Lighting the Hearts of Aboitiz Foods Team Members for a Cause

On November 22, 2024, all Aboitiz Foods sites in the Philippines—from Tarlac to Taguig, Cebu, and Iligan—held a simultaneous tree-lighting activity to officially kick off the Christmas season for their team members. The theme of this year’s ceremony is “Kahayag,” a Visayan word that translates to “brightness,” which perfectly captures the organization’s beaming achievements and enduring resilience.

For Aboitiz Foods, this time of year also means ‘tis the season of giving back to its partner communities through various Christmas outreach activities. In the spirit of giving, it has become a tradition for Aboitiz Foods team members to volunteer and raise funds to support the initiatives of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) team.

In line with the theme “Kahayag,” the fundraising activities aim to spread light to Aboitiz Foods’ chosen communities: the Aeta Community in Tarlac, Barangay Sto. Niño in Tarlac, Barangay Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, and the residents of Barangay Dalipuga in Iligan City. This event marks the first time since 2018 that the Taguig office brought back this fundraising tradition, featuring a “market day” called “Care-ousell” and “The Good Feud” trivia night.

Bringing Back the Cheer: Care-ousell and Trivia Night in Taguig

It was an eventful day for Aboitiz Foods team members as the Care-ousell market was open the whole day, leading up to the tree-lighting ceremony and trivia night. During Care-ousell, team members sold a variety of items, ranging from food to gift items. Ezekiel Esguerra from Credit & Collection,  sold stuffed toys from his business “Stuffed, Look, and Listen,” the Business and Information Technology Solutions (BITS) team set up a sari-sari store. In addition, the Brand & Reputation team sold cookies, pre-loved and brand-new clothes, and collectibles. Team members purchased the items, and 30% of the total sales were donated to the Christmas outreach programs.

Following the Care-ousell event, a tree-lighting ceremony took place, where team members gathered to spread the holiday cheer. They exchanged gifts and witnessed the lighting of the Christmas tree, a reminder that the team’s collective light will always lead the organization forward. 

After the tree-lighting festivities, team members proceeded to “The Good Feud” trivia night, where five teams battled it out for a good cause. The participating teams included team members from BITS, Finance, Accounting, Credit & Collections, Tax, Legal & Compliance (FACTLC), Total Rewards, People Experience, and Food & Nutrition Marketing, each consisting of five to eight team members. The game tested their knowledge in various categories, including geography, food facts, technology and trends, pop culture, and Aboitiz Foods. In the end, team “FACT Us” won the title of Trivia Champions of the Night and the P5,000 prize. The organizers directed the teams’ registration fees and sales from food stalls to the Christmas outreach fund.

The fundraising activities “Care-ousell” and “The Good Feud” trivia night were a huge success thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Aboitiz Foods team members in Taguig. The initiatives and donations totaled over ₱30,000, which was distributed equally among partner communities in Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, and Iligan City. 

Spreading Joy Across Communities

Similarly, team members from various sites in the Philippines organized their own fundraising activities. These included a market day, where small-scale entrepreneurs sold their products, a CSR day in Tarlac that featured Zumba, bingo, raffles, and a movie night, and a bake-off for a cause, an internal baking contest in Iligan. 

Through these activities and monetary donations, Aboitiz Foods Philippines raised more than
₱ 109,000 across sites. 

Together, Aboitiz Foods Philippines made work more meaningful and fun by spreading cheer and giving back to the community. Through the various fundraising activities and the active participation of its team members, they exemplified the Aboitiz value of Teamwork all for a good cause. The total funds raised will be added to the Christmas Community Outreach activities that will be done in Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, and Iligan City from November to December.