Mekeni Food Corporation, a homegrown food processing company, warmly received recognition from the Bureau of Internal Revenue for being the top two taxpayer under the non-individual taxpayer category in Revenue District No. 21A North Pampanga—at Marquee Mall Pampanga today, March 19, 2024.

 

Mekeni President Pruds Garcia accepted the award. He expressed gratitude for the acknowledgement and stated that Mekeni values transparency. The company also wants to keep up its commitment to paying taxes responsibly so that the national government can provide better welfare, which will enhance community life and further Mekeni's mission.

 

PORAC, Pampanga -- A leading home-grown food manufacturer in the Philippines held a Thanksgiving Party for its employees and third-party agency partners in its headquarters in Barangay Balubad on February 24, 2024.

Dubbed "Mekeni, Winning & Moving Forward as One", the event was to show gratitude for their contributions and loyalty over the years, driving the company's continued success in 2024.

Mekeni's last Thanksgiving Party was held in 2019, before the pandemic.

 

 

"This Thanksgiving Party was a big 'thank you' celebration of our people's hard work and determination that contributed to the wins we accomplished in 2023," said Mekeni president Pruds Garcia, inspiring the company's workforce.

 

 

He continued: “Despite the challenges of the last few years, we worked together as one family and bounced back to deliver and to be stronger than ever. Everybody here in your own way has contributed to Mekeni’s success. Without your effort, we would not be where we are today.”

Likewise, the heads of Sales and Marketing cascaded plans to rally personnel toward their 2024 goals.

“As we inch closer to the start of the new fiscal year, we want to ensure that every single one of our employees is aligned with the company’s vision and we also want to inspire them to contribute individually to company’s achievements,” said Mekeni Marketing Group Manager Shiela Ocampo.

 

 

One of the highlights of the evening was the recognition of Mekeni’s service awardees and retirees, who have been with the company from 10 to 25 years.

Plaque and cash awards were awarded to its employees who stayed by the company, as gratitude for their hard work and loyalty.

 

 

The company also gave away raffle prizes such as motorcycles, bicycles, appliances, gift certificates, and cash. No one went home empty handed, as each attendee got a sack of rice which was distributed at the end of the activity.

 

 

“Nagpapasalamat po kami sa Mekeni sa pagbuo ng Thanksgiving party na ito upang magkasama-sama ang lahat ng mga empleyado," one employee said, expressing his appreciation to Mekeni for putting up the party.

The activity also became an opportunity for employees to showcase their talents in singing and dancing which was well-applauded by their co-workers.

The excitement continued by the performances of guest performers that ended the Thanksgiving on a high note.

PORAC, Pampanga — The Mekeni Food Corporation has partnered with RP Healthcraft Carrier Foundation in bringing Hospital on Wheels (HOW) in Barangay Balubad in this town and Barangay Sapang, Bato in Angeles City, where more than a thousand residents benefitted from the conduct of medical check-ups, dental check-ups and extractions, visual screening, and surgeries (cleft lip, goiter, tumors, cysts) during the 2-day mission.

“The vision of HOW is to bring the hospital closer to communities and help the government serve more people, especially those who do not have the capacity to get medical surgeries, which is the most expensive medical attention,” August Vergara, Executive Director of HOW said.

 

Mekeni president Pruds Garcia and his family welcomed the HOW team, volunteers, and partners in the plant located in Barangay Balubad.

“We are grateful to HOW for conducting the mission in Balubad to help the community and townmates in Porac, as Mekeni shares the same advocacy,” Garcia said. “The entire family is happy to welcome the HOW team in the home of Mekeni and appreciates the service of the doctors and volunteers who traveled from different parts of the country and the world to conduct the two-day mission.”

“This mission is close to our hearts,” Garcia said on behalf of the Garcia family, who helped in rebuilding the community during the Pinatubo eruption in 1991.

The Garcia Brothers, who prepared food and entertainment for the entire team for the 2-day mission, also sent their employees to help the Baranagay Officials of Balubad in organizing the activity.

