The roasted pig was a different treat for Christmas. This 34 kg pig was roasted at least 2-3 hours on a bamboo stick over charcoal. It was awesome. The skin was the texture of a hard torilla and absolutely delicious. The meat of course was equally delicious. The meal consisted of rice in a woven coconut leaf basket (lower left); a number of different meats of pork, chicken, hamburger; and spaghetti. Later a dessert of fruit cocktail was served in young coconut meat and juice mixed with carnation milk. We sure ate our fill.

We discovered in late November that everything and everyone shuts down for at least two weeks around Christmas and New Years so we decided that would be a good time for a holiday. We were acquianted with a lady in Manila whose family lived in Cebu and that is also where our missionary friends, Doug & Marla Sharpe, who we met in Peterborough over the past year also live. It seemed ideal to visit this island about an hour flying time south of Manila.

We arrived here on December 19 and it has been a wonderful experience. Girlie, our Manila friend booked us into a small resort with a swimming pool and next to the Carmotes Sea...so a choice of chlorine water or salt water. The salt water is awesome...we float like a cork. Now looking at us that may be hard to imagine but it is reality. We keep forgetting to ask someone to take our picture but hope to soon prove it to you.

On the 20th, Saturday evening Doug called and arranged a ride to church for us with a local lady, Mylene, who lives close by. Mylene, still a total stranger although a sister in the Lord, called and invited us for breakfast before church. During the day she informed us that she was taking her family to Manila on a holiday so if we would bring them to the airport we could use her SUV for the next 10 days. Wow...that was an unexpected blessing but sincerely appreciated. This has allowed us to visit and travel well beyond our expectations.

This is also the first time I have actually driven a vehicle (beyond an ATV) in the Philippines and it sure takes some getting used to, especially night driving. Probably near 10% of vehicles have no lights or so dim you can't see them. Then there's the many bicycles and tricylces also moving around in the dark. Sometimes 2 lane traffic turns into 4 or more lanes with motorcycles darting in and out of everywhere. But we're catching on to the 'madness' and seem to do OK by the Grace of God.

These four people were our closest companions during our visits to the various municipalities. Circling around the table to my left is the Provincial Veterinarian, Dr. Naui; his assistant and agricultural technologist, Sergio Galamgam; a member of the Provincial Planning and Development Council, Willie ----- (never figured out his last name) and the Senior technologist with the Department of Trade and Industry, Gigie Turingan. Here we are finalizing our report and planning for our exit conference on December 15.

On Decmber 15 we provided a number of recommendations, most significantly suggesting that a comprehensive school fresh milk program be the beginning market for a new dairy industry. It would be a measurable market according to funds available and coupled with potential production The province of Isabela has the highest (17%) below normal growth rates of all school children (totalling 160,000 children) in grades 1-6 in Region 2...an area of 5 provinces in Northern Luzon. A milk feeding program in some individual schools has already shown a significant decrease of the BNG rate. A government support of 10,000,000 pesos ($250,000CAD) would already help over 10,000 students and require 6500 litres weekly. Certainly a small weekly volume by Canadian comparison but a start here for 10 farmers milking 10 cows producing 10 litres daily. To feed all of them would take 160 million pesos with a requirement of 100,000 litres per week. Although the current raw milk price is over a $1.00CAD, it would be virtually impossible to accomplish such a volume even if the funding would be available.

My premise is to not overwhelm them with large numbers of animals because all dairy technology from producing forages to feeding cows; breeding cows and handling milk production has to be learned from the most elementary level. Furthermore if forage production can accommodate these animals on 2-3 hectares as suggested by agricultural studies...then the return per hectare will be at least double or triple the returns from corn or rice on lesser quality land.

I had someone ask me yesterday...can I breed my beef heifers artificially? Would it be OK to breed them to Holsteins to upgrade them to milking animals? The dairy knowledge base is very limited and will require considerable guidance in the foreseeable future...but not without potential or hope. It can happen here. We have heard and seen magazines from Vietnam and Thailand that it is happening in those similar tropical countries. China's dairy industry is growing 20% annually. With a strong initiative, the Philippines can do the same.

Unfortunately we are having some technical difficulty with a group of pictures from around the exit conference on December 15 so we can't show any of those photographs. We can tell you that the conference went quite well and all our recommendations will be considered. The Governor herself did attend a portion of the conference and said that she would give serious consideration to a Provincial school fresh milk program. Everyone seems agreed on the possibilities. Now comes the task of implementation. The Provincial Veterinarian has committed to establishing a demonstration farm (if funding becomes available) and at least two private entrepreneurs have approached us for further direction.

The exit conference does end this particular project however we are anticipating another recall to this area to help establish some farms in Isabela and to further the program to the other 4 provinces in the region.

