Wednesday, December 11, 2024

MVP buying out dairy farm in Bukidnon for P700 million

MANILA, Philippines (July 11, 2024) — Business titan Manuel V. Pangilinan is dipping further into the dairy business as he will buy out for around P700 million a Bukidnon-based milk company to increase the supply of his ice cream venture

Pangilinan confirmed to The STAR that he will be acquiring Bukidnon Milk Co. to raise the dairy supply for premium ice cream brand Carmen’s Best of The Laguna Creamery Inc., where he has a controlling stake.

“Sales of our ice cream products have been growing exponentially and we are slowly running out of milk supply from our dairy farm in Bay, Laguna,” Pangilinan said.

“We are buying another dairy farm in Bukidnon to supplement the supply. Maybe we could ship some of the milk to Manila because we want to expand our fresh milk supply and we want to get into yogurt and cheeses,” he added.

Sources privy to the buyout told The STAR that the transaction is estimated to cost at least P700 million. This would make it larger than Pangilinan’s P198 million acquisition of a majority stake in The Laguna Creamery in 2022.

Sources said Metro Pacific Agro Ventures (MPAV), a subsidiary of Metro Pacific Investments Corp., is wrapping up negotiations with Bukidnon Milk with the goal of closing the deal this July, in time for Pangilinan’s birth month.

Pangilinan said Bukidnon Milk has a capacity three to four times bigger than MPAV’s dairy farm in Bay, Laguna.

Based on data from the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service in Manila, the Philippine market for ice cream products is estimated to reach $408 million, of which $105.3 million is imported.

Pangilinan made his first dip into the dairy business in 2022 when MPAV took on a 51-percent share in The Laguna Creamery, the maker of Carmen’s Best. Pangilinan views his entry into the dairy industry as another step toward food sufficiency.

Apart from this, MPAV partnered with Israel’s LR Group Ltd. to put up the Metro Pacific Dairy Farms through a 60:40 sharing in favor of the Metro Pacific Group. The facility can produce as much as 6.5 million liters of milk every year once it begins operations in 2025.

MPAV hopes to grow the revenue of its dairy business to P500 million by 2025 and P1 billion by 2027.

In earlier interviews with reporters, Pangilinan aired his frustration over the dairy supply in the Philippines, lamenting that 99 percent of the demand is served by imported milk and 70 percent of the supply is powdered, not fresh.

Pangilinan said this import dependency is caused by low yields in dairy farming, as farmers are unable to go beyond traditional practices.

This is where Bukidnon Milk pours into the glass. The company runs a 460-hectare grazing farm in Maramag, Bukidnon—the first and biggest of its kind in Mindanao—where cows are allowed to wander freely.

Bukidnon Milk practices a kind of dairy farming that gives cows a stress-free landscape, as opposed to the usual confined animal feeding operations method. The company also boasts that it neither enriches nor fortifies its milk products, doing nothing more to them than light pasteurization and homogenization to retain their natural nutrients.

In its facility, Bukidnon Milk uses RFID readers and automated sensors for safety and sanitation, and it also employs indigenous peoples in the community to provide them with jobs.

To date, Bukidnon Milk sells its milk products in select outlets of Balai ni Fruitas, Landers, S&R, and SM, and supplies dairy items for coffee shops in Mindanao.

Bukidnon Milk takes care of around 2,000 cows in its land and the company supplies to at least 50 businesses nationwide. (Jasper Emmanuel Arcalas, Elijah Felice Rosales /The Philippine Star)

51st broadcaster’s month celebration giabrihan sa KBP Bukidnon

Pormal nga giabrihan kaniadtong Abril 1, 2024 sa Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Bukidnon Chapter ang mga kalihokan niini alayon sa selebrasyon sa 51st Broadcaster’s Month

Ang kalihokan gisugdan sa isa ka motorkada sa sentro sa Munisipyo s Maramag.

Gisundan kini sa isa ka programa nga gipahigayon sa Covered Court sa
Philippine Countryville College (PCC) sa Brgy. Panadtalan, Maramag, Bukidnon.

Si Rev. Fr. Jonathan Tianero, chairman sa KBP Bukidnon Chapter ug station manager sa DXDB, ang mihatag sa pangbukas nga mga pulong.

