Sangguniang Panlalawigan member Angela Sabando has pushed for the establishment of dairy industry in Palawan citing the island province’s advantage and suitability due to availability of land for livestock farming.
Recently, Board Member Sabando informed that she sponsored a Sangguniang Panlalawigan resolution “urging Palawan Governor, Amy Alvarez to convene an agricultural task force to study, submit plans and lead the establishment of a province-wide dairy production in Palawan to boost ecology-friendly and food-resilient industries that mitigate malnutrition and provides income opportunities for farming communities,”.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan resolution cites that “Palawan is rich in land area fit for grazing cows, carabao and goats which are aside from meat production, can also be sources of clean, fresh and healthy milk for its population,”.
Sabando explained that while Palawan’s unutilized land are vast, many of which remained idle and can potentially help farming communities if used in livestock farming and dairy production.
“Malawak ang lupaing pansakahan sa Palawan subalit tila marami pa rin dito ang hindi napakikinabangan ng husto. Patuloy din na tinatamasa ng probinsiya ang pagiging FMD-free o ligtas sa sakit na Foot and Mouth Disease ng ating mga baka, kalabaw at kambing, mga alagang hayop sa bukid na bukod sa kanilang karne ay malaki rin ang demand sa kanilang gatas na maaari pang ma proseso upang maging keso at yogurt,” the provincial legislator said.
Palawan is one of the largest yet a geographically isolated province in the country. It is an archipelago of more than 1,700 islands and islets separated by seas from the main Philippine islands. Palawan is even closer to Malaysia. Its extensive coastline, mountains, and numerous islands contribute to its remoteness, making it as the country’s “Last Ecological Frontier”,
Palawan’s geographic isolation creates agricultural disadvantages like limited access to advance farming technology, markets, and financial support, leading to difficulties in transporting and marketing local products. This isolation hinders agricultural productivity disproportionately affecting rural communities and their livelihoods.
Board Member Sabando said that dairy production could be an opportunity in a geographically isolated island province like Palawan.
“As a geographically isolated province, milk production on vastly unused farm land is an opportunity for farm-owners and tenant-farmers to earn additional household income while at the same time provide high-quality alternative to protein source for their families aside from meat, fish and nuts which may or may not be available in their communities,” the Sangguniang Panlalawigan resolution reads.
Sabando emphasized the need “to conduct a study of which areas in Palawan are suitable and accessible for daily production of milk and its derivatives such as yogurt and cheese in order to support flourishing economic ventures in this industry”.
She further explained that the offices of the provincial veterinarian, the provincial agriculturist, the provincial economic enterprise and development, the provincial planning and development, and the provincial cooperative development can collaborate to fast track the study and craft plans towards the establishment of a dairy industry in Palawan.
