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Official Publication of the Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns Volume 6, Issue 3 March 2014 “To transform entrepreneurs into techno- preneurs“ is the goal of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Convergence Program. A farmer for a long time, Rolly Mateo, 43, had known the carabao as the quintessential “beast of burden”, essential for rendering farm works. This was until recently when he and his colleagues in the Bantog Samahang Nayon Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BSNMPC) in Brgy. Bantog, Asingan, Pangasinan were handed financial assistance by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Regional Office No. 1 Director Grace Ursula with a ₱495,000 check to Mayor Heidee Chua of the local government unit (LGU) of Asingan, which is a DOLE accredited co-partner in the implementation of livelihood projects in the municipality. "Sa pamamagitan ng proyektong ito, natutunan namin na hindi lang pala pagtatanim ang maari naming gawin para mapaunlad ang aming mga pamilya at bayan. Marami palang oportunidad mula sa kalabaw pag may alam ka sa teknolohiya,”Rolly shared. Mateo is the president of the BSNMPC. At present, the cooperative has a total of 84 farmer-members benefitting from the three carabao-based integrated business activities, namely, dairy production and processing, meat production and sales, and organic fertilizer production. Rolly and his colleagues earn an average ₱30,000 to ₱40,000 annually, from one dairy animal. The cooperative also sells carabao beef, or cara-beef, the meat of male carabao calves, and produces organic fertilizer from carabao manure. Ten of the 84 cooperative members are trained as milk processors; 30 are engaged in carabao milking; and 20 are engaged in vermi-composting. The rest are engaged in carabao-breeding, rice production, and forage farming for carabao food. "Lubos po ang pasasalamat namin sa lahat ng ahensyang tumutulong sa amin para maitaguyod namin at mapaunlad ang aming proyekto." Rolly added. The cooperative will use the grant to purchase an additional 600-square meter lot for its milk processing center and 10 more carabaos. It will also buy antibiotics and vitamins for its animals. For this project, the LGU-Asingan shelled out ₱148,500 and promised to give the cooperative three more carabaos and a 400-square meter lot for its dairy processing center. The cooperative set aside a counterpart of ₱23,500.
