July 7, 2026
 

Pilmico opens Philippines' first Triple AAA meat plant to Tesda-certified vocational training

The pilot programme aims to train up to 50 participants by year-end in slaughter operations and retail meat cutting at Aboitiz Foods' Tarlac Meatmasters facility.

Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corp., a subsidiary of Aboitiz Foods, has partnered with Infinity Vocational Training School Inc. and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda) to deliver hands-on meat processing training at its Meatmasters facility in Tarlac, the Philippines - the country's first multi-meat Triple AAA-accredited processing plant.

The pilot programme offers Tesda-certified courses in Slaughtering Operations and Retail Meat Cutting, with participants gaining practical experience in an active commercial production environment. Trainees will earn a National Certificate II (NC II) upon completion. The programme targets up to 50 participants by end-2026.

Josh Douglas, Assistant Technical Director for Meats Operations at Aboitiz Foods, said the initiative was designed to build practical skills alongside food safety and biosecurity discipline. "By opening Tarlac Meatmasters for hands-on training, we hope to give aspiring professionals the opportunity to build practical skills while learning the discipline and food safety practices that define our operations," he said.

Roy Aldous Bautista, President and Chief Executive Officer of Infinity Vocational Training School Inc., said exposure to Pilmico's standards in animal nutrition, biosecurity and cold chain management would give trainees a competitive edge in both domestic and overseas markets.

Aboitiz Foods currently operates across eight countries: the Philippines, Singapore, China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Brunei.

- Philippine Daily Inquirer