Amidst challenges in the hog industry, Silang Livestock Agricultural Cooperative (SLAC) keeps their faith that along with growing pigs, their cooperative will grow big as well in terms of income and impact on the community.
A TODA turned cooperative
SLAC began in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic as a Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (TODA) in Silang, Cavite. With the unforeseen health crisis lashing their livelihood, Lynill Torres, SLAC’s then-president, came up with instituting a cooperative focused on swine production. He was motivated when they were invited to a livestock program by the local government of Silang and were given a pair of native pigs.
“‘Yung mga native na baboy, naparami namin. Pagdating ng 2021, nagplano na kaming magtayo ng kooperatiba then na-register kami noong September 28, 2021 ng Cooperative Development Authority (We were able to reproduce more native hogs from what was given us. Thus, in 2021, we decided to establish a cooperative. It was registered on September 28, 2021 to the Cooperative Development Authority),” Lynill mentioned.
Through their 16 founding members, making native lechon was the first venture of SLAC. As it thrived and became profitable, many townspeople were enticed to join the cooperative. Today, 45 members are working together to attain what SLAC sees as its goal – to help members and nearby communities improve their livelihood and ultimately their lives, and to meet the high demand for quality hog products.
A promising cooperative
Perceived as an auspicious cooperative, SLAC has been receiving support in various forms from government agencies in the region.
Led by now-general manager Lynill, they underwent training programs conducted by the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) International Training Center on Pig Husbandry (ITCPH) in 2022, including the national trainer’s courses on pig husbandry, swine artificial insemination, and meat processing.
They also received 240 heads of fattening pigs from the Department of Agriculture - Regional Field Office CALABARZON in June 2022 under the Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (INSPIRE) Program
One of the most recent developments was when SLAC became a beneficiary of ATI CALABARZON’s 30-sow level multiplier and technology demonstration farm under the INSPIRE Program as well. This program aspires to enhance the local swine industry and recover the sector's capacity to locally produce a sufficient supply of hogs and pork. It also aims to institutionalize and strengthen biosecurity and disease control measures.
“Itong techno demo farm yung pinakamalaking tulong sa amin. Sabi nga namin, ito yung mag-aahon sa amin. Base lang sa nakita ko, kung gusto natin talagang paramihin ang baboy sa Pilipinas, multiplier talaga ang kailangan (This techno demo farm is the biggest project we’ve received so far. We also believed that this is what will pave the way for our success. Based on what I’ve observed, if we want to increase hog production in the Philippines, multiplier is the key),” Lynill said.
Lynill also believes that having a multiplier enables them to self-produce, and become more efficient and sustainable rather than buying and growing fattening hogs.
Through these developments in facilities and production, SLAC is now able to supply hybrid hogs and native lechon to various markets in the region.
“Wala tayong problema sa market, marami tayong mga suki at sobrang laki ng demand. Kulang lang talaga tayo sa supply (We don’t have a problem with our market. The demand is high, yet there’s a scarcity of supply),” he further explained.
In September 2024, Statista reported that the volume of pork meat consumed in the Philippines was estimated at 1.55 million tons of carcass-weight equivalent, slightly higher than the previous year's estimates. It was forecasted to increase in 2025, mirroring a high demand for pork products.
Meanwhile, according to the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) in their report in May 2024, pork supplied by local raisers decreased by 75%. The decrease is primarily attributed to the African Swine Fever (ASF), which has significantly impacted local hog production since its detection in 2019. Such a case impels pork imports to address the supply shortage.
“The decrease in local pork meat supply signals a potential shortage in supply and fluctuating market prices. This situation, worsened by ASF, emphasizes the market’s dependence on imports and the vulnerability of local farmers,” it further reads.
Facing and undermining challenges
Lynill admitted they had a hard time handling insemination inputs and breeding their sows which hampered their production. He believes through the acquisition of pregnancy diagnosis machine, they will resolve this problem for more efficient hog production and to deal with the high demand.
On the other hand, ASF has temporarily paralyzed SLAC’s production as threats posed by the disease disable them from supplying hogs to other areas. Silang, as of this writing, is classified as a ‘Red Zone’ for ASF that halts SLAC from dispersing hogs to areas outside the municipality. Municipalities and cities under the Red Zone are areas with confirmed outbreaks of ASF or when ASF is detected in a village and has spread to other villages within the same municipality or city within 15 days.
“Dahil naka-hold ang dispersal sa ibang lugar, ang problema ko dito ay natatambakan kami ng baboy, lalo na yung mga inahin. Maiipon ito dito kaya ‘wag sanang tumagal pa ang ASF (Because the dispersal is currently on hold, we have a problem with the housing of our hogs, especially sows. So I wish ASF won’t last longer),” Lynill added.
As an alternative solution to this, the cooperative plans to rent a piggery sitting next to their premises to make room for their pigs while still imposing intensive biosecurity and disease control measures to safeguard their hogs.
Giving back to the community
SLAC firmly believes they will get through the storm and fulfill their goals slowly—but surely. In light of this, they kicked off this year the distribution of 10 piglets in Silang as part of the repayment scheme.
They also train the beneficiaries on sow management and artificial insemination. However, due to the ASF outbreak, this undertaking was forced to temporarily stop and will resume once it subsides. The cooperative targets the distribution of 1,000 heads regionwide within three years.
“Malaki ang impact nito sa mga mapagbibigyan dahil livelihood ito. Kapag napalaki nila at naparami, pwede namin silang ituro bilang supplier para matugunan yung demand sa baboy (It has a huge impact on the beneficiaries because it will give them livelihood. Once they succeed in producing hogs, we can refer them as suppliers to buyers. In that sense, we can also help in meeting the demand for hog products),” Lynill explained.
Lynill also expresses a sense of fulfillment in giving back to the community and looks forward to their beneficiaries being able to make their way to progress the way SLAC did.
Nowhere to go but up
For now, Lynill holds his head high and is optimistic that they will conquer all the challenges they are facing.
“Ang nakikita ko, meron na kaming 300-sow level (multiplier) five years from now (I envision that we will have the 300-sow level multiplier five years from now),” he aspired.
“Para naman sa mga member, nakikita ko na yung mga nagta-tricycle pa rin ay may sarili nang tricycle. Tapos yung mga full-time farmer namin ay may tigsa-sampung inahin na at piggery (I envision also that our tricycle driver members will get their respective tricycles. For our full-time farmers, I want them to own a piggery with ten sows each),” Lynill added.
For Lynill and SLAC, it still seems far yet so near. With the progress they continuously make and their steadfast commitment to what they do, they are now able to glimpse the success on the horizon.
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