In a landmark initiative blending local pride, nutritional goals, and rural development, Carigara launched Eastern Visayas’ first-ever Dairy Box on Tuesday, July 29, positioning the town as a potential hub for carabao milk production and processing.
The P10-million facility, constructed through the joint efforts of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), the provincial government of Leyte, and the Department of Agriculture, marks a new chapter in the town’s agricultural and economic development.
It is a product of long-term planning championed by former Senator Cynthia Villar during her tenure as chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform.
Carigara Mayor Eduardo Ong Jr. said the project includes the dispersal of 50 heads of carabaos, a processing center, and a dedicated marketing hub, all awarded to the Kangara Multi-Purpose Cooperative.
More than just an agricultural enterprise, the Dairy Box aims to strengthen coco-dairy integration and improve food security, especially for children.
“For years, we’ve been sourcing carabao’s milk from other areas for our signature pastillas and milk-based delicacies,” Ong said.
“Now, we have the means to sustain our own supply—and even scale it up for potential export.”
The project integrates dairy farming with coco-based agriculture, ensuring not only diversified livelihoods for local farmers but also increasing their income.
This strategy also opens doors for the development of high-value dairy products in the region, making Carigara a forerunner in grassroots agri-industrialization.
At its core, the initiative also targets malnutrition. With planned feeding programs using fresh milk from the facility, the town hopes to address nutritional deficiencies among local children.
The Kangara Multi-Purpose Cooperative will spearhead the enterprise, consolidating, processing, and marketing carabao milk products from Carigara and nearby towns.
With this pioneering move, Carigara is not only embracing its culinary heritage—it’s building a sustainable, health-driven economy powered by its local farmers.
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