For over 28 years, Aboitiz Foundation has led the Aboitiz Group’s corporate social responsibility initiatives under its mission to help people help themselves.
In its continuing journey towards CSR 2.0, the Foundation will drive change for a better world through its flagship projects in the areas of education, enterprise development, environment, and health & well-being.
Together with the Aboitiz business units, the Foundation will accelerate efforts and maximize resources to co-create communities that are safe, empowered, and sustainable.
The destructive earthquake that struck North Luzon in July of 1990 forced mining companies to discontinue operations in Benguet. Communities fully dependent on the industry for their livelihood had to face new uncertainties in searching for other ways to make a living.
Out of that situation, Thanksgiving Multi-Purpose Cooperative (MPC) was born and, for over a decade now, it has been leading livelihood programs for and by the communities it serves, expanding into a multi-business cooperative with 921 members, most of whom are women.
In 2011, Aboitiz Foundation partnered with the cooperative for capability building training programs with the aim of further empowering its members and officers. They also received financial assistance through an initial loan of PHP2.8 million that funded livelihood programs and lending services for swine fattening businesses.
“We became updated and educated on the current trends and information pertaining to cooperatives and were able to comply with CDA (Cooperative Development Authority) training requirements through [Aboitiz Foundation’s] free trainings and seminars,” shared Emma Golocan, Thanksgiving Multi-Purpose Cooperative’s general manager.
In April 2017, Thanksgiving MPC signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the Foundation for NC II Training and Certification on Dressmaking, with NC II Training and Certification on Baking and Pastry Production coming in June. These livelihood trainings will open new businesses to the cooperative and employment opportunities to its existing members.
“The financial assistance given by the Foundation to the cooperative helped our cooperative but, even more, helped our individual members grow their swine fattening livelihood projects. Our cooperative started with a capital of PHP102,500 and now I am proud to say that we have assets amounting to PHP68,403,878,” added Golocan.
Thanksgiving MPC believes that “in giving, you shall receive” and gives back by conducting medical and dental missions, clean-up drives, tree planting, as well as annual Brigada Eskwela participation. On top of this, they donate 10% of annual net income to a local church. In all this, the coop has made itself an important ally of the government in making their communities a better place to live.
Aboitiz Foundation inspired us to help communities improve their well-being. In our little way ay makatulong din kami, hindi man kasing laki ng naitutulong ni Aboitiz pero alam namin na ang way lang para maibalik ang tulong sa amin ni Aboitiz ay tumulong din kami sa kapwa naming or sa community.
–Emma Golocan, General Manager, Thanksgiving Multi-Purpose Cooperative
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