ILIGAN City — Active and retiring soldiers and their families will continue to get access to livelihood training and business opportunities as Aboitiz Foods and the Philippine Army renewed a five-year partnership under the Livelihood Assistance and Management Program (LAMP).
The partnership was formalized through a renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Makati City on Sept. 29, extending a collaboration that began in 2018 and has provided livelihood training to more than 1,500 servicemen and women.
LAMP complements the Army’s Transition Assistance Program by helping personnel prepare for life beyond active military service through technical training and livelihood opportunities.
Under the renewed agreement, active Army personnel, retiring and separating soldiers, and their dependents may receive training in agribusiness, poultry and hog raising, bakery management, feeds retailing and The Good Meat Reseller Program, among other livelihood activities.
Pilmico Foods Corp., the Aboitiz Foods business that implements the program, will provide technical trainers, subject-matter experts, baking materials and assistance for participants pursuing livelihood ventures involving Pilmico flour and feeds.
The Army will help organize participants and provide venues and logistical support for program activities.
The two organizations will also jointly monitor the program and assess its effectiveness to identify areas for improvement.
Aboitiz Foods President and CEO Tristan R. Aboitiz said the continued partnership highlights the role of collaboration in creating practical livelihood opportunities for servicemen and women.
“What has allowed LAMP to continue over the years is the strength of the partnership behind it,” Aboitiz said.
Philippine Army Personnel Management Center Director Col. John Mark S. Competente ARM (GSC) PA said sustainable livelihood requires more than training, pointing to the need for continuing learning, guidance, access to opportunities and strong partnerships.
The program will be carried out through activities in Philippine Army camps nationwide, giving participants practical skills they can use in livelihood and entrepreneurship ventures.
For Aboitiz Foods, the partnership allows the company to share its expertise in food and agribusiness while working with the Army to align training with the needs of participants and their families.
The renewed LAMP will run for five years, providing a framework for expanding livelihood assistance to Army personnel and their dependents.
The initiative forms part of Aboitiz Foods’ “Together We Nourish the Future” brand promise, which the company said includes helping people build skills, pursue livelihood opportunities and create more secure futures for their families.
