Sweden and the Philippines forge partnership for sustainable mining

Acknowledging the significance of mining in the economic, social, and environmental domains for both Sweden and the Philippines, Business Sweden and the Embassy of Sweden in Manila organized the Pioneering the Green Transition: Advancing Sustainable Mining forum. This event focused on socio-economic sustainable mining practices, knowledge sharing, and showcasing innovative and clean mining solutions.

"Mining is a pivotal industry supporting different sectors. It is key to sustaining the global action in reducing greenhouse gas emissions wherein electrification has been identified as one of the solutions. The availability of metals and minerals remains crucial today as economies commit to meet internationally agreed climate goals," said H.E. Annika Thunborg, Ambassador of Sweden to the Philippines. 

The forum included sessions on sustainable mining operations and the future of mines, in which both Swedish and Philippine companies discuss greener, safer, and more sustainable mining solutions.

Sweden's Ambassador for Sustainable Business, Cecilia Ekholm, kickstarted the forum by sharing Sweden's approach to sustainable mining and the country's mining ecosystem. 

Ambassador Ekholm mentioned key initiatives from Sweden such as "Mining with Nature,"  including a biodiversity management plan and ecological compensation guidelines, and the "Roadmap to Fossil Free" which aims to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2045. 

"This is not just Sweden's problem, but a global problem. We all need to work in the green transition, and we all need a partner to do that. We are really looking forward to the collaboration, and I think this is such a great initiative because we need to work together and share our best experiences to reach the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement," said Ambassador Ekholm.

She also discussed Sweden's triple helix model which allows the country's mining cluster to keep sustainable and environmentally friendly practices while maintaining global competitiveness. The triple helix model involves close collaboration between the government, private sector, and academe in mining research and innovation. 

Swedish Best Practices in Sustainable Mining Operations

Swedish company ABB shared its experience working in the Philippine mining sector promoting efficient energy supply and driving circular mining activities. A panel discussion delved into the crucial role of technology adoption and collaborative partnerships in driving sustainable growth. Key industry players including Atlas Copco and Volvo Construction Equipment participated. For the Philippine side, the panel was represented by Executive Director Charmaine O. Capili of the Philippine Nickel Industry Association. Mr. Ronald Recidoro, Director of the Philippine Chamber of Mines moderated the panel discussions.

The panelists highlighted the importance of the role of technology such as the use of renewable energy and carbon capture in driving the mining industry's reduction of environmental footprint and contributing towards a more sustainable community and environment.

Building the Mines of the Future

The forum looked into the future of mining, zeroing into the role of digitalization, connectivity, and automation in boosting efficiency, productivity, and more importantly, safety in mining. A session led by Thomas Aiglsperger, Program Director of the Centre of Advanced Mining and Metallurgy and Associate Professor at Luleå University of Technology, and Assistant Prof. Christian Arranz from the University of the Philippines discussed the role of the academe in fostering innovation in the mining industry.

The professors shared that partnerships between mining companies and the academe and research hubs are essential since they enable knowledge exchange and innovation in mining. For example, Swedish mines allow students and researchers to conduct tests and experiments in their mines, and Swedish mining companies fund initiatives to promote research. 

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions and Ericsson both presented case studies with Sandvik sharing their experience working with a local mine and how their technology – telemetry, remote monitoring, and semiautomated underground machines – help in increasing efficiency and safety in a gold mine in the Philippines. Ericsson on the other hand, shared their unique experience working with the world's largest gold producer and the mine's journey to a smarter and safer mine through data and connectivity.

A second panel discussion was held wherein the panelists from Ericsson, Hexagon, and Axis Communications discussed the transformative role of digitalization and automation in improving safety protocols in mining. Engr. Luis Sarmiento, President of the Philippine Mine Safety and Environment Association, represented the Philippines on the panel. 

The panelists emphasized the crucial role of stable digital connections when it comes to the safety of the miners. Digital and wireless innovations, such as 3D mapping and remote-controlled machinery, can help survey the safety of mines. 

Representatives from the Philippine government and private sector reaffirmed their commitment to a strengthened collaboration with Sweden in the green transition. 

Atty. Mike Toledo, Chairman of the Chamber of Mines, mentions that "Responsible mining compels us to carefully thread a balancing act extracting the minerals that are critical for energy transition while mitigating the effects of a tremendous amount of energy and other impacts of the environment required to extract those minerals."

