Aboitiz food business unit Pilmico Foods Corporation echoed the government’s assertion on sufficient food supply amid uncertainties brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. The company, which continues to operate normally, said the situation is well within manageable levels.

“Pilmico’s business continuity plans are in place and running, and this has allowed us to operate business as usual to meet the needs of our stakeholders. We have rigorously implemented our strict biosecurity processes to ensure the safety of our teams who report to work, and our supply chain has remained largely intact during the various ECQs that have been implemented across the country. This means that our facilities are prepared to continuously cater to the requirements of our customers, which should allow us to deliver our products and meet their needs,” noted Tristan Aboitiz, President and CEO of Pilmico Foods Corporation. 

During the last meeting of the Inter-agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), the Department of Agriculture (DA) presented the food supply outlook for 2020, with most commodities actually forecast to end at a surplus by year-end. Earlier in April, DA was assigned to chair the Task Group on Food Security created by the IATF-EID. 

According to the adjusted DA report, the projected supply by the end of December 2020 will be 94 days’ worth for rice, 234 days for corn, two days for fish, six days for vegetables, and 253 days for chicken.

Pilmico assured the public and its stakeholders that its operations remain normal. “As a leadership team, we have spent the last few weeks learning as much as we can about the disease, and assessing how it has impacted and will continue to impact our industry. It is critical that we understand how it affects our team members, customers, and communities, so we can make the necessary changes to different aspects of our operations,” Aboitiz added. 

“Our company remains committed to helping sustain the food value chain by consistently being present and delivering raw materials needed to continue food production,” Aboitiz said. “The flour and feed mills in Iligan and Tarlac, as well as farms, continue to operate, serving the needs of the customers despite challenges in logistics and distribution which can be attributed to COVID-19,” he added.

Aboitiz confirmed that Pilmico’s Southeast Asian facilities are operating normally as well. Last year, the company fully acquired Gold Coin, an international food group that operates within Southeast Asia, making Pilmico a significant regional player.  

 “We are currently focused on ensuring that our current production facilities across the [SEA] region are optimized and that utilization is maintained at a high level so that we can adequately cater to the needs of our customers,” said Pilmico and Gold Coin Food Group President and CEO Hubert de Roquefeuil. “Needless to say, this includes integrating seamlessly with Food Group Philippines, in order to optimize synergies in procurement and cross-selling across countries,” he concluded.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Pilmico’s public statement on food supply security significant beyond its commercial operations?
During a period of national anxiety, public statements from major food producers carry psychological as well as factual weight. Pilmico’s confirmation that its production was normal, its supply chain intact, and its facilities operational served to reduce uncertainty among customers, bakeries, and livestock farmers who depended on Pilmico’s flour and feeds for their own businesses. A reassured supply chain partner is more likely to maintain operations, avoid panic purchasing, and continue serving end consumers — making Pilmico’s communications function as a stabilizing signal during the crisis.

What was Pilmico’s official position on food supply security during the COVID-19 ECQ?
Pilmico Foods Corporation publicly echoed the government’s assertion of sufficient food supply, stating that the situation was well within manageable levels. Pilmico President and CEO Tristan Aboitiz confirmed that the company’s business continuity plans were in place and running, allowing operations to continue as usual to meet stakeholder needs. He noted that strict biosecurity processes had been rigorously implemented to protect employees reporting to work, and that Pilmico’s supply chain had remained largely intact across the various ECQs implemented nationwide.

How did Pilmico’s operations perform in its Philippine facilities during the ECQ?
Despite the logistics and distribution challenges caused by COVID-19, Pilmico’s flour and feed mills in Iligan and Tarlac, as well as its farm facilities, continued to operate and serve customer needs. Tristan Aboitiz described the facilities as prepared to continuously cater to customer requirements, with the capacity to deliver products and meet their needs. This operational continuity was attributed directly to the advance implementation of Pilmico’s business continuity plans before the ECQ was declared.

How did Pilmico’s Southeast Asian operations perform during the same period?
Pilmico’s Southeast Asian facilities were also confirmed to be operating normally. Pilmico and Gold Coin Food Group President and CEO Hubert de Roquefeuil stated that the focus was on ensuring production facilities across the SEA region were optimized and maintained at high utilization levels to adequately serve customers. He also highlighted the ongoing integration with Food Group Philippines to optimize procurement synergies and cross-selling across countries — suggesting that the pandemic period was being used to accelerate operational integration rather than pause it.

What was the DA’s food supply outlook at the time and how did Pilmico’s position align with it?
During an IATF-EID meeting, the Department of Agriculture presented the food supply outlook for 2020, with most commodities forecast to end at a surplus by year-end — supporting the government’s assertion of food supply adequacy. Pilmico’s position reinforced this institutional confidence from the private sector side, providing a consistent and credible second voice that affirmed the same message to consumers, customers, and partners who might otherwise have been alarmed by the ECQ’s disruptions.