The establishment of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) through Republic Act 7307 marks the institutionalized effort of the government to develop the carabao sub-sector.

The PCC, an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA) was established in 1992 and operationalized in 1993. Historically, PCC was an offshoot of the significant gains achieved from the United Nations Development Programme/Food and Agriculture Organization (UNDP/FAO)-assisted project called “Strengthening of the Philippine Carabao Research and Development Center (PCRDC) under the umbrella of the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCARRD) and which was carried out in two phases covering the period 1982–1992.

The NCDP is premised on the potential benefits to be derived from crossing the riverine buffaloes with the Philippine carabao to improve the genetic potentials for meat and milk production without disregard of draft and hide.

The NCDP takes cognizant of the need to conserve the existing germplasm of the native animals and at the same time establishing gene pools of elite animals intended for milk and meat improvement.

The ultimate aim of the program is to establish buffalo-based enterprises by capacitating the farmers towards employment generation, additional income, and better well-being.