At a turnover ceremony in Barangay Carolina in Naga City, Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corporation and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) formally turned over livelihood kits to select farmer-beneficiaries from Bicol as a joint effort to help increase farmers’ household income and to promote sustainable livelihood in the region.
Under the banner of Pilmico’s flagship advocacy program, Mahalin Pagkaing Atin and the DAR’s Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Development and Sustainability program, four (4) Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) from Naga City received three piglets each, feed consumption from grower to finisher stage and technical assistance from Pilmico’s animal production specialists.
DAR Undersecretary Bernie Cruz, Pilmico Vice President for Corporate Strategy, Apol Castro and Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV) Vice President for Government & External Relations Chris Camba were present during the turnover.
In her message, Pilmico Vice President for Corporate Strategy Apol Castro said:
“Naging posible ang araw na ito dahil sa pagkakatugma ng hangarin ng DAR, Aboitiz Foundation at Pilmico. Kaya naman gawin po nating adhikain na magtulungan – ang DAR, , Pilmico at ang inyong lokal na gobyerno – upang mapalago ang karagdagang kabuhayan na ito.”
Teodoro Lebuit, one of the beneficiaries of the program, thanked the Aboitiz group for his livelihood kit. He said:
“Lubos lubos po ang aming pasasalamat dahil kami po ang napili ng Pilmico na bigyan ng negosyong ito. Napakatagal ko na pong gusto na magbalik sa pagbababoy at natupad na po dahil sa Pilmico. Sa lahat po ng bumubuo sa programang ito, sa DAR, Pilmico, Aboitiz at iba pa sana po ay pagpalain po kayong lahat ng Maykapal. Napakalaking tulong po nito sa amin at pati sa pamilya namin.”
To date, seventeen (17) Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries from Camarines Sur, South Cotabato and Surigao have already received livelihood assistance from Pilmico and DAR.
“Malaki ang tulong ng pagkakaroon ng Public-Private Partnerships sa mga layunin at adhikaing gaya nito. Sana ay wag magsawa ang Pilmico at Aboitiz sa pagtulong sa ating mga magsasaka nang sa gayon ay patuloy pa nilang mapaunlad ang kanilang sarili, pamilya at maging ang komunidad na rin.” DAR Undersecretary Bernie Cruz said.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did DAR Undersecretary Bernie Cruz say about the value of public-private partnerships in this context?
DAR Undersecretary Bernie Cruz affirmed that public-private partnerships are critically important for achieving livelihood development goals of this scale, and explicitly encouraged Pilmico and Aboitiz to continue their support for Filipino farmers. His statement represents official government recognition that programs of this type — combining DAR’s beneficiary networks with Pilmico’s agricultural expertise and capital — are more effective than either sector attempting to address farmer livelihood needs independently.
What livelihood kits were distributed in Camarines Sur and under what programs?
Under a joint initiative between Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corporation and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), four Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) from Naga City each received three piglets, feed consumption support from the grower to finisher stage, and technical assistance from Pilmico’s animal production specialists. The donation was made under Pilmico’s Mahalin Pagkaing Atin program and the DAR’s Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Development and Sustainability program — two complementary frameworks that together address both the agricultural skills and the policy backing needed for beneficiary success.
Who attended the turnover ceremony and what did it signify institutionally?
DAR Undersecretary Bernie Cruz, Pilmico VP for Corporate Strategy Apol Castro, and AEV VP for Government and External Relations Chris Camba were all present at the Barangay Carolina, Naga City turnover. The attendance of senior officials from both DAR and Pilmico at the provincial-level event signals that this partnership is not a one-off gesture but a formal, institutionally committed program with executive-level endorsement from both the government and private sector sides.
What did beneficiary Teodoro Lebuit say about the impact of receiving the livelihood kit?
Beneficiary Teodoro Lebuit expressed deep gratitude on behalf of the recipients, describing his aspiration to return to pig farming as long-held but finally fulfilled through the Pilmico program. His testimony conveyed both the personal significance of the opportunity and the community-wide benefit — emphasizing that the support would extend to his family and beyond. His words reflect the lived reality that for many ARBs, access to capital and technical support represents the difference between aspirational and achievable livelihood.
By the time of this CamSur event, how many ARBs had received assistance nationally from this partnership?
By the time of the Naga City turnover, a total of 17 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries from three provinces — Camarines Sur, South Cotabato, and Surigao — had already received livelihood assistance under the Pilmico-DAR partnership. This geographic diversity confirms that the program was being implemented as a national initiative with regional reach rather than as a localized experiment, reflecting the breadth of both Pilmico’s distribution network and DAR’s agrarian reform program reach.
