PCC ‘bull entrustment’ for 

farmers increased income 

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Sept 25 (PIA)—With billions lost in jobs and revenues, government authorities in Bohol are dishing out irresistible offers for livelihood and alternative income in agriculture, especially in livestock. 

At the recent Kapihan sa PIA aired live over DyTR and slightly delayed at Bee FM (92.7), Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) at the Ubay Stock farm (USF) in Lomangog Ubay have to swing out to Tagbilaran to announce the good news. 

Up on the counter is PCC Bull Entrustment Program (formerly Bull Loan program) which allows the government to disperse a purebred bull to individuals or organizations who has about 25 female and “breedable” carabaos in the immediate neighbourhood, and most especially to those areas where no Artificial Insemination technicians live nearby. 

“We’d like to call it Bull Entrustment Program, because there is no payment for the bull, unlike when you talk about loans,” PCC Bohol Extension Services chief Bonifacia Granada clarified over at Kapihan. 

Grandana, who takes charge of the local PCC carabao dispersal program said they prefer dispersals to individuals now, considering that dispersals to groups also assign the responsibility to many people, making it hard to demand accountability for the animal. 

“Ganahan ta anang individual hatagan kay usa ray responsible,” Granada said, hinting that it would be easy for them to monitor and talk with the person taking care of the bull. 

She said for now, PCC has entrusted about 360 bulls in Bohol, and this year, when they programmed to give out 28 bulls, they have accomplished 17 bulls given to Boholano farm families in September. 

And they assured they have plenty of bull stocks to disperse, although the offer could be implemented next year. 

The bull, which could be as young as a year after being separated from the mother, would then be entrusted to a farmer for him to get accustomed to the young bull, and for them to bind. 

As long as a farmer has plenty of female carabaos near him, he can apply for the program. 

Farmer applicants need recommendations from the Municipal Agriculture Officer and the Barangay captains, has to build a shed for the carabao, pay for Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation insurance, prepare for a fodder farm to supply the food of the animal, obtain a barangay clearance, submit his residence certificate and present a valid identification along with a family member co-maker. 

Those requirements could be a bit tricky to comply but with a bull that could be as much as P20-30K each, it evens the score. 

The program also gives to the farmer entrusted with the bull the ownership rights of the bull as long as it has produced 50 calves in the neighbourhood, something that can be achieved well within three years. 

“A female carabao’s sexual cycle is 21 days and she can be sexually disposed for a few hours, so there are huge chances that when you have 25 mature ‘breedable’ females nearby, getting the 50 calves can be in less than three years,” PCC authorities assured. 

Aside from possibly fully owning the bull after the 50th properly documented calf, the bull owner too can collect fees for every time the bull mates and successfully impregnates a female, PCC said. 

And in the time he has the bull, PCC can send in technicians and veterinarians to help out on the bull’s health, so a farmer family is assured of the help in these challenging times, PCC said. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol) 

BULL OF A DIFFERENCE. As a source of income, long lasting livelihood and possible income augmentation in these times of the pandemic, the Philippine Carabao Center in Ubay is giving out purebred bulls to farmers whose neighbourhood have 35 breedable female carabaos, in a bid to upgrade the local herd and kick off the roll the dream to make Bohol the dairy capital in the region, shares PCC Extension Services Chief Bonifacia Granada. (PIABohol)