 

 

The mission was also conducted in partnership with the local government units of Porac and Angeles City, the Barangay Councils of Balubag and Sapang Bato, and private partners including Mekeni; Philippine Medical Association in Chicago; Auxillary Medical Foundation; Clark Development Corporation; Friends Who Care LLC; UST Medicine Class ’80; Victoriano Luna Medical Center; Thomasian Medical Student Leaders; Clark-Porac Eagles Club; and Aguman Capampangan.

 

 

HOW, a mobile healthcare service providing free medical assistance to Filipino families living in areas all over the country, was founded by Filipino surgeon Dr. Jim Sanchez, who has been joining surgical-medical missions since 1985.Established in 2007 as a mobile surgical unit, it was turned into a hospital bus in 2017 to reach indigent patients in far-flung areas by bringing a fleet of vehicles carrying medical practitioners and equipment to conduct various medical treatments.

 

 

To date, HOW has served 30,000 patients in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao since 2017 and they hope to serve more Filipinos around the country in the future by having more buses through the help of partners and donors who shares the same vision to help our kababayans.

 

PORAC, Pampanga -- A school here, nestled in the mountains and serving the Aeta Community, received learning essentials through the 2023 Back-To-School Donation Drive recently conducted by homegrown brand Mekeni Food Corporation in partnership with its Retail Electricity Supplier (RES) and Meralco’s first affiliate RES, Vantage Energy Solutions and Management Inc.

The Villa Maria Integrated School in Porac received backpacks, books, school supplies, printers, and reusable water bottles, benefiting both the faculty and the students from kindergarten to high school.

 

 

The donation drive is conducted through Vantage Energy’s umbrella program, iMPower, which aims to give back to the community they serve by supporting Filipino education.

Mekeni also donated 14 wall fans to the school, and fed more than 500 students and school personnel.

"The meals were prepared by Mekeni employees themselves," said Mekeni AVP for HR and Exports Marilou Uy.

Uy, along with Mekeni's Human Resources and Marketing Departments, joined the program.

 

 

At the same time, Mekeni also conducted an emergency preparedness training led by the Emergency Preparedness and Response team.

 

 

According to Uy, Mekeni wishes to continue to uplift the lives of the community and and help fellow Kapampangans, especially the Katutubo in Pampanga. Additionally, Uy revealed that Tatay Felix Garcia, the founder of Mekeni and a former teacher, shares a close personal relationship to this project because he was among the first volunteers to be deployed as teachers in IP communities.

 

 

Vantage Energy’s annual Back-To-School Donation Drive was launched in 2020 during the pandemic with the support of customer partners like Mekeni. Since then, the program has already reached 19 schools and over 19,000 students nationwide.

Every Filipino home deserves high-quality and affordable Christmas Hams — and Mekeni Food Corporation promises to make this festive season synonymous to sharing great meals with loved ones, without breaking the bank.

Mekeni, one of the leading food manufacturers in the country, continues to cater to the diverse preferences of consumers by offering an array of high-quality Christmas Hams at an affordable price.

Because Mekeni understands that every Filipino family has different choices, it has meticulously crafted Christmas Hams over the years to satisfy the diverse preferences of its clientele.

This ensures that there's a perfect ham for every individual during the season — may it be classic, sumptuously sweet, and juicy varieties to the more affordable options.

What more, Mekeni has introduced a new line of ready-to-eat and guilt-free ham this year — made of 100% pure chicken meat!

This demonstrates the company's dedication to staying attuned to consumer needs.

 

 

Mekeni, rooted in the belief that every home deserves a joyous Christmas, consistently plays a role in fostering the spirit of festivity with these enticing offerings:

PRODUCT	DESCRIPTION
Gold Premium Ham 1kg	Made from the choicest pork cuts, seasoned in a rare blend of exotic herbs and spices
Deli Premium Ham 1kg	A no-frills, ready-to-eat ham that has the traditional sweet-savory taste
Chicken Premium Ham 1kg	A no-frills, ready-to-eat chicken ham that has the traditional sweet-savory taste for a healthier choice
Jamon De Bola 1kg	Flaunts a right balance of smoky, sweet and salty flavors; glazed with rich coating of pineapple sauce
Pear-Shaped Ham 800g	Juicy, lean, boneless ham that suits well within your budget
Brick Ham 500g	Special, yet affordable; serve it as it is
Christmas Ham 500g	Our most affordable but delicious Christmas Ham yet

 

Mekeni Christmas Hams are available in select supermarkets, wet markets, and food outlets, ensuring accessibility for consumers seeking to elevate their holiday celebrations with the distinctive flavors and quality of Mekeni.

