A True Hero! OFW Spearheads Advocacy On Backyard Cattle Raising

Kiamba, Sarangani-born Ilocano Arnel Corpuz, a former janitor who rose to become Manager of a 50,000-head Wagyu Feedlot in Australia, is the epitome of a modern Filipino hero.
Returning to the Philippines after spending 11 years fattening Wagyu Cattle in Australia, Arnel embarked on a personal crusade to share his knowledge on ruminants nutrition with other Filipino farmers.
Today, he owns the Great Arch Farm, which is part of the DEALCO Feedlot in Polomolok, South Cotabato where he started working as janitor, where he fattens cattle for 100 days with an Average Daily Weight Gain of 1.5 kilos.
He is so good at what he does that even the National Dairy Authority (NDA) invites him to lecture on Cattle Nutrition, including private cattle ranches in as far as the Ilocos Region.
Recognized for his contributions as a former OFW, Arnel was named Bagong Bayani Awardee as outstanding Overseas Filipino worker.
I actually first met Arnel in 2015 when he volunteered to join the Presidential campaign of then Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.
Recognizing his contributions to the campaign, I asked him to join me when I was appointed Secretary of Agriculture because I wanted him to handle the Cattle Program of the Department of Agriculture.
“Sorry Sec pero ayaw ko matali są gobyerno. Hindi ako makakagalaw ng mabuti. Tutulong na lang ako,” was what I remembered Arnel telling me.
Today, Arnel is still helping by posting videos of what he does in his farm and sharing knowledge with other farmers.
Our friendship has also deepened, aside from the fact that he is a Brother Mason, and we collaborate on so many projects including educating farmers on how to prepare Sorghum Silage for their cattle and small ruminants.
How I wish we have more Arnel Corpuzes in our society, people whose desire to help is driven by their true love of country and not by pecuniary interests.
For me, Arnel Corpuz is a true hero.
#PureSincereLoveForCountry!