Balanga City ruminant raisers receive P1M grant from DOLE

BALANGA CITY, Bataan – A one million peso (P1M) grant has been extended by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to the members of the City of Balanga Small and Ruminant Raisers Association (COBSRRA) through the initiative of City Mayor Francis Garcia, which Mr. Ricoval, DOLE representative said, is the biggest grant ever given to a group.

City Mayor Francis Garcia told the group (COBSRRA) headed by its president, Mr. Exequiel Espiritu, “sa programa (about goat production) it’s better to start it small, replicate and then paramihin.” What the good Mayor was saying is that through the grant, they can start with a few heads of female dairy goats, and out of what they have learned from the six-month seminar, they can apply it in their goat production until such time that they have the expertise to expand.

Meanwhile, experts from the Bureau of Animal and Industry of the Department of Agriculture, Drs. Ronnie Domingo and Enrico P. Garzon Jr. challenged the first batch of graduates from the Farmer’s Livestock School (in goat production) to promote goat production in Bataan, not only in meat sufficiency, dairy products such as milk and cheese, but also as they multiply the number of goats, hopefully they can export goat meat.

In her message, Vice Governor Cris Garcia encouraged all the graduates to prove that goat production is a viable livelihood for the family. She said that “sana lahat ng nagsipagtapos na makakatanggap ng kambing hindi lamang mula sa national kundi maging sa probinsya, ay mapalago ito bilang inyong kabuhayan, pagtibayin ang inyong goat production at makapagpatayo kayo ng inyong dairy industry.”

Dr. Albert Venturina, Provincial Veterinarian, reiterated that for 6 months, the 22 graduates were taught how to raise goats here in Balanga and that the P1M grant will also be used in propagating the number of goats, that we all expect that we will have a “kambingan” livelihood in the province.

Also present in the graduation ceremony were Board Member Peping Villapando, City Vet Dr. Billy Samson, provincial and city officials and employees.