The People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) honored this year’s People Program of the Year Exemplars during its Annual Conference held from October 22–24 at the NUSTAR Resort and Casino in Cebu City. Among the recognized organizations, Franklin Baker emerged as one of the winners, standing out as the sole honoree from outside the National Capital Region for its Coco 1 and Coco 2 farmer initiatives in Mindanao.
Launched in 2018, Coco 1 and Coco 2 are strategic partnerships between Franklin Baker and its customers, Mars Incorporated and Danone, in collaboration with Livelihoods Funds for Family Farming (L3F) and Integrated Rural Development Foundation (IRDF). These programs aim to support 6,000 smallholder coconut farmers across Mindanao by enhancing their resilience and improving their livelihoods through a holistic development model that integrates capacity building, organizational strengthening, and improved market access. The initiatives not only enable farmers to adopt more sustainable agricultural practices but also strengthen their links within the value chain, ensuring long-term economic growth for their farms and their communities.
During the program showcase, Franklin Baker CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer Ferdinand Dela Cruz emphasized the company’s commitment to championing Filipino coconut farmers and encouraged everyone to join their journey.
“There are 3.5 million farmers in the Philippines producing 15 billion coconuts every year. 69 out of the 82 provinces in the country grow coconuts. Yet, our farmers are taken for granted and their voices are not heard enough. This has to change. Franklin Baker’s corporate purpose revolves around the Filipino coconut farmers. Being at the center of the coconut value chain, Franklin Baker is the catalyst for getting all stakeholders involved in championing a sustainable supply chain – from the farmers to our employees, business partners, and customers. Everyone can be a part of this advocacy. Join us in supporting Filipino coconut farmers.”
Rossana Calingin, Vice President for Human Resources, and Renelle Manansala, Vice President for Operations, accepted the award on behalf of the company. Calingin adds:
“When we first launched these programs, it began with a simple dream: to give back to the coconut farmers and their families who have long been the roots of our company’s success. We wanted to help them build better livelihoods, not through one-time assistance, but through sustainable, empowering programs that would let their families thrive for generations. It was our way of saying we’re still here with them, that even in times of uncertainty, we can grow stronger when we take care of one another. So tonight, this award is really for them, our coconut farming families, our community partners, and our employees who believed that compassion and business can go hand in hand.”
PMAP’s People Program of the Year recognizes organizations that implement innovative, relevant, and people-focused initiatives that align business goals with employee and community well-being. This recognition once again reaffirms Franklin Baker’s long-standing dedication not only to its people, but also to the coconut industry and to the upliftment of the livelihoods of Filipino coconut farmers.
Photo: PMAP Facebook Page
