Pilmico, Aboitiz Foundation renew livelihood program partnership with DAR

In photo (from left to right): Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) Chief External Affairs Officer DJ Sta. Ana, Pilmico President and CEO Tristan Aboitiz, Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Secretary Conrado Estrella III, DAR Undersecretary Jersey Palmares, and Pilmico VP for Brand, Marketing, and Corporate Social Responsibility Joeben Gamatero.

Pilmico Foods Corporation (Pilmico), the food subsidiary of the Aboitiz Group, together with Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. (AFI) recently renewed their partnership with the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to provide livelihood assistance to Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organizations (ARBOs) nationwide.

Pilmico, AFI, and DAR formally renewed their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Signing last October 14, 2022, held at the Aboitiz office in Taguig City. The Pilmico-Aboitiz Foundation Livelihood Program in cooperation with DAR will provide ARBOs with livelihood opportunities through egg machines and gilt dispersal kits donations.

“It has been nearly ten years since we started with these [livelihood program] initiatives, and it is important that we continually assess how effective we are at helping our beneficiaries make the transition into successful small business owners. It is critical that we ensure that the initiatives we put forward remain relevant to the times, and many things have changed and will continue to change,” said Pilmico President and CEO Tristan Aboitiz.

The Pilmico Livelihood Program, the food group’s flagship corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, started in 2013, while its partnership with DAR began in 2017. Since the establishment of the partnership, Pilmico and DAR have distributed a total of 177 livelihood kits, amounting to a total of over Php 17.2 million to beneficiaries nationwide. 

DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III (standing) extends his gratitude to Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. and Pilmico for offering a hand to farmers through their livelihood assistance program.

On the occasion of the MOU signing, DAR Secretary Conrado Estrella III took the opportunity to highlight the important role farmers play in the economic growth of the country. 

“In this era, we would like to see the farmers be integrated into the consumers’ group for them to have better purchasing power. Therefore, they would have greater chances of succeeding in any business they would engage in. If we help the farmers, we are going to build a healthy and productive country that shall be perfect for establishing businesses and other livelihoods,” Sec. Estrella said.

As they renew their partnership, Pilmico hopes that more and more backyard farmers will benefit from the livelihood opportunities they provide.

“Together with the team at the Department of Agrarian Reform, we look forward to driving the transformation of Filipino backyard farmers and small bakers, so that they, and their families, can play a sustainable role in growing the agribusiness sector of the Philippines in the years to come,” Aboitiz added.