Former politician now breeds ‘Manok PNoy’

NORTH COTABATO, Philippines – The firebrand former governor of North Cotabato has gone  into crossbreeding of imported and local chicken strains for meat and eggs as a  hobby to keep himself busy.

His hobby, however, has developed into a business – the “Manok PNoy,” which is now being talked about in local farming communities.

Manny Piñol, who was governor of  North Cotabato  from 1998 to 2007, and subsequently, as vice governor from 2007 to 2010, admits he  did not expect the good outcome of his backyard “fowl genetics engineering experiment.”

He started by breeding chicken strains from the west with resilient, fast growing local bloodlines that are commonly found in Moro areas.

Piñol  branded his strain of chickens as “Manok PNoy.” He did not reveal the breed of the imported hens he crossbred 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  in his 16-hectare fruit and gamefowl farm in Kidapawan City three years ago and intensified the project after he lost  his bid for the gubernatorial post in the province last May 13.

Piñol personally imported the chicken breeding stocks from abroad, 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 the chickens confirm that a Manok PNoy chick can gain 1.2 kilos in just 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 the  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 structure for more meat.

Farmers from across North Cotabato have lately 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.