FARMERS in Cagayan de Oro city and Bukidnon province are among the 13 areas in the country to become direct sellers for a giant food company. In a statement Tuesday, the San Miguel Corporation (SMC), through its nutrition division San Miguel Foods (SMF), bared they have been directly buying from the two areas since 2020. Since then, SMF said it has accumulated 1.3 million metric tons of corn amounting to P23.9 billion from the farmers. SMC president and

chief executive Ramon S. Ang said buying directly from this city, Bukidnon province, and 11 other areas was part of its corporate project to help local farmers. "We are assured of local corn supply for our food business while our local farmers are guaranteed a steady market and fair prices for their crops. Buying directly from them boosts their income and keeps their livelihood,” he was quoted in the statement as saying. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, SMF purchased over 500,000 metric tons or 500 million kilos of corn to help farmers in various provinces affected by quarantine protocols and supply chain disruptions that saw their produce going to waste. In Sumilao, Bukidnon, SMC has provided over P2 million worth of scholarships to underprivileged youth in partnership with Gawad Kalinga’s School for Experiential and Entrepreneurial Development. Farmer

Suspect nabbed, P3.9-M smuggled cigarettes seized

DAVAO City — Former Sarangani Governor Miguel Rene Alcantara Dominguez has joined the 60-year-old Alsons Development and Investment Corporation (Alsons Dev) as its new director who will oversee the business strategy and operations of the premier property developer and real estate pioneer in Davao City. Alsons Dev is the real estate