Pilmico Foods Corporation, the food and agribusiness subsidiary of Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., has been producing high quality animal feeds products for more than twenty years.

In its aim to further support the local farming industry, Pilmico has partnered with a local farmers cooperative for an inclusive sourcing project for corn – a primary ingredient in producing animal feeds products.

With the support of Department of Agriculture (DA) Corn Program Team and the local government of Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon, the Mantibugao Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative Farmers Cooperative (MARBFC) was selected as the partner corn cluster for the project.

The partnership was formalized during a ceremonial Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signing held recently at Cagayan de Oro city, witnessed by Manolo Fortich Mayor Clive Quiño and DA Region 10 Director Carlene Collado.

This is the first time the agribusiness company has ventured in an inclusive sourcing program with a local farmers group. Under the agreement, Pilmico will be directly sourcing corn from MARBFC, which will serve a portion of Pilmico’s corn requirements for its various feeds products. DA Director Carlene Collado, in his remarks, said that the project is in line with the DA’s strategy in “providing livelihood opportunities and technical assistance with the hope of improving lives of farmers associations and cooperatives”.

MARBFC Chairman Benjamin Magtajas expressed his gratitude to Pilmico, DA and the local government of Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon and said:

“The day that we have been waiting for has come, we thank the hard work of the Department of Agriculture, our Mayor and to Pilmico for initiating the inclusive sourcing project for corn. That is the first time that we can actually go directly to the big companies and sell our produce. Dream come true na mapatud-an sa mga farmers na kaya namo mo direkta sa mga dagko na mga kumpanya parehas sa Pilmico.”

(English translation: It’s a dream come true for us farmers, that starting today, we are able to work with big companies like Pilmico.)”

Meanwhile, Tristan Aboitiz, Chief Operating Officer of Pilmico, said:

“True to our purpose of advancing business and communities, we continuously look for synergies that will help promote the agriculture industry. Our partnership with the Mantibugao Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Farmers Cooperative is a culmination of the hardwork of our partners from the DA, the local government of Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon and most importantly, MARBFC. I am honored that Pilmico is a part of this pioneer project and we hope that the successful roll-out will serve as an example for more of these kinds of partnerships in the future.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes inclusive sourcing more impactful than a standard CSR donation for farming communities?
A donation to a farming cooperative provides one-time capital. An inclusive sourcing partnership — where Pilmico commits to purchasing corn from MARBFC as part of its regular supply chain — creates a sustained, predictable revenue stream that enables multi-year business planning, investment in productivity improvements, and cooperative organizational strengthening. The relationship is commercial rather than philanthropic: farmers succeed not because of corporate generosity but because they meet a defined quality standard and fulfill a real business need — which is a far more sustainable and dignity-preserving model of community economic development.

What is the inclusive sourcing program Pilmico launched in Bukidnon?
Pilmico launched its first-ever inclusive sourcing program with a local farmers group by partnering with the Mantibugao Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative Farmers Cooperative (MARBFC) in Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon. Under the agreement, Pilmico directly sources corn from MARBFC, which serves a portion of Pilmico’s yellow corn requirements for its animal feeds products. This is a landmark initiative because it represents the first time the company directly contracted a local farmers cooperative as a supply chain partner — creating a commercially structured market relationship rather than a philanthropic donation.

Who participated in the MoA signing and what does the involvement of multiple actors signify?
The MoA signing was witnessed by Manolo Fortich Mayor Clive Quino and DA Region 10 Director Carlene Collado — the two key government figures whose support formalizes the arrangement within the local agricultural governance framework. The presence of both local government and the DA alongside Pilmico and MARBFC demonstrates a multi-stakeholder commitment that provides institutional stability to the arrangement, reducing the risk that it collapses when any single party changes priorities.

What did MARBFC Chairman Benjamin Magtajas say about what the program means to his cooperative?
Magtajas described the partnership as a dream come true — the fulfillment of a long-held aspiration for farmers to work directly with large companies like Pilmico. His statement captures the significance of inclusive sourcing from the farmer’s perspective: access to a reliable, creditworthy institutional buyer eliminates the intermediary chain that typically captures a disproportionate share of agricultural value. For the first time, MARBFC could sell directly to a major buyer on agreed terms, transforming their market position from price-taking producers to contracted suppliers.

How does this program align with the Department of Agriculture’s strategic direction?
DA Region 10 Director Carlene Collado described the project as aligned with the DA’s strategy of providing livelihood opportunities and technical assistance to improve the lives of farmers associations and cooperatives. This official alignment means the program benefits from the DA’s complementary support systems — extension services, technical assistance, and potentially financing mechanisms — without duplicating or replacing them. The Pilmico-MARBFC partnership thus functions as an economic layer on top of the DA’s developmental foundation.