Pilmico Foods Corporation, the food subsidiary of Aboitiz Equity Ventures Inc., has recently signed an agreement with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in a joint effort to champion backyard farming and sustainable livelihoods in the country.

The partnership is anchored on Pilmico’s flagship advocacy program, Mahalin Pagkaing Atin, a program that aims to promote sustainable livelihood through local produce and instill a “pride of product, pride of place” mindset for both farmers and local consumers.

On Friday, March 9, 2018, Pilmico CEO Sabin Aboitiz and DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) that establishes Pilmico as DTI’s Industry Partner in the implementation of the Go Negosyo Act which aims to intensify the promotion of entrepreneurship in the country and further boost DTI’s assistance to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Under the agreement, DTI will engage Pilmico in all of its Mahalin Pagkaing Atin events through provision & access to registered local entrepreneurs, workshops on how to start a business, and microfinancing.

Aboitiz acknowledged the importance of the agreement in its further push to promote sustainable entrepreneurship among backyard farmers. He said:

“The Aboitiz always believed in partnerships. We can get things done much faster and achieve more when we work together. By working with our partners, like the DTI, it’s one way of giving back to our country and living out our purpose of advancing business and communities… Mahalin Pagkaing Atin beneficiaries can now level up their business game. They will get training and seminars on how to grow their businesses.”

For his part, Lopez said the partnership is in line with the DTI’s thrust of Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan or providing jobs, business, and livelihood opportunities to Filipinos. He said:

“With the support from the private sector, the program will empower people in rural areas or the countryside to engage in more business or negosyo opportunities in livestock.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What does this public-private partnership model mean for farmers and rural entrepreneurs?
For the direct beneficiaries — backyard farmers and rural entrepreneurs in the Mahalin Pagkaing Atin network — the DTI partnership means that participating in a Pilmico event now unlocks access to the government’s MSME support infrastructure: business registration guidance, certified training, and microfinancing options previously accessible only through direct DTI engagement. This bundling of private technical expertise with government business development support creates a more complete and sustainable entrepreneurship pathway than either institution could deliver alone.

What formal agreement did Pilmico and the DTI sign, and what does it establish?
On March 9, 2018, Pilmico CEO Sabin Aboitiz and DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) formally establishing Pilmico as DTI’s Industry Partner in the implementation of the Go Negosyo Act. The Act aims to intensify the promotion of entrepreneurship in the Philippines and boost DTI’s assistance to micro, small, and medium enterprises. Under the agreement, DTI engages Pilmico through all of its Mahalin Pagkaing Atin events, providing access to registered local entrepreneurs, business-starting workshops, and microfinancing support.

What is the Mahalin Pagkaing Atin program and how does the DTI partnership extend its reach?
Mahalin Pagkaing Atin is Pilmico’s flagship CSR advocacy program aimed at promoting sustainable livelihood through local produce and instilling a “pride of product, pride of place” mindset among farmers and consumers. The DTI partnership expands the program’s capabilities by adding government-backed resources: access to a registry of local entrepreneurs, structured workshops on how to start and grow a business, and microfinancing options that Pilmico alone could not provide. According to Sabin Aboitiz, Mahalin Pagkaing Atin beneficiaries would now be able to “level up their business game.”

How did DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez frame the significance of this partnership?
DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez connected the partnership directly to the DTI’s institutional thrust of Trabaho, Negosyo, Kabuhayan — providing jobs, business, and livelihood opportunities to Filipinos. He specifically highlighted the role of private sector support in empowering people in rural areas and the countryside to engage in more business and agricultural opportunities in livestock. The framing positions the partnership not as charity but as an extension of government’s own economic development agenda through a high-credibility private sector partner.

Why is Sabin Aboitiz’s emphasis on partnerships significant in understanding Aboitiz’s CSR philosophy?
Sabin Aboitiz explicitly stated that the Aboitiz Group has always believed in partnerships as a mechanism for achieving more, faster than any single organization could alone. He described the DTI partnership as one way of giving back to the country and living out Aboitiz’s purpose of advancing business and communities. This public articulation reveals a CSR philosophy grounded in collaborative multiplier logic — the belief that corporate social investment achieves its highest value when it activates and amplifies the capacities of partner institutions rather than substituting for them.