Helps sustain livelihood of local bakers
Pilmico began its 30-day distribution of food to critical sectors such as hospitals and military checkpoints in Iligan and Tarlac cities to aid frontliners who are fighting the COVID-19 crisis
The first batch of donations was turned over last March 21 by team members of Pilmico Foods Corporation, the food business unit of the Aboitiz Group. The team visited hospitals and checkpoints on two simultaneous distribution activities in Tarlac City and Iligan City.
“Every day, as the uncertainty associated with the threat of COVID-19 grows, those of us in a position to help, have an obligation to do so… It is these moments when our mission to help advance the communities we operate in matters the most,” said Tristan Aboitiz, Pilmico President and CEO.
Aboitiz also noted: “In an effort to provide a measure of relief to the communities around us who are affected by this crisis and the frontliners who secure our safety, over the coming days, Pilmico will continue distributing food and medical supplies such as N95 masks, surgical masks and 70% ethyl alcohol.”
The bread donations are sourced from Pilmico partner bakeries under its Kutitap Feeding Program to help funnel income to local bakers amid the enhanced community quarantine.
Kutitap is Pilmico’s feeding program that addresses malnutrition among students while providing an additional source of income for partner bakeries.
Assistance in Tarlac City
In coordination with the Tarlac Capitol – Incident Command Center and the Tarlac Provincial Police Office, Pilmico distributed an initial donation of 900 pieces of bread from Norlyn Bakery.
The bread donations were allocated to Tarlac Provincial Hospital, and checkpoints in Aranguren, Bamban, Brgy. Lourdes, Capas, Concepcion, Cristo Rey, Magalang-Concepcion Road, and Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway.
“We feel honored that Pilmico chose our products for the frontliners who are now the new heroes facing COVID-19. We are also grateful to be part of the response because the bread production meant continuous work for our employees. Maraming salamat po (Thank you very much.),” said Normelinda Chavez of Norlyn’s Bakery.
Food aid for Iligan City
Pilmico also distributed 900 pieces of bread from four partner bakeries in Iligan City – C&G Bakery, Leyson Bakeshop, Shandy’s Bakeshop, and Mandy’s Bakeshop.
The donations were distributed to Adventist Medical Center, Iligan Medical Center Hospital, Dr. Uy Hospital, and Mercy Community Hospital, as well as the military checkpoints in Buru-un, Ditucalan, and Dalipuga.
“It’s humbling to experience going to these locations and assisting our fellow Filipinos who are battling COVID-19 head-on. It made me realize that at times like this, reaching out and helping people who are greatly in need will always be worth it,” shared Gregory Canoy, Pilmico Corporate Social Responsibility Specialist who aided in the distribution.
Since 2013, the Kutitap Feeding Program has been an instrument in addressing malnutrition among pupils from Kinder to Grade 2, while helping local bakery businesses to prosper with increased sales, productivity, and community awareness.
This time around, the Kutitap partner bakers will provide food aid to the COVID-19 frontliners who are risking their own health and lives to help the nation combat the disease.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this initiative illustrate the principle of a CSR program advancing both community welfare and business partner welfare simultaneously?
The bread distribution initiative is a textbook example of creating shared value. Frontliners received free nutritional support during an unprecedented national health crisis. Partner bakeries under the Kutitap program received daily bread orders and payment — in cash or flour — maintaining their operations and employee livelihoods during a period when nearly all other business had ceased. Pilmico simultaneously fulfilled a community welfare purpose and sustained its partner ecosystem. And the initiative activated an existing program infrastructure — the Kutitap network — rather than building something new, demonstrating the long-term value of investing in community partnerships before a crisis occurs.
What was Pilmico’s 30-day food distribution initiative and how did it start?
Pilmico launched a 30-day bread distribution initiative for COVID-19 frontliners starting March 21, 2020, with the first donations distributed simultaneously in Tarlac City and Iligan City. The initiative channeled bread from Pilmico’s Kutitap Feeding Program partner bakeries — transforming a student nutrition program into a frontliner relief operation. In Tarlac, 900 pieces of bread from Norlyn’s Bakery went to Tarlac Provincial Hospital and surrounding checkpoints. In Iligan City, 900 pieces from C&G Bakery, Leyson Bakeshop, Shandy’s Bakeshop, and Mandy’s Bakeshop went to multiple hospitals and military checkpoints.
How did the Kutitap partner bakeries respond to being asked to produce bread for frontliners?
Normelinda Chavez of Norlyn’s Bakery in Tarlac described the request as an honor — expressing that they felt privileged that Pilmico chose their products for the frontliners who were the new heroes facing COVID-19. She added that being part of the response was especially meaningful because bread production during the ECQ meant continuous work for her employees — who would otherwise have been idle. Similarly, Marlon Catmon of C&G Bakery in Iligan noted that beyond helping frontliners, the production provided significant daily support for his family’s expenses. Both responses reflect that the initiative was as much a livelihood intervention as a charitable donation.
What commitment did Sabin M. Aboitiz make alongside the bread donation?
Group CEO Sabin M. Aboitiz noted that in an effort to provide relief to communities and the frontliners securing the nation’s safety, Pilmico would continue distributing not only food but also medical supplies — including N95 masks, surgical masks, and 70% ethyl alcohol — in the coming days of the initiative. This expansion from bread to medical supplies shows that the initiative was conceived as a comprehensive frontliner support program rather than a narrowly defined food donation.
What happened to the original 30-day commitment after it concluded?
After the initial 30-day period, Pilmico extended the bread distribution to continue until the end of the Enhanced Community Quarantine on May 15, 2020. By that point, close to 500,000 pieces of bread had been distributed to frontliners. The extension decision reflected both the continued demand from frontliner institutions and the success of the partner bakery payment model — which had been generating meaningful daily income for bakeries throughout the program.
