Aboitiz Foods powers Iligan City’s rise as a resilience model

Insider Spotlight

• Iligan City rebounds from Typhoon Sendong tragedy through resilience-focused partnerships
• Aboitiz Foods’ Adopt-A-City Program drives disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation
• Program transforms Iligan into a national model for future-ready, empowered communities
  

Fourteen years after Typhoon Sendong claimed hundreds of lives and crippled livelihoods, Iligan City is no longer defined by vulnerability—it is now a blueprint for resilience. 

Through Aboitiz Foods’ Adopt-A-City Program, the city is reshaping how local governments, businesses, and communities can work together to prepare for escalating climate and disaster risks.

“Iligan is more than just a host city for Pilmico’s entire feed and flour operations in the Philippines; it has been our home for over 60 years,” said Alexis Revantad, Aboitiz Foods vice president for Iligan Site Management and Flour Operations, in a press release.

“By investing in resilience and helping the city adapt to climate risks, we’re protecting more than 368,000 lives—their livelihoods, and their future.”

Why this matters now

With climate shocks intensifying across the Philippines and Southeast Asia, Iligan’s story underscores a critical shift: resilience is no longer optional—it’s survival strategy. The Adopt-A-City initiative’s three-phase framework—Prepare, Adapt, Transform—anchors on science-based tools, inclusive governance, and grassroots empowerment.

In just three years, Iligan boosted its resilience score to 84.38 percent, won a Gawad KALASAG award, and created city- and barangay-level systems to identify risks before they escalate. This is a major leap for a city once devastated by floods.

The bigger picture

What makes this initiative stand out is its replicability. Iligan proves that public-private-people partnerships can deliver measurable, life-saving results. 

“Through the Adopt-A-City Program, we are not just responding to risks – we are transforming our city into a model of proactive governance, innovation, and community-driven solutions,” said Iligan City Mayor Frederick Siao.

The effort aligns with the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028 and global climate action goals, highlighting how corporations can safeguard communities while advancing sustainable business.

For a country ranked among the world’s most climate-vulnerable, Iligan’s journey is a powerful reminder: investing in resilience isn’t just good CSR—it’s the future of nation-building. – Princess Daisy C. Ominga | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma