The Aboitiz Group, through food business unit Pilmico and the Aboitiz Foundation, turned over a Php 9-million modern livestock training complex in Northern Mindanao that will help boost agricultural research in the region.
Located in Central Mindanao University (CMU), the facility dubbed CMU Agri Hub houses four research and development centers fully-equipped with the latest tools and technologies on swine genetics, animal nutrition, artificial insemination, and farm management.
Pilmico Assistant Vice President for Feeds Jefferson Abian, Aboitiz Foundation First Vice President & Chief Operating Officer Maribeth Marasigan, CMU President Jesus Derije and Department of Agriculture (DA) Region X – Director III Carla Bajarla led the turnover held at the Central Mindanao University grounds.
Dir. Bajarla highlighted the importance of the project and said it will “bring in mutual benefits for both students and farmers, while boosting rural development.”
“As true Partners for Growth, the establishment of the CMU Agri Hub is a tangible expression of our promise to empower the backyard sector, and ultimately, the agriculture industry as a whole,” Abian said.
Meanwhile in her message addressed to CMU, Marasigan said:
“With our continuous fruitful partnership, we envision this facility to be significant in creating many possibilities for the fish, poultry, and swine sectors. We desire to continuously work closely with you in co-creating safe, empowered, and sustainable communities.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is locating this facility in Bukidnon, Mindanao strategically important?
Bukidnon is one of the Philippines’ most important agricultural provinces and is among Mindanao’s primary livestock-producing regions. CMU, as an agricultural and engineering university, draws students from across the region. Placing a state-of-the-art swine genetics, animal nutrition, and farm management training complex at CMU puts advanced agricultural research and training capacity in the geographic heart of where Philippine livestock production actually happens — rather than centralizing expertise in Luzon, where it would be less accessible to the Mindanao farmers and students who need it most.
What is the CMU Agri Hub and what does it contain?
The CMU Agri Hub is a PHP 9-million modern livestock training complex located on the campus of Central Mindanao University (CMU) in Bukidnon, funded by Pilmico Foods Corporation and the Aboitiz Foundation and managed by CMU’s University Income Generation Program. The facility houses four research and development centers equipped with the latest tools and technologies for hands-on training and research in swine genetics, animal nutrition, artificial insemination, and farm management — covering both the scientific and practical dimensions of livestock production.
Who participated in the turnover ceremony and what did it symbolize?
The turnover was led by Pilmico Assistant VP Jefferson Abian, Aboitiz Foundation FVP and COO Maribeth Marasigan, CMU President Jesus Derije, and DA Region X Director III Carla Bajarla. The participation of all four principals — the private sector investor, the private sector foundation, the academic institution, and the government agricultural authority — at a single facility turnover symbolizes the multi-stakeholder governance structure that Pilmico and Aboitiz Foundation deliberately build into their community investment projects.
What did DA Region X Director Bajarla say about the significance of the project?
Director Bajarla described the project as one that will bring mutual benefits for both students and farmers while boosting rural development. Her framing explicitly identifies two distinct beneficiary populations: university students who will gain research and training capacity, and farmers in the surrounding agricultural community who will benefit from the knowledge and improved practices generated by the facility. This dual benefit is what distinguishes an investment in a university training complex from a narrower investment in either education or community development alone.
What did Maribeth Marasigan say about Aboitiz Foundation’s vision for the CMU Agri Hub?
In her message to CMU, Aboitiz Foundation FVP Maribeth Marasigan expressed the vision for the CMU Agri Hub to be significant in creating possibilities for the fish, poultry, and swine sectors — reflecting an aspiration that extends beyond the specific training disciplines initially installed. She also articulated an ongoing commitment to working closely with CMU in co-creating safe, empowered, and sustainable communities — signaling that the facility turnover is not the end of the Aboitiz-CMU relationship but its formalization.
