Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization
CLSU Compound, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija

SUCCESS STORIES

Valiant Primary Multi-Purpose Cooperative
by Mila B. Gonzalez (March 18, 2019)
Valiant means possessing courage and determination. This is how the Valiant Primary Multi-Purpose Cooperative can best be described, thus its name.

Situated in Bongabon, Nueva Ecija, the Valiant PMPC was established in 1993. Of its 106 members, 70 members are active, according to Roy Santiago, the cooperative chairman.

The cooperative is fortunate to have been blessed with postharvest facilities from the Department of Agriculture-Region III. It has a village-type cob/grain dryer with 20 tons capacity. It has compact corn mill, hammer mill and a four-wheel drive tractor.

Although onion is the main crop in Bongabon, the Valiant PMPC farmers have corn and rice as their alternative crops. About 90 to 100 hectares of land are planted with corn by the members. These are sold to feed suppliers.

The group started to use the compact corn mill last year. Mr. Roy Santiago, the cooperative’s chairman, praised the technology. “Maganda ang corn mill. Napaghihiwalay ang mga sizes ng mais…Mas mabilis siya. Sa dating corn mill, inaabot ng dalawa hanggang tatlong araw ang milling.” (The corn mill is nice. It sorts different sizes of corn…It is also faster. In the previous corn mill, it takes us two to three days.)

Conrado Duenas, a member of the cooperative, also cites the importance of the compact corn mill . “Malaking bagay ang compact cornmill. Naiistock namin ang mais at pag okey na ang presyo at saka namin gigilingin.” (Compact corn mill is a great thing. We can stock our corn and when the price is okey, we mill).

According to the coop chairman, 30 percent of the cooperative members avail of the custom milling of corn at PhP 1 per kilo. Outside of the coop, custom milling fee for corn is PhP 2.

Asked why the cooperative is growing, Roy Santiago answered, “May tiwala ang miyembro sa management.” (Members trust their management.)