In the wake of the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that struck parts of Mindanao on June 8, Aboítiz Foods (AF), through Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corporation (Pilmico), partnered with Aboítiz Foundation Inc. to mobilize relief operations to support affected families across General Santos City and Glan, Sarangani Province.

Following the powerful earthquake that disrupted essential services and damaged homes and infrastructure across parts of Mindanao, access to clean drinking water quickly emerged as a critical need for affected communities.

In response, AF team members worked alongside local government units and community partners to deliver 1,850 cases of bottled water and 1,000 relief packs composed of rice and non-perishable food items to families in five barangays, two hospitals, and several evacuation areas across General Santos City, Glan, and Malapatan through a multi-wave relief effort.

“We recognize that our responsibility extends beyond the footprint of our operations to standing alongside our communities during difficult times,” said Joeben Gamatero II, Vice President for Agribusiness Marketing and Brand & Reputation Management at AF. “We hope that our relief operations can help offer stability for the affected families, so they can start rebuilding their lives from the impact of the earthquake.”

Beyond providing immediate assistance, the initiative also reinforced the importance of collective action in responding to disasters.

Volunteerism in Action

Putting AF’s core values of responsibility and teamwork into action, the response highlighted the spirit of volunteerism among team members, who worked across functions to mobilize resources and ensure aid reached communities as quickly as possible.

For Disney Paquingan-Sususco, Regional Sales Manager for Feeds Sales – Gamefowl, the experience underscored the power of teamwork in times of crisis.

“Seeing everyone unite behind a common purpose and work together to deliver assistance was inspiring,” she shared. “This experience reminded me that leadership is about stepping up when action is needed, bringing people together, and staying focused on the impact we want to create.”

Similarly, Christian Rey Pepugal, Territory Business Manager for Feeds Sales–Livestock, described the relief operations as both humbling and eye-opening.

“More than distributing relief goods, the operation was about showing people that they were not alone,” he said. “Seeing the gratitude and resilience of affected families made all the long hours and hard work worthwhile.”

Their experiences not only highlighted the importance of timely assistance but also gave them a firsthand view of the resilience and determination of communities working together to recover from the disaster.

Building Resilient Communities Together

For AF’s team members on the ground, witnessing the reality of families who had lost their homes, possessions, and, in the most heartbreaking cases, their loved ones was humbling and eye-opening, as many remained hopeful and determined to rebuild.

These encounters serve as a powerful reminder that, beyond restoring physical structures, disaster response efforts help affected families regain a sense of stability, dignity, and reassurance that they are not facing the rebuilding journey alone.

Guided by its purpose of sustainably feeding Asia’s growth and core values of responsibility and teamwork, AF continues to implement initiatives that foster collective action, preparedness, and long-term development—working alongside local government partners and communities to help nourish a stronger, more resilient future for all.