"We must leverage our natural wealth responsibly and equitably, while ensuring that the socio-economic benefits of mining extend to all Filipinos, especially to the communities that host mining operations," says Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonio "Toni" Yulo-Loyzaga. "In this regard, we have a very keen interest in learning today from Sweden's long history and experience in promoting scientific advancement, transparency, accountability, and sustainability in the mining sector."

About the Embassy of Sweden in Manila

Sweden has had diplomatic relations with the Philippines since 1947. The Embassy’s main task is to represent Sweden in the Philippines and to strengthen the relations between the two countries. Its focus is on promoting trade and investment and building partnerships including security policy.  

Website: swedenabroad.com/manila

Facebook: facebook.com/SwedeninManila

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/swedeninmnl

About Business Sweden

Business Sweden is the trade and invest council of the government of Sweden, with operations in more than 40 markets globally. Jointly owned by the Swedish government and the private sector, it has a unique mandate to help Swedish companies grow global sales and international companies invest and expand in Sweden.

Foreign Sec. Manalo, US Amb. Carlson to Address International Media Conference

MANILA (June 24, 2024) – Philippines Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo will address a gathering of some 350 journalists from over 30 countries tomorrow at the PICC. Secretary Manalo's keynote remarks starting at 8:15 am will be followed by US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson at 9:10. A panel on regional economic trends afterward will include NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan. The officials will be addressing the 2024 East-West Center International Media Conference going on at the Convention Center.

About the EWC International Media Conference 

The East-West Center International Media Conference (IMC), held every two years in a major regional media hub, offers a unique professional networking opportunity for journalists from the US, Asia, and Pacific to discuss key issues in the region and common challenges and trends in media. Recognized for its exceptional keynote speakers and in-depth panels of journalists and experts, IMC also offers media training workshops and networking events with international journalists and other media professionals. 

As the only regularly held media conference focused on Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the United States, IMC has grown into one of the region’s premier gatherings of media professionals, consistently drawing more than 350 attendees from over 30 countries. Participants build enduring connections and networks that further their careers and create new opportunities for collaboration.

The Philippines was chosen as the site for this year’s conference because it has one of the highest rates of social media consumption in the world, is home to a robust press corps with a history of courage and perseverance in a challenging media environment, and sits on the front lines of both geostrategic competition and the worsening climate crisis in the region.

Sponsors

The EWC 2024 International Media Conference is co-hosted by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung. The Pacific Century Institute. Conference partners include GMA, the Pulitzer Center, and Under My Umbrella.

The EAST-WEST CENTER promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue. Established by the U.S. Congress in 1960, the Center serves as a resource for information and analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people together to exchange views, build expertise, and develop policy options. Since 1967, East-West Center media programs have provided more than 4,000 American and Asia Pacific journalists with opportunities to expand and enhance their reporting on the region

Famed Oceanographer Sylvia Earle to Speak on Climate Change in Manila June 25

MANILA (June 23, 2024) – World-famous oceanographer Sylvia Earle will be part of a discussion on "New Climate Perspectives" tomorrow morning, June 25 at the 2024 East-West Center International Media Conference now going on at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila. This premier Indo-Pacific journalism conference includes dozens of exceptional speakers and panelists, including keynote speakers Earle, Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo, US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson, and many others.

About Sylvia Earle

Sylvia Earle is President and Chairman of Mission Blue / The Sylvia Earle Alliance. She is a National Geographic Society Explorer in Residence, and is called Her Deepness by the New Yorker and The New York Times, Living Legend by the Library of Congress, and first Hero for the Planet by Time magazine. She is an oceanographer, explorer, author and lecturer with experience as a field research scientist, government official, and director for several corporate and non-profit organizations.

About the EWC International Media Conference 

The East-West Center International Media Conference (IMC), held every two years in a major regional media hub, offers a unique professional networking opportunity for journalists from the US, Asia, and Pacific to discuss key issues in the region and common challenges and trends in media. Recognized for its exceptional keynote speakers and in-depth panels of journalists and experts, IMC also offers media training workshops and networking events with international journalists and other media professionals. 

