Maricar B. Jara, a journalist from the Philippines currently employed at The Gulf Today in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, along with her siblings, was raised consuming milk well into their college years. “I only began drinking coffee and tea after I got married,” she remarked. “My children have also been raised on milk and continue to drink it to this day.”
Riza P. Lobitos, an elementary school principal based in Davao City, provides milk to her children as she believes, “Milk will provide them with the energy necessary to complete their school tasks.” She also consumes milk each morning before heading to work.
Lilia Fuentes Lester, a nurse married to a British man, expressed that she often lacks the time to find food that her children enjoy. “Milk is simple to prepare,” she confessed. “I also encourage my nephews and nieces to drink milk.”
Milk is one of the most complete foods. Although milk is about 87% water, it contains fats (which contribute to its creaminess), high-quality proteins (including casein and whey), carbohydrates (particularly lactose, which provides energy), and vitamins and minerals (excellent source of calcium, iodine, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and vitamins B2, B12, and D.
The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) advocates breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months and recommends continuing breastfeeding alongside other foods for a minimum of two years. In various other countries, it is typical for children to be breastfed for a duration of three to five years.
In developed countries like the United States and Australia, people tend to consume milk well into adulthood, using milk from cows, sheep, and goats. However, in developing countries such as the Philippines, it is rare to observe teenagers and adults consuming milk.
Health experts assert that milk is not traditionally included in the Filipino diet. Indeed, many parents believe that their children receive sufficient nutrition from rice, which is the primary food staple of Filipinos.
The result: malnutrition. No wonder, malnutrition is one of the biggest health problems, particularly among the young ones. Based on a survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) in 2015, chronic malnutrition is at its worst in 10 years.
The FNRI data showed chronic malnutrition rate among children aged zero to two was at 26.2%, the highest in 10 years. From 2013 to 2015, 10% of stunting children increased to an average of 40% and is expected to increase in the coming years.
Stunting, the worst form of malnutrition, has been a pervasive concern among Filipino children. In 2019, 28.8% of children below five years old experience malnutrition due to prolonged hunger while the stunting rate among children two years old and below is at 21.9% according to the FNRI report.
One potential approach to addressing the issue of malnutrition, according to experts, is to provide these children with milk. However, the critical question remains: where does the milk come from when the country’s dairy sector has significantly underdeveloped?
“While the dairy industry is an essential element of our economic and nutritional progress,” states Jethro P. Adang, the director of the Davao-based Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBLRC), “we are indeed falling short in production when compared to other Asian countries.”
The encouraging news is that the National Dairy Authority (NDA), the government body designated to assist in the development of the dairy sector, is making some progress.
The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that as of the second quarter of 2025, the milk production in the Philippines stood at 18.16 million liters, reflecting an 11.4% increase compared to the previous year. This rise is due to the growth of the dairy herd and the support programs implemented by the government.
Nevertheless, it still lags considerably behind its goal of achieving 20% national self-sufficiency in milk.
The dairy market in the Philippines is marked by a significant reliance on imports to meet the increasing demand for milk and dairy products. Although local production is limited, initiatives are underway to strengthen the domestic dairy sector, which is vital for enhancing food security and aiding local farmers.
New Zealand serves as the primary source of milk imports for the country, being a leading supplier of milk powder and other dairy items. The United States exports a range of dairy products to the Philippines, such as cheese and milk powder. Australia also plays a crucial role as a source of dairy products.
Based on data available, only about 20% of the total, or 1 in 5 glasses of liquid milk consumed, is sourced locally, with the majority being imported. The United States Department of Agriculture reported that the annual per capita milk consumption in the country is approximately 27 kilograms as of 2024. This reflects a growing demand for dairy products despite being significantly lower than global averages.
That’s good news for Filipino farmers who want to engage in milk production. “With an average per capita consumption of 20 kilograms of dairy products and milk every year, a country with an estimated population of 110-million two years from now would be a virtual gold mine for dairy and milk producers,” said Emmanuel F. Piñol at the time when he was the head of the Department of Agriculture.
In the Philippines, there are three primary sources of milk: cattle, carabao, and goat. According to the NDA, dairy cattle continue to be the predominant source of milk, contributing 10.98 million liters, which represents 60.4% of the total production.
Following dairy cattle, dairy goats produced 2.14 million liters, making up 11.8% of the total. The Philippine Carabao Center generated 2.64 million liters of carabao milk, which is equivalent to 14.5% of the national total.
Among the three animals mentioned, goats are the least costly to raise, and their milk is considered the most suitable for infants and children. Furthermore, goat milk is less likely to trigger allergies in humans, particularly in infants, compared to cow or carabao milk.
“Milk is our most ideal food, meeting nutritional needs better than any other single food item,” says Adang. The center he oversees, situated in barangay Kinuskusan, Bansalan, is recognized as the goat capital of Davao del Sur.
Adang believes that by raising goats, farmers can help augment milk production in the country and lessen the malnutrition problem among children, especially those living in rural and upland areas.
“If only more and more farmers will raise goats in their farms, the health status of our children will improve,” Adang points out. “Not only that, our importation of milk and other dairy products will further decrease.”
The overall goat population in the Philippines was estimated to be around 3.64 million heads in 2025, according to PSA. This sector is primarily comprised of small-scale backyard farms, which represent nearly 99.4% of the entire population, with the greatest number of producers located in the Negros Island Region, Central Luzon, and Central Visayas. (To be continued)
