Raul Gerona assured the farmers that the local government supported the project. He also encouraged dairy farmers to ensure a stable supply for the Dairy Box.
FCCT CEO Magdaleno Bargamento expressed his gratitude for the support of the PCC, the local government, and other agencies to establish the Dairy Box. He also reminded his members of their responsibilities in managing the Dairy Box.
“If we do not manage it properly, it will only be a box without the dairy. It should be a complete dairy box where there are farmers, and we, the coop, as an enabler, connect their produce to the market,” he explained.
The PCC also turned over a Dairy Box store in Nueva Ecija, located in Batug, Muñoz. It is the second Dairy Box in the city and the province and the ninth in Central Luzon. The Dairy Box will be managed by the Catalanacan Multi-Purpose Cooperative (CAMPC).
PCC Executive Director Liza Battad said that the work doesn’t stop at establishing the Dairy Box.
“Building a Dairy Box is just the beginning. The ultimate goal is for it to remain profitable and contribute to increasing the income of CAMPC members and the 50 other Dairy Boxes nationwide. This cooperative has shown dedication and hard work, proving the power of trust and collaboration despite challenges,” she explained.
CAMPC Chairman Rudy Say thanked the different agencies for their support and promised that the cooperative will manage the Dairy Box well.
“We are aware of the challenges, but we promise to give our best to make this project successful,” he said.
The PCC is a government-owned and -controlled corporation under the Department of Agriculture.
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