In 2015, the Department of Agriculture formed the Gandara Kaseo Producers Association to help Gandara promote this delicacy to encourage tourism and a means of livelihood. The association was given seed money to buy milk from carabao owners and the only requirement for membership is that they know how to make keseo. What was initially an all-women livelihood initiative soon included the husbands as well. At that time, the town’s cheese producers made more than 500 pieces of kaseo a day and is sold to store owners, locals, and visitors.
Marietta Bernales of Mayette’s Native Food Products started out with just a sari-sari store outside her house. She has always enjoyed baking and would sell her products to her teachers in school as a means to earn some extra cash. Eventually, she learned how to make keseo and soon her homemade cheese has built a reputation as the best keseo in Samar. She markets these under her Mayette’s brand along with her other products such as tablea, corioso cookies, roscas, and more.
Bernales was one of those who benefited from the Angat Buhay project of Vice President Leni Robredo when her office distributed 15 female carabaos to local farmers in Gandara with the hope of helping cheese producers and farmers create value-adding activities. Bernales said that with this initiative, they no longer need to outsource carabao milk from Bohol which makes the keseo more expensive to make.
Keseo is now being made in the processing center at Natimonan Village, a 15-minute drive from the town center. Rebecca Margallo, a keseo cheese maker, admits that their livelihood has augmented their income. Some in their community are making enough to send their children to college. “Our income in making keseo helped us give our children a brighter future. I am positive this product will make a name in other areas soon,” she says.
