COVID-19 Response Corporate Social Responsibility Therma South, Inc. Sustainability

Sunshine and Positive Energy: Aboitiz Supports Community Bakery

February 22, 2021

Almost a year into the COVID-19 pandemic and enterprises have slowly found their footing in the new normal. While larger organizations are already positioned towards recovery, micro, small, and medium enterprises are still the hardest hit with subsequent quarantines, stringent public health protocols, and generally lower demand.

Sunshine Farmers Multipurpose Cooperative (Sunshine MPC) was one of the enterprises that were fortunate to continue operations amid the pandemic. The cooperative runs Sunshine Bakeshop located in Brgy. Sirawan, Toril, Davao City.

The cooperative recently received livelihood restarter kits in the form of 27 sacks of Pilmico flour through Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. and AboitizPower subsidiary Therma South, Inc. (TSI). The assistance was extended in a bid to alleviate the impacts of the pandemic on the community’s livelihood.

“We are really glad that Aboitiz did not forget us even during the pandemic. This support is a big help that will allow us to continue operating through the pandemic,” said Sunshine MPC Chairman Menrado Intong.

Therma South and Aboitiz Foundation have been supporting the community-based cooperative as early as 2016. The cooperative had previously been on the brink of dissolving, but TSI and Aboitiz Foundation’s support was able to help revitalize the cooperative. The first assistance came in the form of seed capital to help the cooperative transition from processing chicken innards to a bakeshop venture. This was immediately followed by sponsoring NC-II training for baking and pastry-making for members of the cooperative and providing baking equipment to them.

Wholly-owned AboitizPower subsidiary Therma South, Inc. (TSI) is the owner and operator of the 300-Megawatt Davao Baseload Power Plant located in Binugao, Toril, Davao City. TSI is certified in four ISO standards, namely Quality Management (ISO 9001:2015), Environmental Management (ISO 14001:2015), Occupational Health and Safety Management (ISO 45001:2018), and Asset Management System (ISO 55001:2014). Along with Therma Luzon, Inc. and Therma Visayas, Inc., the three primarily compose the Coal Business Unit of AboitizPower.