As the only regularly held media conference focused on Asia, the Pacific Islands, and the United States, IMC has grown into one of the region’s premier gatherings of media professionals, consistently drawing more than 350 attendees from over 40 countries. Participants build enduring connections and networks that further their careers and create new opportunities for collaboration.

The Philippines was chosen as the site for this year’s conference because it has one of the highest rates of social media consumption in the world, is home to a robust press corps with a history of courage and perseverance in a challenging media environment, and sits on the front lines of both geostrategic competition and the worsening climate crisis in the region.

 

Sponsors

The EWC 2024 International Media Conference is co-hosted by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.The Gala awards dinner is sponsored by the Pacific Century Institute. Conference partners include GMA, the Pulitzer Center, and Under My Umbrella.

The EAST-WEST CENTER promotes better relations and understanding among the people and nations of the United States, Asia, and the Pacific through cooperative study, research, and dialogue. Established by the U.S. Congress in 1960, the Center serves as a resource for information and analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people together to exchange views, build expertise, and develop policy options. Since 1967, East-West Center media programs have provided more than 4,000 American and Asia Pacific journalists with opportunities to expand and enhance their reporting on the region.

SENR speech at the Project Transform Colloquium SMX Convention Center

Greetings 

Our colleagues in government and partners in the development sector, in the academe, in the CSO community, thank you very much and good morning once again. The seeds of Project TRANSFORM really began at the National Resilience Council.

This was a concept that was developed over time, a set of principles and values over time, led by the former ambassador, the late ambassador, Roberto Romulo, together with companies like Professor Ernesto Garilao, Mr. Ed Chua of the Makati Business Club, and of course, then-Usec. Austere Panadero. All of these minds came together to actually conceive of ways to deal with complexity and risk to the environment and communities.

But the concept for TRANSFORM really crystallized after the first multi-stakeholder conference in October of 2022, which was attended by our President no less, as well as members of the cabinet, in which we tried to envision a way to move forward given the challenges of our time, including, of course, climate change, and the need to provide for water, food, energy security, as well as health, public health, and of course, literacy and nutrition concerns.

So with that in mind, after the first consultation, the Zuellig Family Foundation, First Philippine Holdings Group, the Peace and Equity Foundation, PBSP, and others came together to conceive of this, working very closely with Usec. Malu Erni, on trying to put a structure to how we might approach environment and natural resource management that is science-based, but also looking towards the resilience of communities given the challenges of climate change and other types of hazards.

After the first stakeholder consultation, we took this particular consultation to the Visayas and Mindanao region as well. What came across was very clear. Climate change and disasters threaten the very ecosystems that support our communities and our economy. Food, water, energy, public health, livelihoods all depend on the integrity of our ecosystems and the quality of our working and natural environment.

Each LGU had a different exposure and vulnerability relating to their own local context. However, they were commonly challenged in the form of how they might manage their water resources, their forest resources, their soils, their coastal and marine environments. What became clear from these consultations was that the Philippines, given the climate vulnerability of our country and the different types of natural and other hazards, was in a race to resilience and that resilience should lead, actually, to inclusive, equitable and sustainable development.

What it called for is, in a sense, what we have asked to put together as part of the strategies moving forward in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. What it called for was alignment. What it called for was coherence.

What it also called for was collaboration and the value of synergy in working together across different disciplines, across different scales, across different sectors, and lastly, realizing the value and the importance of working at the very local level where this was the first line of defense. Project TRANSFORM, therefore, puts local government engagement at the center of its work. The critical role of local stakeholders in environmental protection and climate action cannot be minimized.

This means we must prioritize the development of individual and institutional capacities of LGUs for evidence-informed decision-making, and we must invest in increasing capacity for implementation of policies, plans and programs. TRANSFORM provides a strategic coordination mechanism among stakeholders and highlights the importance of locally-led and locally-driven solutions as well as a participatory approach for achieving environmental sustainability and resilience. In the first stakeholder consultation, our President said, the environment and the country's resilience and adaptation to the new normals of climate change are on top of the national agenda.

In recent years, the Philippine government has emphasized the critical importance of local governance today and on community-based action that responds to actual needs on the ground. The impacts, therefore, of Project TRANSFORM will ultimately contribute to: the preservation of ecosystem integrity to support food, water, energy security as well as public health; secondly, the enhancement of human well-being; and third, the achievement of what we call development continuity, one that is free from disruptions due to the different hazards and ultimately possibly disasters that will hit our country and the achievement of inclusive economic growth.

