THE Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) and Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in Batac, Ilocos Norte, have signed a 25-year memorandum of agreement to sustain and expand joint work on carabao and livestock development, with both institutions citing research, training, and enterprise building as key areas.
The agreement formalizes the continued hosting of PCC at MMSU and sets the terms for land use, facilities, and shared programs over the next quarter-century. The partnership between PCC and MMSU dates back to 1993. The agreement was signed on July 14, 2026.
Under the agreement, MMSU will provide a 3,786-square-meter lot for the PCC administration building and an 8-hectare area for animal facilities and pasture development. The university will lease the land to PCC for P1 per year for 25 years.
PCC will be responsible for establishing, constructing, and operating the facility. The center will also cover its annual operating budget, including administrative costs related to the use of university facilities.
Legal and program anchors
Officials said the partnership is anchored in Republic Act (RA) 7307, or the Philippine Carabao Act, and RA 12308, which broadened PCC’s mandate to include livestock research, vaccine development, and biologics production.
The expanded mandate allows PCC to work beyond carabao and milk and to engage in broader livestock science that can support smallholder farmers in the region.
Focus on boosting the carabao industry
Both institutions outlined joint applied research as a central component of the agreement. Priority areas include carabao production systems, biotechnology applications, animal nutrition, and the development of buffalo-based enterprises.
The collaboration is expected to create more avenues for farmers to increase carabao productivity, improve herd management, and link production to processing and marketing. By combining research with extension, the partners aim to introduce technologies that can raise yields and incomes in carabao-based farming.
The agreement also provides MMSU faculty and students access to PCC’s facilities. University officials said this will allow students to gain hands-on experience in animal science, breeding, nutrition, and related fields, while faculty can pursue research projects using PCC resources.
Long-term framework
With the 25-year term, both PCC and MMSU said they are aiming for continuity in programs that require long gestation, such as breeding, pasture improvement, and enterprise development.
PCC said that stable facilities and land tenure are important for maintaining breeding herds, conducting trials, and scaling technologies. MMSU said the arrangement supports its role in agricultural education and rural development in the Ilocos Region.
The agreement takes effect immediately and will guide the planning of research projects, training activities, and community engagements between the center and the university over the next several years.
