San Miguel Foundation (SMF) has agreed to provide until 2027 two meals weekly to at least 31,600 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) at the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa City and the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City.
Also this December, SMF will deliver some P10 million worth of San Miguel Foods Christmas products to PDLs of the NBP and CIW, the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) said on Tuesday, Nov. 19.
The SMF is the corporate social responsibility arm of San Miguel Corporation (SMC).
The provision of two meals weekly was contained in a memorandum of agreement (MOA) signed last Monday, Nov. 18, by BuCor Director General Gregorio Pio P. Catapang Jr., SMF Executive Director Maria Raquel Paula Lichuaco, and Fr. Firmon Bargayo Jr. of the Philippine Jesuit Prison Service Foundation Inc. (PJPS).
Under the MOA, BuCor said that “the Bucor and PJPS will be responsible for the distribution of the meals.”
The agreement provides that SMF is “committed to providing supplementary lunch and dinner for as many as 31,600 PDLs confined within the secure premises of NBP and CIW,” it said.
“Each meal provided by SMF will feature 80-100 grams of San Miguel Foods Ready-to-Eat products, packaged in pouches to be shared among groups of 10 PDLs, thereby enhancing their daily dietary intake,” it also said.
“SMF pledges to deliver two (2) meals weekly to one (1) security compound at the Bureau of Corrections facility from November 2024 through December 2027,” it added.
In a statement, Catapang said that providing nourishment to PDLs is essential to fostering hope and healing.
“This partnership marks a significant commitment to providing supplemental food for the next three years, ensuring that those under our care receive not only adequate nutrition but also a sense of dignity,” he said.
He noted that the MOA was forged to guarantee a transparent and effective distribution of food donations to PDLs within the secure areas of NBP and CIW while upholding high standards of accountability and resource management.
He added that SMF's support "ensures a systematic, coordinated effort to improve the nutritional intake of PDLs with a strong focus on security and the welfare of the beneficiaries."