These can only be attained by strengthening local multi-stakeholder collaboration, community- driven innovation, and knowledge development and sharing. It can also be attained by investing in a visionary and competent leadership committed to extracting and developing capacities for local governance in the implementation of environmental protection, anti-pollution programs, disaster risk reduction programs. And thirdly, we do need to have active LGU and community engagement.

The implementation of the program is organized under five pillars which you will hear about later on. Human development, infrastructure, environment, local economy and human security. Ultimately, the quality of our environment and this is why the DENR is invested in this particular program will determine our ability to manage all these other pillars.

The first phase of implementation of TRANSFORM has been focused on identifying actionable interventions per LGU and ensuring that these are fit for purpose, for their context and for coordinating across the different institutions to implement our efforts. These include recognizing the intersection of vulnerabilities across gender, income status, literacy, age and other factors , and recognizing the interdependencies of our systems, of our infrastructures that can cascade

the risk and potentially fail our communities. These include: water systems, road transport, telecommunications and the like.

Project TRANSFORM has supported our partner LGUs in integrating climate change and resilience into local planning, programming and implementation to achieve broader development goals. Any intervention that has been developed must be practical, inclusive and context driven to ensure maximum benefit for our communities.

These interventions were developed based on a thorough needs assessment, vulnerability and capacity analysis, and stakeholder assessment as well. This approach was taken to ensure whatever interventions were programmed were based on science and actual needs locally. And that the challenges are addressed not just for the immediate but they are addressed strategically.

Let us then take advantage of this forum and try to scale up and include as many of ourselves as possible. Local governments are particularly welcome and we hope to be able to reach about 15 in total by the end of this year. Hopefully this will include our local governments along the Verde Island Passage for which we have been working very consistently to include as a protected area.

As you know the DENR and the DOE have recently entered into an agreement with the principal industrial partners in the Verde Island Passage including First Gen, San Miguel, the Aboitiz Group, as well as the Metro Pacific Group. We know that engaging the private sector in understanding the needs of conservation, understanding the needs of environmental protection, understanding the needs of livelihoods for local communities is essential in moving our work forward. And this has been combined with the science that is available and that we are developing because of our investments now in new marine scientific research stations that will be placed all over the country, and one will be in the Verde Island Passage as well.

So let me close by saying that we are in a surge now towards 2030. Many of you know that this is a golden year, 2030, in terms of the Paris Agreement and our being able to limit the temperatures of our world to 1.5 degrees among pre-industrial levels. We also have to report on the SDGs.

We have to report on the Disaster Risk Reduction Framework of Sendai, and we also have goals in terms of biodiversity. This is a very critical year and I'm optimistic that everyone here can envision their road and pathway ahead, hopefully with the DENR as your partner. I believe today that we can only work on this together and as I said earlier, it takes alignment, it takes coherence, national and local, and between local governments as well, it takes collaboration and the synergies will create those values.

So as we begin to see whether we can align with each other and cooperate with each other, I'm extremely grateful for the participation here today of civil society, of our academic partners, our people's organizations, including the youth exemplified by Annika who was here earlier, whose future we are all here to protect.

Before I close, I'd like to invite everyone to join us, especially on October 14-18 of this year. The Philippines is hosting the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction. We are hosting this together with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction or the UNDRR. This is an opportunity for us to showcase to the world how TRANSFORM and all our efforts in terms of environmental protection, biodiversity conservation and the care for our natural systems are part of our work to achieve the SDGs and the inclusive development and resilient development that we all deserve. I thank you very much Local Government Chief Executives for being here and for listening to us.

My special thanks to Secretary Benhur Abalos and ably represented by Asec. Lillian. Secretary Benhur and I have worked consistently and closely together and I wish to share that beyond DILG, we are also working very closely with the DOE, with the DOF, with the DPWH in trying to achieve what we call convergence governance here in this administration.

Thank you once again and I hope that you will find this morning's forum and early afternoon's forum useful to you and we look forward to planning a resilient and inclusive future with you together.

Maraming Salamat po!

