The facility collects biogas from poultry and livestock waste, which is then converted into electricity to help reduce the farm’s energy consumption.
During a project visit on 11 August led by DOST Undersecretary for Regional Operations Engr. Sancho Mabborang and DOST Zamboanga Peninsula Regional Director Rosemarie Salazar, Lester and Haidee Ong, owners of Rockefeller Poultry Farm Inc., welcomed the agency officials and introduced the DOST-funded biogas digester, along with the farm’s other investments, including a biogas-powered electricity generator, an egg-processing facility, and its poultry and livestock operations.
Animal waste to generate farm electricity
Lester Ong, the farm owner, shared how the biogas digester has helped the farm generate renewable energy by processing waste from its poultry and livestock operations.
According to Ong, the facility collects animal waste, which is then broken down by microorganisms. Through the process, odors are reduced and the waste produces biogas, particularly methane.
The farm currently has one operational biogas generator that converts the collected biogas into electricity.
Without the biogas digester and generator, the farm would have to spend around P800,000 to P900,000 monthly on electricity.
“Kapag may biogas na generator, magiging free na ito o ma-minimize sa P40,000 o P50,000 na babayaran pa,” the farm owner said.
(With a biogas generator, it becomes free, or the amount we still have to pay can be reduced to P40,000 or P50,000.)
The digester collects and processes manure from around 50,000 to 100,000 chickens, as well as waste from livestock.
The generated biogas can reportedly power a generator with a maximum capacity of 300 kilovolt-amperes (kVA), enough to supply the entire farm’s electricity needs for approximately 15 hours.
The biogas digester facility was constructed over the past two years and became operational this year.
Vegetable garden planned near facility
The farm owners also plan to establish a vegetable garden in front of the biogas digester facility, using the processed animal waste as fertilizer.
In an interview with the Daily Tribune, the Rockefeller farm said it plans to plant cherry tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme), bitter gourd or ampalaya (Momordica charantia), and cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) in six rectangular plots in front of the facility.
The plots are cemented along the sides, with farm workers gradually filling them with soil in preparation for planting.
The deodorized animal waste produced through the digestion process will be used as fertilizer, while water from the fourth lagoon will be used to irrigate the vegetables.
Even before the planned vegetable garden is established, the processed waste has already been made available to around 40 to 50 farmers working at Rockefeller Farm. They use it to fertilize vegetable gardens and flowers at their homes within Barangay Labrador, where the farm is located.
“Yung mga employees namin may mga tanim yan sila mga gulay and flowers nila,” Haidee Ong, Lester’s wife, said.
(Our employees have their own vegetable and flower plants.)
The farm owners also revealed that they mix microorganisms with the fertilizer distributed to the farm workers.
“Sobrang ganda niya na fertilizer,” Lester Ong said.
“Actually, iyong nakikita ninyong black na soil diyan, iyon iyong dumi na galing diyan sa dome,” he added.
(It is a very good fertilizer. Actually, the black soil that you see there is the waste that comes from the dome.)
By turning processed animal waste into fertilizer, the farm gives its waste a second use while providing an additional resource for its workers and supporting more sustainable farming practices.
Circular economy at its finest
Aside from producing fertilizer and planning to use biowaste-derived water for the vegetable garden, the farm also reuses water from the biogas digester facility to clean its poultry and livestock facilities.
“Iyong water diyan, pinapasok namin ulit sa mga building para magtanggal ng waste,” Lester said, noting that the farm adopts a circular economy approach by reusing water from the biogas facility to flush out waste from its poultry and livestock operations.
(We put that water from the biogas digester facility back into the buildings to remove the waste and clean the entire poultry and livestock facilities.)
Through the system, the farm maximizes the use of its operational byproducts, turning animal waste into electricity and fertilizer while reusing water and reducing waste and operating costs.
Biogas supports sustainable farming, UN SDGs
The biogas digester demonstrates how agricultural waste can be converted into useful resources, allowing the farm to generate electricity, produce fertilizer, and reduce waste-related environmental concerns.
The farm owners said the facility has helped them save nearly P1 million in electricity costs while addressing waste and odor concerns and maximizing available resources by converting biowaste into energy and fertilizer.
The initiative also supports several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy; SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure; SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production; and SDG 13 on climate action.
Through the system, the farm uses animal waste to produce biogas, converts the gas into electricity, and uses the remaining digested material as fertilizer—creating a more sustainable and resource-efficient farming operation.
