Pilmico Foods Corporation, together with the Oce of the Vice President (OVP) and the Urban Poor Associates (UPA), delivered 140 sacks of rice to the people of Baseco in Tondo, Manila.

The main recipient of the rice sacks is Kabalikat sa Kaunlaran Baseco, Inc. (Kabalikat), a socio civic non-governmental organization that works towards securing land tenure, equal rights, and sustainable livelihood for the people of Baseco.

The donation to Kabalikat will be used to stock up their existing rice inventory. In total, they have 32 rice leaders in charge of dispatching the rice to their members. The income generated by the rice sales will be used to support Kabalikat’s health program including weekly feeding of over 200 grade school students in Baseco, free medicine and medical assistance.

Other peoples’ organizations and cooperatives aliated with the UPA and OVP in Tondo, Manila will also benefit from the rice donation by starting their own community rice enterprise. Present in the turnover were Pilmico Customer Service Supervisor for Trading, Faye Tersona, Kabalikat President, Georgie Tenolete, Kabalikat Secretary, Mayet Betasolo and UPA Community Organizer, Arwin Atentar.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the donation model here differ from a simple relief effort?
Rather than distributing rice directly to individual families, Pilmico donated the rice to Kabalikat as institutional inventory — to be sold through the organization’s established 32-leader distribution network. The proceeds fund health services, feeding programs, and medical assistance. This structure means the donation multiplies: it generates income that funds services, which are then provided to community members beyond those who directly receive rice. It is a donation structured to create a recurring funding mechanism rather than a single-cycle relief event.

Who is the primary recipient organization in Baseco and what does it do?
The main recipient of the 140 sacks (7,000 kilograms) of rice was Kabalikat sa Kaunlaran Baseco, Inc. — a socio-civic non-governmental organization working to secure land tenure, equal rights, and sustainable livelihood for the people of Baseco in Tondo, Manila. Kabalikat operates a rice distribution network managed by 32 rice leaders who dispatch rice to their members. Income from rice sales directly funds the organization’s health program, including weekly feeding of over 200 grade school students in Baseco and free medicine and medical assistance for community members.

What role did the Office of the Vice President play in this donation?
The donation was made through a partnership that included the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Urban Poor Associates (UPA), which have an established working relationship with community organizations in Tondo, Manila. Other people’s organizations and cooperatives affiliated with the UPA and OVP in Tondo were also identified as beneficiaries who would use the rice donation to start their own community rice enterprises — extending the reach of the single donation across multiple organizational structures in the area.

What is the strategic connection between this donation and Pilmico’s business interests?
Pilmico’s involvement aligns with its Mahalin Pagkaing Atin program — its flagship CSR campaign promoting sustainable livelihood through local produce and enabling community organizations to create economic activity. By donating rice that becomes inventory for Kabalikat’s community rice enterprise, Pilmico supports a model where donated goods become working capital for a self-sustaining business rather than simply being consumed and exhausted. This approach extends the impact of the donation across multiple cycles of community income generation.

What is the significance of Baseco as a recipient community?
Baseco (Batangas Compound) in Tondo, Manila is one of the Philippines’ most densely populated urban poor communities — a reclaimed land area historically characterized by informal settlements, limited land security, and constrained economic opportunities. The community’s challenges include formal land tenure insecurity and income vulnerability. A donation channeled through Kabalikat — an organization explicitly working on land tenure and livelihood security — directly addresses the community’s most foundational challenges rather than providing surface-level relief.