Again my appologies for such a long hiatus on our blog. We will continue our posts over the next few days but right now I have run out of time again. We have to visit internet cafes and it's long past lunch time so have to bid farewell to satisfy and maintain our bodies.

What is very unique here is that crops can be planted year around. This is corn field fully tassled and filling grain while right beside it is a newly established crop. As you drive the country side, this is normal sight especially for rice fields, many will be just freshly planted and within eyesight you can watch group of people harvesting a ripe field. Growth is truly 365 days and also means that forages can be growing and harvested everyday of the year.

A bit out of order but here is a municipality re-bagging rice for family rations of 2-5 kilos to help in the flooded villages.

December continued to be a very busy month with almost a race for time. We still had numerous visits to make and we found out that everything shuts down for the Christmas and New Years holidays for full two weeks. Therefore our exit conference needed to be no later than Dec. 15 because we were booked as a guest speaker for the Regional Economical Development Council on the 16th, the 17th was a staff meeting and the 18th a Christmas party. As I mentioned earlier, the holidays start early here...apparently Christmas music begins in September. It was already in full swing when we arrived.

Rivers tend to have deep ravines but here you can see how high the water actually rose.

Vast hectares of drowned crops. How discouraging for the farmers and in most cases crop insurance isn't even considered or available.

I appologise for the lapse in updates. I didn't even realize that it has been almost 4 weeks since the last update. Time has flown by in our busyness. What happened in Isabela around Nov 20, while we were to the south in Batangas Province, was a major flood. The next few pictures will demonstrate some of the damage although we did not see it until early part of December when we returned to our central headquarters. Thousand of acres flooded eliminating rice and corn production in the areas adjacent to the rivers. Our home in Ilagan was within one foot of being flooded fortunately, however the humid musty smell still greeted us as we returned on Dec 4.

It was apparently a monsoon rain that lasted for about 6 days of almost steady rain...not that hard but steady and volumous. Unfortunately I can't find a telling picture near Tuguegarao, where 3 weeks later grass was still hanging from road side power lines and mud in 2 foot mounds was pushed back from the paved road by a road grader.

Concerning the damaged crops, they all had to be replanted and seed supply was difficult to obtain. While visiting San Pablo, they were still waiting on seed by Dec 9. Most communities handed out rice rations for those most significantly affected by the flood. Many municipalities that we visit we busy repackaging 50 kg sacks into 2-5 kilo rations.

Let's keep a eye on the future

This facility in the province of Bataganas is a practical building for a small farm to milk dairy cows in a clean environment as a barn can be. This farmer has a dozen cows milking in a double 2 unit milking parlour. The cattle are pastured but also fed in a concrete manger. The entire area has a concrete floor to eliminate the mud and filth of the previous picture.

The ultimate lack of hygene

On a wet morning this is not a pleasant chore under these conditions.

After the fun it's on the road again

An early morning visit to some backyard farms milking carabao.

The Hotel hostess with the mostess! Noime is a most gracious hostess but this time it was her turn to be on the receiving end.

After a guessing game for the ladies, the MC asked each team to appoint a male...possibly the largest male on the team. It was pretty obvious after a few minutes what she was up to...you should try sucking down 4 ounces of ice tea in 2 minutes. But the big guy did win.

It's not all work and no play

We were invited to a baby shower at the hotel we were staying in Santiago City, Isabela. Our friend Noime Liangco owns this hotel we have the honour of being her guests whenever we are in Southern Isabela. About one month ago she and her husband had the opportunity to adopt a baby that had been abandoned. The hotel staff decided to give her a baby shower and of course we were invited as well.

This a view of the 'Low Cost Housing' discussed earlier. Potential inhabitants apply and provide the labour to erect their home and receive it gratis from the municipality through a national government program. Ten units have been built here and further 90 are projected for the future on a 3 hectare donated property. When residents move in they are encouraged to grow a vegetable garden as well as keeping a few goats.

And of course there has to be a group picture.

Our Assessment Travels - Week 5

This is one of the municipal presentations. Usually the Mayor and some staff are present as well as a number of interested farmers and ranchers to listen to our presentation and a further Q & A session. This is followed by a tour of the community viewing some of the local attributes of agriculture and municipal initiatives. Upon the conclusion of this week we will have visited 11 municipalities as well as the state university and a ranchers co-op. We will then provide a report to the Provincial Government recommending next steps.
The biggest challenge will be getting some indivduals willing to take that first big leap of faith into a new business. The most often asked questions are of financing and where they can source dairy cattle. Dairy cattle in this country are very scarce and most dairy farms in other areas are in an expansion mode Most of the potential entrepreneurs do have some finances but seem not to understand that a sound business plan will go a long way to source additional financing and even some government grants. I hope to meet with some financial institutions soon to develop a dairy relationship and business plan requirements.