The General Trias Dairy Raisers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (GTDRMPC) in General Trias, Cavite, an assisted-group of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), got an added boost with the recent turnover of several equipment and other items needed to further improve its operations.
In a simple ceremony held February 26 at the coop’s headquarters in Brgy. Santiago, Gen. Trias town, the PCC and its development partner, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), awarded to the coop the grant-aid items that included forage choppers, brush cutters and aluminum milk cans.
Dr. Arnel N. del Barrio, PCC acting executive director, and Sung Min Hyeon, KOICA resident representative, presented the items to Samuel Potante, GTDRMPC chairman, in the presence of GenTri Mayor Antonio ‘Ony’ A. Ferrer, other local government official, coop members and Son Soo Bin, KOICA senior volunteer, who identified and facilitated the grant-aid.
The General Trias Dairy Raisers Multi-Purpose Cooperative was established in 2005 with 44 original members. At the start, the co-op just rented a building that housed as its dairy processing and marketing facilities.
Eventually, the GenTri local government under then mayor and now 6th district Cavite Rep. Luis A. Ferrer IV, with the help of PCC, provided a lot where the cooperative set up its own processing and marketing center. Incumbent Mayor Ony Ferrer, who succeeded Rep. Ferrer, facilitated the acquisition of 38 head of carabao dairy heifers under PCC’s Modified Dairy Paiwi Program Module.
Through the years, the co-op, with the full support and active participation of its officers and members, continuously developed processed dairy products, which have become very saleable. This development pushed the Sangguniang Bayan of GenTri to declare dairy products as the municipality’s “One Town – One Product (OTOP)” under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) program.
At present, the GTDRMPC provides additional livelihood opportunities to its now almost 200 members. From an initial capital of about P14,000, the co-op currently has assets estimated to be worth some P1 million.
