TABACO CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA) regional office here has turned over a newly constructed building worth PHP3 million under the High Value Commercial Development Program to the Mt. Mayon Pili Producers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MMPPC).
Emily Bordado, DA spokesperson, in a phone interview on Friday, said the DA and the cooperative shall use the building for its commercial pili processing operations.
"The building located in a 500-square meter parcel of land within the compound of the DA Albay Research and Development Center (ARDC) in Barangay Buang in this city, is envisioned to help the pili farmers and processors in the province and develop new pili and pili-based products/by-products," Bordado said.
She added that DA shall monitor and evaluate the progress of the commercial operations of the facility and provide technical assistance and conduct research and related activities on pili and its by-products.
In his message during the turnover ceremonies earlier this week, DA Regional Technical Director for Operations and Extension Rodel P. Tornilla emphasized that "for this building to be operational, machineries and equipment should be put in place”.
Bordado said Roberto Pacis, a member of the board of directors of the MMPPC, thanked the DA for entrusting to their coop the said building to be used for their processing operations but added that they need the agency’s assistance in procuring the needed equipment for the facility.
He urged his fellow coop members and their other partners to continue supporting the efforts and plans of the cooperative.
Tornilla, in response to the request of the coop for the DA to help in the purchase of needed equipment, said he will try to look for fund sources.
Grace Tordilla, executive director of the Philippines Pili Industry League Inc., noted that “there is a big demand for pili oil in the global market and we have to catch up with the global requirement”.
She added that after the successful conduct of the 1st Pili Scientific Conference in Naga City recently, a lot of foreign investors have been contacting her group about pili and its by-products. (PNA)