DENR Speech at the Project Transform Colloquium SMX Convention Center June 20, 2024

Greetings

Our colleagues in government and partners in the development sector, in the academe, in the CSO community, thank you very much and good morning once again. The seeds of Project TRANSFORM really began at ta I'll XdGb. Vhe National Resilience Council.

This was a concept that was developed over time, a set of principles and values over time, led by the former ambassador, the late ambassador, Roberto Romulo, together with companies like Professor Ernesto Garilao, Mr. Ed Chua of the Makati Business Club, and of course, then-Usec. Austere Panadero. All of these minds came together to actually conceive of ways to deal with complexity and risk to the environment and communities.

But the concept for TRANSFORM really crystallized after the first multi-stakeholder conference in October of 2022, which was attended by our President no less, as well as members of the cabinet, in which we tried to envision a way to move forward given the challenges of our time, including, of course, climate change, and the need to provide for water, food, energy security, as well as health, public health, and of course, literacy and nutrition concerns.

So with that in mind, after the first consultation, the Zuellig Family Foundation, First Philippine Holdings Group, the Peace and Equity Foundation, PBSP, and others came together to conceive of this, working very closely with Usec. Malu Erni, on trying to put a structure to how we might approach environment and natural resource management that is science-based, but also looking towards the resilience of communities given the challenges of climate change and other types of hazards.

After the first stakeholder consultation, we took this particular consultation to the Visayas and Mindanao region as well. What came across was very clear. Climate change and disasters threaten the very ecosystems that support our communities and our economy. Food, water, energy, public health, livelihoods all depend on the integrity of our ecosystems and the quality of our working and natural environment.

Each LGU had a different exposure and vulnerability relating to their own local context. However, they were commonly challenged in the form of how they might manage their water resources, their forest resources, their soils, their coastal and marine environments. What became clear from these consultations was that the Philippines, given the climate vulnerability of our country and the different types of natural and other hazards, was in a race to resilience and that resilience should lead, actually, to inclusive, equitable and sustainable development.

What it called for is, in a sense, what we have asked to put together as part of the strategies moving forward in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. What it called for was alignment. What it called for was coherence.

What it also called for was collaboration and the value of synergy in working together across different disciplines, across different scales, across different sectors, and lastly, realizing the value and the importance of working at the very local level where this was the first line of defense. Project TRANSFORM, therefore, puts local government engagement at the center of its work. The critical role of local stakeholders in environmental protection and climate action cannot be minimized.

This means we must prioritize the development of individual and institutional capacities of LGUs for evidence-informed decision-making, and we must invest in increasing capacity for implementation of policies, plans and programs. TRANSFORM provides a strategic coordination mechanism among stakeholders and highlights the importance of locally-led and locally-driven solutions as well as a participatory approach for achieving environmental sustainability and resilience. In the first stakeholder consultation, our President said, the environment and the country's resilience and adaptation to the new normals of climate change are on top of the national agenda.

In recent years, the Philippine government has emphasized the critical importance of local governance today and on community-based action that responds to actual needs on the ground. The impacts, therefore, of Project TRANSFORM will ultimately contribute to: the preservation of ecosystem integrity to support food, water, energy security as well as public health; secondly, the enhancement of human well-being; and third, the achievement of what we call development continuity, one that is free from disruptions due to the different hazards and ultimately possibly disasters that will hit our country and the achievement of inclusive economic growth.

These can only be attained by strengthening local multi-stakeholder collaboration, community- driven innovation, and knowledge development and sharing. It can also be attained by investing in a visionary and competent leadership committed to extracting and developing capacities for local governance in the implementation of environmental protection, anti-pollution programs, disaster risk reduction programs. And thirdly, we do need to have active LGU and community engagement.

The implementation of the program is organized under five pillars which you will hear about later on. Human development, infrastructure, environment, local economy and human security. Ultimately, the quality of our environment and this is why the DENR is invested in this particular program will determine our ability to manage all these other pillars.

The first phase of implementation of TRANSFORM has been focused on identifying actionable interventions per LGU and ensuring that these are fit for purpose, for their context and for coordinating across the different institutions to implement our efforts. These include recognizing the intersection of vulnerabilities across gender, income status, literacy, age and other factors , and recognizing the interdependencies of our systems, of our infrastructures that can cascade

the risk and potentially fail our communities. These include: water systems, road transport, telecommunications and the like.

