Milk Feeding

Over the years, the DA-PCC has steadfastly contributed to alleviating hunger and improving nutrition by implementing the national milk feeding program in accordance with Republic Act No. 11037, also known as the “Masustansyang Pagkain Para Sa Batang Pilipino Act of 2018.” By collaborating with provincial and local government units, as well as key partner agencies like the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the DA-PCC has facilitated the provision of fresh buffalo milk and milk-based products through its supported dairy cooperatives. This initiative not only has had a positive impact on children’s nutrition but has also created a viable market for dairy cooperatives, thereby sustaining livelihoods and augmenting the income of dairy farmers. 

Under the DepEd-School-Based Feeding Program, 43 DA-PCC-assisted dairy cooperatives supplied 116,949,208 milk packs to 3,967,668 beneficiaries in nationwide, resulting in a total gross income of PHP1,731,476,065.00. 

Similarly, under the DSWD-Supplementary Feeding Program, 41 cooperatives supplied 17,429,458 milk packs to 328,155 beneficiaries nationwide, generating a gross income of PHP333,894,526.00. 

The total revenues that the DA-PCC assisted cooperatives generated through the National Milk Feeding Program as an institutional market is amounting to PHP2,065,370,591.00. It is imperative that the National Milk Feeding Program of DepED and DSWD have changed the lives of our small-holder farmers. 

To address the challenge of supplying milk to undernourished children in remote areas, the DA-PCC, along with assisted cooperatives and private farms and corporations, has turned to retort facilities. These facilities ensure the safety and quality of milk while enabling bulk transportation to regions where frequent deliveries are impractical. Existing retort facilities in Isabela, Science City of Muñoz, Batangas, and Sorsogon can supply sterilized carabao’s milk to remote areas. This innovation not only creates sustainable income streams but also paves the way for a more robust dairy industry.