NORTH COTABATO, Philippines – The hobby of crossbreeding of imported and local chicken strains for meat and eggs led the former governor of North Cotabato to breed “Manok PNoy,†which is now being talked about in local farming communities.
Manny Piñol, who had served as North Cotabato governor from 1998 to 2007, and as vice governor from 2007 to 2010, said he did not expect the good outcome of his backyard “fowl genetics engineering experiment†by breeding chicken strains from the west with resilient, fast growing local bloodlines that are commonly found in Moro areas.
Piñol said he had branded his strain of chickens as “Manok PNoy,†but declined to reveal the breed of the imported hens he has been breeding with native cocks.
“That should be a guarded `trade secret’ for the benefit of our farmers. This breeding experiment can be copied without permission and made commercial and that is something that can be counter-productive for our local Moro and Christian farmers,†Piñol said.
He said he crossbred his imported hens with native “Asil cocks,†which are also called pauwakan in the Moro vernacular.
“Lo and behold, the results are just so good to brag about,†Piñol said.
Piñol started his breeding program right in his 16-hectare fruit and gamefowl farm in Kidapawan City three years ago and gave more focus to the project after he lost his gubernatorial bid in May 13.
He said the imported chicken breeding stocks were supplied by foreign poultry and egg producers.
The new Manok PNoy poultry strain has “meatier characteristic,†and tastes just like the native chicken which is preferred by most Filipinos, especially those fond of eating grilled native chickens.
Volunteer government livestock technicians and veterinarians helping Piñol breed chickens have confirmed that a Manok PNoy chick can gain 1.2 kilos in three months in open range.
“That’s under a free farm range condition where they are set free like ordinary native chickens,†the former governor said, adding that his objective now is to produce Manok PNoy chicks by thousands for dispersal to farmers in North Cotabato and Maguindanao.
The former governor’s chicken breeding program is premised on five parameters -- develop a breed with characteristics of Philippine native fowl, a breed resistant to diseases, a breed that can be raised in open range, and one that is prolific in egg production, and has bigger body and muscular structures for more meat.
Farmers from across North Cotabato have been frequenting Piñol’s farm in Barangay Paco in Kidapawan to inquire about his Manok PNoy.
“I may no longer be in power, but I can still continue with my advocacy to help farmers being a farmer myself,†Piñol said.