Project TRANSFORM has supported our partner LGUs in integrating climate change and resilience into local planning, programming and implementation to achieve broader development goals. Any intervention that has been developed must be practical, inclusive and context driven to ensure maximum benefit for our communities.

These interventions were developed based on a thorough needs assessment, vulnerability and capacity analysis, and stakeholder assessment as well. This approach was taken to ensure whatever interventions were programmed were based on science and actual needs locally. And that the challenges are addressed not just for the immediate but they are addressed strategically.

Let us then take advantage of this forum and try to scale up and include as many of ourselves as possible. Local governments are particularly welcome and we hope to be able to reach about 15 in total by the end of this year. Hopefully this will include our local governments along the Verde Island Passage for which we have been working very consistently to include as a protected area.

As you know the DENR and the DOE have recently entered into an agreement with the principal industrial partners in the Verde Island Passage including First Gen, San Miguel, the Aboitiz Group, as well as the Metro Pacific Group. We know that engaging the private sector in understanding the needs of conservation, understanding the needs of environmental protection, understanding the needs of livelihoods for local communities is essential in moving our work forward. And this has been combined with the science that is available and that we are developing because of our investments now in new marine scientific research stations that will be placed all over the country, and one will be in the Verde Island Passage as well.

So let me close by saying that we are in a surge now towards 2030. Many of you know that this is a golden year, 2030, in terms of the Paris Agreement and our being able to limit the temperatures of our world to 1.5 degrees among pre-industrial levels. We also have to report on the SDGs.

We have to report on the Disaster Risk Reduction Framework of Sendai, and we also have goals in terms of biodiversity. This is a very critical year and I'm optimistic that everyone here can envision their road and pathway ahead, hopefully with the DENR as your partner. I believe today that we can only work on this together and as I said earlier, it takes alignment, it takes coherence, national and local, and between local governments as well, it takes collaboration and the synergies will create those values.

So as we begin to see whether we can align with each other and cooperate with each other, I'm extremely grateful for the participation here today of civil society, of our academic partners, our people's organizations, including the youth exemplified by Annika who was here earlier, whose future we are all here to protect.

Before I close, I'd like to invite everyone to join us, especially on October 14-18 of this year. The Philippines is hosting the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction. We are hosting this together with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction or the UNDRR. This is an opportunity for us to showcase to the world how TRANSFORM and all our efforts in terms of environmental protection, biodiversity conservation and the care for our natural systems are part of our work to achieve the SDGs and the inclusive development and resilient development that we all deserve. I thank you very much Local Government Chief Executives for being here and for listening to us.

My special thanks to Secretary Benhur Abalos and ably represented by Asec. Lillian. Secretary Benhur and I have worked consistently and closely together and I wish to share that beyond DILG, we are also working very closely with the DOE, with the DOF, with the DPWH in trying to achieve what we call convergence governance here in this administration.

Thank you once again and I hope that you will find this morning's forum and early afternoon's forum useful to you and we look forward to planning a resilient and inclusive future with you together!

Maraming Salamat po!

Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, Nakiisa sa Mental Health Awareness Month

Bilang pakikiisa ng Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino sa Mental Health Awareness Month, isinagawa ang Mental Health Caravan noong 29 Mayo 2024 sa pakikipagtulungan sa National Center for Mental Health. Sa tagubilin na rin ng Komisyon sa Serbisyo Sibil at paalala ni Tagapangulong Karlo Nograles “agency heads and officials must recognize that the quality of public service delivered to stakeholders depends on government workers' physical and mental health.”

Masiglang nakiisa ang mga kawani sa gawain na naglalayong palawakin ang kaalaman at pag-uwana sa usapin ng “mental health” o kalusugang pangkaisipan. Kabilang sa mga tinalakay ang mga paraan sa pangangalaga at pagpapatili ng isang malusog na kaisipan. Idinaos ito sa Bulwagang Romualdez ng KWF.

Let’s Doe Business: Offering goat’s milk-based livelihood to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Central Luzon

The “Let’s Doe Business” project had capacitated smallholder dairy goat farmers to bounce back from the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in their businesses.

