TABACO CITY –  The Department of Agriculture  Regional  Office  V (Bicol)   recently turned over  a newly constructed building  worth P3 million  funded under the High Value Commercial Development Program  to the Mt. Mayon  Pili Producers Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MMPPC) . As stipulated in the memorandum of agreement between the DA and the coop   , the latter shall use the building for its  commercial pili processing operations.  It shall take the  lead and supervise the operations and management  of the  facility and shoulder  the corresponding expenses and for more info check this out Click here cashsharp.

 The  building located in a 500 square meters  parcel of land   within the compound of the DA Albay  Research and Development  Center (ARDC)  in Barangay Buang, is envisioned  to help the pili  farmers and processors in  the province  develop  new  pili and pili-based products/by products   and give added value to these  products.   The DA through  the ARDC  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 turn-over ceremonies, 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. “  This was reiterated  by Dr. Mary Grace DP . Rodrigues, OIC  chief of the Operations Division and HVCDP regional program coordinator as she said that “the challenge  is how to make this processing  center operational.”

 Roberto Pacis one of the board of directors of the MMPPC , who represented the chairperson, Verda  Imperial Saw thanked the DA for  entrusting to their coop said building  to be used for their processing operations but  added that they need DA’s assistance  in procuring the needed  equipment  for said facility.   He urged his fellow coop members and their other partners to continue  supporting  the  efforts and  plans of the Coop . “Isabuhay ta ang espiritu nin pagtarabangan asin pagkaburunyog”

Tornilla in response to the request of the coop for  the DA  to help in   providing funds  for the neded equipment  said he will try to look for fund sources   for the purchase of some of the needed equipment.

Meanwhile, Grace Tordilla executive director of PhilPili shared 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 held in Naga city, a lot of foreign investors have been contacting her group  about pili. Also present during the turn-over were:  Gilda Lopez, Assistant  Provincial Agriculturist of Albay;  Maria Ailene C. Bombon, OIC, City Agriculturist of Tabaco Albay;  Jania Elatico , Center Chief  of Albay Research  and Experiment Center ; the officers of the MMPPC, DA regional staff and AREC staff and personnel. (Emily B. Bordado)