Samtang si Maam Nonita Rosales, regional consultant sa KBP, mipasabot sa
KBP Broadcaster’s month rationale.

Dinapit nga mamumulong si Atty. Isha B. Corbeta.

Gipaambit ni Corbeta ang kamahinungdanon sa media o radio broadcasting sa katilingban o komunidad.

Ang kalihokan gitambongan sa mga opisyal ug miyembro sa KBP Bukidnon
Chapter.

Sa laing bahin, alayon sa selebrasyon, gipahigayon usab sa PCC ang
Bloodletting activity nga gidumala sa Philippine Red Cross Bukidnon
Chapter nga nagdala sa temang “Dugo Mo, Kinabuhi Ko.”

Mikabat sa 50 ka criminology students ug faculty sa PCC ang nidonar og dugo. (melbmadera)

DOH-10 stresses need for proper health guidance amid El Niño concerns

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA/March 03, 2024) – “The phenomenon in the environment has an effect on the human body,” said Dr. Tristan Jedidah Labitad, head of the Non-Communicable Diseases Cluster, who shared points and mitigations on El Niño effects on the health of the people during the Kapihan sa PIA: El Niño Series on February 21, 2024, at Limketkai, Cagayan de Oro City

Labitad said El Niño is a phenomenon where certain parts of the surface water in the Pacific Ocean become warmer than usual, and this increased heat has a ripple effect on the overall global climate. He added that waterborne diseases, influenza-like illnesses, leptospirosis, and dengue (WILD) are diseases that can arise from such a phenomenon.

 

Labitad stressed the susceptibility of individuals of all ages, highlighting the vulnerability of everyone to these health risks. Despite the preparedness of health facilities to assist, he emphasized the role of consulting primary healthcare providers before heading to hospitals in cases of illness.

 

“Kung unsa’y gibati nimo nga dili maayo nga sakit, you seek medical consultation, diretso. Dili magpataka-taka og inom og any herbal supplements, I am not discounting any herbal supplements. However, conventional medicine would dictate nga dili jud alternative sa imong gibati karon ang mga herbal, good kung naa ka pero dili i-neglect nga based japon siya sa research,” he said.

 

[If you feel that you are sick, you should seek medical consultation directly. Do not drink any herbal supplements; I am not discounting these supplements. However, conventional medicine would dictate that herbals are not an alternative to what you feel now; good if you have them, but don’t neglect those that are based on research]

 

The doctor strongly advised seeking medical consultation and undergoing a health professional’s check-up, especially for individuals with co-morbidities, cautioning against the indiscriminate use of herbal supplements without proper guidance.

 

As for enhancing their preparedness for potential disease surges in their respective areas, Labitad said local government units and healthcare facilities, including rural health units and centers, hold regular meetings to also determine ways to address health issues in communities.

 

To maintain good health, Labitad urged the public to only rely on credible sources of information, such as the Department of Health and other reputable health entities. “Let’s avoid being swayed by various anecdotes. Consult with healthcare professionals for any health concerns,” he said.

 

The Philippine Information Agency-10 holds the Kapihan sa PIA: El Niño Series once a month to address pressing issues related to the El Niño phenomenon in the region. (Patricia Aisabelle C. Rosales/PIA-10)

NEWSFLASH! FOR SALE: MINDANAO PRAISE RADIO (MPR)105.3-FM

Former area station, MINDANAO PRAISE RADIO (MPR)105.3-FM is selling its Equipment.

It’s the total package of transmitters, amplifier, power supplies, studio Mics, FM antenna plus 120-foot steel tower in (6) 20-foot sections plus strong guy-wire cables & turnbuckles. All the needed mechanical & technical components to get you on the air. It’s all ready for pick-up to be transferred to your own broadcasting site! Included as a bonus: super sounding radio jingles & production music beds from the U.S. Selling the whole kit at a ‘fair market’ price. First come, first served based on a CASH deal only! Our product inventory in Bukidnon can only seen by prior phone appointment. Absolutely NO inquiries about this accepted from Fridays @ 3:00 PM through Saturdays at 6:30 PM. Cellphone No.: 0917-704-2621