Central Luzon is one of the largest goat-producing regions and has the highest number of commercial dairy goat farms in the country. Many of the smallholder dairy goat farmers affected by the pandemic have, at most, 5 milking does that give 0.5 to 0.75 liters of milk/doe per day for about 90 days.  Before the COVID-19 pandemic, they sold their fresh goat’s milk randomly to customers sometimes without proper pasteurization.  With the pandemic, they found it more difficult to improve their system, as income decreased. 

The project, which officially started in August 2022, is being funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) under its Good Agri-Aqua Livelihood Initiatives towards National Goals (GALING) PCAARRD Program. It is led by the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) and highlights the technologies on dairy goat management, milk processing, and marketing. 

Goat farmers were assisted in diversifying their product lines and establishing smallholder processing facilities to improve the quality of their milk products. They were also introduced to alternative marketing schemes to widen their market reach, ultimately helping them become self-reliant agripreneurs. To sustain their dairy enterprise over a longer period, they were introduced to community goat upgrading. It is a program that gives them access to breeding bucks with better genetics that could improve the yield and quality of milk to be produced

In the said project, there were five identified Model Dairy Goat Farmers (MDGF). Each MDGF is responsible for looking for buyers, forging ties with them, and producing the type of product (e.g., plain pasteurized milk, flavored milk, ice cream) and the volume they require at agreed periods. In cases where the market is outside their area of production (e.g., in another province or in Metro Manila), the MDGF links with the needed logistic facility or courier service for the product to reach the destination market. 

To support each MDGF, two Affiliate Dairy Goat Farmers (ADGF) were tapped to supply the MDGFs with the agreed volume of raw or pasteurized milk per day to augment the produce of the MDGF and meet the market demands. The MDGFs enforce the testing of milk supplied to them by the ADGFs to safeguard the quality of milk delivered to customers. These farmers were trained by the CLSU project to conduct such tests, on raising and milking dairy goats, as well as processing the milk into value-added products. They were also trained in entrepreneurship and were introduced to the various ways of marketing their produce. 

Lolito Deloberjes

Mr. Lolito Deloberjes is one of the five MDGFs trained by the Project Team on dairy goat production and milk processing in February 2023. He received five female goats from the project on May 5, 2023 and has been milking the dams since then. In the first few weeks of his dairy venture, he got about 500 ml of milk/head (hd) per day but as the peak lactation ensued in the second month, this increased to an average of 1.5 liters (L)/hd per day. In the next four months, he was harvesting an average of 7 L of milk per day from his 5 dams.

To prime his market, he offered free tasting of his goat’s milk for three weeks to neighbors, barangay officials, and other potential customers around the community in Brgy. Manicla, San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.  The milk received positive reviews from testers and soon became known in the community. Not long after, he received orders from the City Veterinary Office and the Engineering Department of the LGU in San Jose as well as from local councilors. Some Zumba participants as well as nurses in the community heard about his goats’ milk and began placing orders too. 

In the 4 months that he had been marketing his goats’ milk, he had generated an estimated monthly net income of P12,000, which according to him was higher than his wife’s take-home pay from working in the LGU as a casual employee.  After the initial milking cycle, he stopped milking his five does, as he started re-breeding them. Meanwhile, to sustain his market and keep the linkage active, he purchased goats’ milk from CLSU to supply to his clients.  

Mr. Deloberjes is bent on making his enterprise work. He wakes up at 3 AM to start milking his does.  By 6 AM, he has already pasteurized and bottled the milk and is ready to deliver them to customers while he ferries his child to school.

According to him, he needs at least five does in the milk line everyday. Hence, he has to increase his stocks to at least 15 milking dams to supply the year-round demand just of his community.

Way Forward

Four of the five target MDGF-ADGF clusters have been organized and trained. They now market their milk products within and outside their respective communities.  These clusters have stirred the interest of clients around Nueva Ecija and neighboring towns for goat’s milk, such that current demand has increased way beyond the production capacity of the five farmer clusters. Because of this, the farmers from the five clusters agreed that to meet the demands, the number of dairy goat holdings of each cluster must be increased to at least 15 does to enable a continuous supply of milk per day. It was also noted that the first MDGF has already earned a monthly net income of P12,000 from the sale of pasteurized goat milk, which broke the Poverty Threshold Level. An increase in the number of does per dairy goat farm would therefore enable them to earn a respectable and steady monthly income that may support them to rise from low to middle income social class. (Anna Marie P. Alo, DOST-PCAARRD S&T Media Services)