Sessions were conducted during the planning workshops held for centers in Visayas and Mindanao in February and March to promote the implementation and integration of Quality Management Systems (ISO 9001 principles) in their operations. The principle of adopting P-D-C-A (Plan–Do–Check–Act) cycle in the center’s operations was emphasized, giving more focus on the review, root cause analysis, validation, and keeping records on the effectiveness of actions taken.

Meanwhile, full documentation workshop on QMS was conducted at PCC at MMSU, in preparation for its certification to ISO 9001:2008. Likewise, an extensive internal quality audit (IQA) of the center’s documented QMS was made to confirm the earlier audit conducted by its IQA team and assess their readiness for certification. The activity culminated with a Management Review meeting.

Two designated Pollution Control Officers (PCO) of the PCC National Headquarters got their official accreditation from the Environmental Management Bureau-Department of Environment and Natural Resources (EMB-DENR).
Likewise, following the submission of the agency’s Environmental Performance Report and Management Plan (EPRMP), an inspection of facilities and premises at the PCC National Headquarters and Gene Pool was conducted by the EMB-DENR-Region 3, which subsequently resulted in the granting of an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) to the agency.

Continuous monitoring of EPRMP is done via the PCC’s conduct and submission of Self-Monitoring Report (SMR) to EMB on a quarterly basis subject to the former’s compliance to Clean Air Act; Clean Water Act; Solid Waste Management Act; Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Act; and other laws governing pollution control and prevention.

Permits to operate gen sets and to discharge waste water and hazardous wastes generator ID were also acquired from EMB-DENR-Region 3 through compliance to various government requirements.

In compliance with the requirements of RA 9003 (Solid Waste Management Act), a waste segregation, classification and collection system was initiated and partly implemented at the PCC National Headquarters and Gene Pool. A simple material recovery facility (MRF) was established within the compound. The facility holds the segregated wastes before it is finally disposed to Capas Sanitary Landfill through an agreement with Metro Clark Waste Management.

A simple water treatment facility (series of ponds) for effluents at the gene pool including milk processing plant was also put in place to ensure that waste water released to the creek is within the defined ‘Effluent Standard’. Furthermore, application for permit from the National Water Resources Council regarding deep well construction (in our case, late application) per Article 10 of PD1067, Water Code of the Philippines is also in progress. Requirements for this have been completed.

Ambient Air Quality testing within the compound and immediate neighborhood was likewise undertaken to ensure that potential environmental impact coming from PCC’s operations are properly addressed to prevent and/or control pollution.

Moreover, the PCC has registered with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) as required by the National Labor Code and Occupational Safety and Health Standards. Following PCC’s registration was a conduct of Work Environment Measurement (WEM) by the Occupational Safety and Health Center (OSHC), an attached agency of DOLE that assesses possible hazards in the workplace and designs appropriate controls to address the risks found.

Conduct of various activities involving all staff at the PCC National Headquarters and Gene Pool were started in conformance with basic laws. The activities include:

1. Fire Safety Awareness & Prevention Seminar and Drill
2. Earthquake Preparedness Seminar and Drill
3. Safety Awareness Training
4. Safe Handling of all Chemicals and Reagents as Environmental Support (in collaboration with Animal Health Unit)
5. Proper Waste Segregation and Disposal
6. Fire Brigade Members’ Orientation

Various teams or committees were also organized as core groups that will spearhead implementation of various programs pertaining to EMS and OHSAS. These are Emergency Preparedness and Response Team, Fire Brigade, First Aid Team, and Health and Safety Committee. Members of these committees have attended awareness sessions pertaining to their responsibilities. The First Aid Team in particular has completed the Basic Life Support and First Aid Training conducted by the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC) in Cabanatuan. The team members are now licensed to administer first aid treatment to victims in cases of emergency within and outside PCC (within the province of Nueva Ecija).

