Philex
Group Foundation
strengthens
Agri-Business Program
Story: Gloria Batac
Photos: PGFI
Philex Group Foundation, Inc.
(PGFI), the corporate social
responsibility arm of Philex Mining
Corporation (PMC), partnered
with Highland Agriculture and
Resource Research and
Development Consortium
(HARRDEC) to strengthen and
help sustain the economy in PMC
Padcal and its outlying
communities.
HARRDEC provides technical
knowledge and linkage to
material resources on
agri-technology and business. On
the other hand, PGFI links
HARRDEC members and their
communities with a ready market
for their services and/or products,
as well as avenues for research
and development on highland
agriculture.
Composed of state universities,
local government units (LGUs),
government agencies, nongovernment organizations
(NGOs) and other organizations
involved in highland agriculture,
“HARRDEC is in the best position
to help the Foundation and its
partner communities realize its
goals on agri-business because
of its vast network,” said Mr. Paul
Buenconsejo, Executive Director
of PGFI.
Social Enterprise Investment
Business Model
HARRDEC Consortium Director
Sonwright Maddul, on his part,
shared that, “when PGFI first
approached us and
presented the social enterprise
model they wanted to establish
for the communities, we were
eager to support. Not many
private companies would take
on a social development
program this comprehensive.”
17 |
The Social Enterprise Investment
Business Model is currently being
implemented in the
Foundation’s Meat Processing
Center. The Foundation tapped
Benguet State University’s
College of Home Economics &
Technology (BSU-CHET) for its
training on meat processing, a
program that aims to (1) train
operator-trainers who will run the
business and learning
components of the meat
processing center and (2)
implement a home-based meat
processing training program.
“We are very excited about this
partnership as the components of
the training program are
something that our College is
delving into for the first time,” said
Mr. Lesley Dale Umayat, BSU-CHET
Extension Coordinator.
Although BSU-CHET has a
background in home-based
meat processing training, this the
first time it creates a
comprehensive curriculum
providing training on meat
processing coupled with
entrepreneurship, marketing, and
manufacturing.
To be admitted in the Meat
Processing Training Program for
Operator-Trainers, applicants
went through several
assessments, including a
sensory test and a panel
interview. Applicants for the
program were composed of
Philex employee-dependents
(spouse or children) and certified
members of the outlying
communities. Out of the 27
applicants, 15 were chosen on
January 25. The program is
intended to cater to all the host
and neighboring communities.
This livelihood project is only
one component of the
overarching social enterprise
PGFI intends to set up. Eventually,
even the raw materials used in
the Meat Processing Center will
be sourced from the livestock
raising facilities also in the
pipeline of plans under PGFI’s
supervision.
Vol. 2 • Issue 1 • 2014
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