Appropriate documents were produced in relation to the abovementioned activities. These include the following:

1. Guidelines on Health, Safety, Pollution Control and Resource Conservation
2. Emergency Preparedness and Response Guideline
3. Fire Brigade Members’ Duties and Responsibilities
4. General Waste Management Guideline
5. Operational Control Procedure on Communication for EMS and OHSAS
6. Procedure on Hazards Identification, Risks Assessment and Determination of Controls (HIRAC)
7. Procedure on Identification of Applicable Regulatory Requirements, Evaluation of its Applicability on EMS and OHSAS

To ensure that medical emergencies among PCC employees are attended, the unit facilitated PCC’s pact with CLSU regarding access to the latter’s medical services and facilities. The agreement was formalized in April.

Collaboration with the Local Fire Department was also initiated through the conduct of Fire Safety Inspection at the facilities of PCC National Headquarters which was followed by seminars on fire safety awareness and prevention, earthquake preparedness and drills for both disasters. This resulted in the issuance of Fire Safety Inspection Certificate (FSIC) to PCC.

Meanwhile, safety inspection in the premises was also conducted by the Science City of Muñoz Engineer’s Office to ensure that unsafe conditions, should there be any, are properly addressed.

In the absence of a concrete health program for PCC, the services of the Muñoz Diagnostic Center was also tapped to establish benchmark health profile of PCC staff, which will serve as basis for the crafting of the agency’s annual health program. Physical examination of each employee was undertaken along with the interpretation of results through one-on-one consultation with a physician whose expertise is Internal Medicine. Upon establishment of a PCC staff health profile, a series of lectures was conducted by the physician to create awareness among employees on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

A series of brainstorming and planning activities for the crafting of a long-term program for the development of the ruminant subsector was initiated by the PCC in early 2010. The said activities were participated in by the Livestock Development Council (LDC), the National Dairy Authority, the DA-Executive Committee and Regional Field Units, the Bureau of Animal Industry, and the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS). Consistent with the development concept of public-private partnership, the PCC and LDC also spearheaded a series of consultation with key private stakeholders in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, as represented by the Dairy Confederation of the Philippines (DairyCon), the Federation of Cattle Raiser Associations of the Philippines (FCRAP), the Large Animal Raisers of Mindanao, the Federation of Goat and Sheep Producers Association of the Philippines (FGASPAPI), the United Small Ruminant Raisers Association (USRRA), the Philippine Association of Meat Processors, Inc. (PAMPI), the Meat Importers and Traders Association (MITA), and their local counterparts.
The consultations were facilitated by the Mandala Agricultural Development Corporation (MADECOR), which also packaged the final document entitled “Ruminant Animal Industry Road Map 2010-2034”.

The Road Map aims to (1) invigorate the rural economy by promoting enterprise development along the value chain; (2) develop high-value animal-derived products for local and export markets; and (3) improve nutrition and promote healthy lifestyle. Currently, the Road Map is being used as a major reference material for (further) planning and/or implementation activities by the PCC, the DA, and other livestock agencies.

The year saw the construction of a building called the “Central Milk Collecting and Processing Facility”, which is adjacent to the main gate of the PCC National Headquarters. As the name implies, it will serve as a centralized collecting and processing point for all the milk that is produced in Nueva Ecija (i.e. from PCC and partner cooperatives) and nearby provinces. Likewise, it will house a one-stop shop that will showcase necessary material inputs or supplies to buffalo farming as well as a product outlet for buffalo-derived products produced by PCC, the farmer-cooperatives and other private entrepreneurs across the country.

An auditorium with a seating capacity of 500 people was also constructed and is targeted for initial use as a venue of the PCC anniversary program in March 2011.
Meanwhile, construction of administration buildings has started in PCC-CSU (at its new site in Tuguegarao, Cagayan) and in PCC-LCSF (La Carlota City) with targeted completion in mid 2011. Groundbreaking activities for the construction of Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA)-funded semen processing facilities of PCC-CLSU in Digdig, Carranglan also commenced in late 2010. The KOICA also extended support to the establishment of a centralized collection and processing facility for the PCC at UPLB-assisted cooperative in General Trias, Cavite.

In line with building its social network for collaborative purposes, the agency has maintained and created (new) linkages or partnerships with local and international research, government, and academic institutions (Table 19). Collaboration is in the forms of R&D (basic and applied research) and technical cooperation.