Continuing its mission to uplift lives and honor the values of gratitude and malasakit, Mekeni Food Corporation has conducted its annual gift-giving program to select institutions in the province on Oct. 27, 2023.

This year, Mekeni employees led by Marilou Uy, AVP for HR and Exports, and Apple Garcia, HR Head, visited Bahay Pag-ibig in San Fernando; Munting Tahanan ng Nazareth; Duyan ni Maria in Mabalacat City; and Children’s Home of Eucharistic Love and Kindness in San Fernando, gifting 152 beneficiaries with assorted Mekeni products, groceries, personal care essentials, and gift packs.

Representatives from the institutions who received the gifts expressed gratitude to Mekeni and its employees, for considering the welfare of the beneficiaries during this time of year.

 

 

"Sana hindi magsawa ang Mekeni na tumulong sa Munting Tahanan ng Nazareth," said Rev. Fr. June Ensiccion, Apostolate Director of Bahay Pag Ibig and Munting Tahanan ng Nazareth. He, assisted by Dina Sison, Secretary of Munting Tahanan ng Nazareth, received the gifts on behalf of 40 children and adults with different comorbidities.

 

 

For Duyan ni Maria, which is being run by the Franciscan Community of Sisters of Mary of the Eucharist, the gift packs for 42 kids were received by Executive Director Sister Vicky Sanchez and Asst. Executive Director Merlinda Gama.

 

 

Meanwhile, 50 elderly persons were beneficiaries of the gift packs received by Rev. Fr. Arjon Dela Cruz, while Sister Florentina Montemayor, Sister Guadalupe Santos, and Sister Maria Teresa Macalinao received the gifts on behalf of 20 children housed at the Children’s Home of Eucharistic Love and Kindness.

 

 

According to Uy, Mekeni employees and the management share resources every year to provide gifts to the beneficiaries, aiming to spread love, hope, and inspiration during the Yuletide Season — which is the happiest time of the year.

As a way of saying thank you, Mekeni representatives were greeted by song performances from the kids of Children’s Home of Eucharistic Love and Kindness and Duyan ni Maria.

One of Mekeni’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, the annual gift-giving program started in 2008 and has become part of its tradition during the holidays.

PORAC, Pampanga — Mekeni Food Corporation continues to recognize children of its employees for academic excellence for the school year 2022-23, with a Summa Cum Laude topping this year’s batch of awardees.

 

 

This year, Mekeni conferred the Galing Ng Batang Mekeni Award (GBMA) to 155 children who have excelled in various levels of education. The award also honors parents for their guidance and hardwork as they provide for children’s needs and education.

This year’s topnotcher is Catherine Labandaria who graduated as Summa Cum Laude in BS in Aeronautics Engineering at the Holy Angel University. She was just in 1st Grade when she received her first recognition as Galing ng Batang Mekeni first batch awardee. She has not missed making it to the GBMA every year. Her father, Ariel Labandaria, is a Quality Assurance Specialist, was also honored.

 

 

“We are glad that children of our employees get better with each passing year and we can only appreciate them and their parents for putting high premium on education,” Mekeni President Pruds Garcia said.

GBMA is an annual recognition program of Mekeni that was first given on May 31, 2008 to only 25 students at that time.

Now on its 16th year, the award is given under the company’s Employee Engagement Program that is aimed at motivating the children of Mekeni employees to excel in their education and to appreciate the hard work of their parents as they provide for their daily needs.

In her speech, Labandaria shared her appreciation of this special program and encouraged all awardees to inspire others in pursuing their dreams despite their fears, difficulties, and challenges.

She said that she looks forward to the annual recognition as it reaffirms the fruits of hardwork, discipline, perseverance and dedication of both parents and co-awardees. The event also serves as a venue for the awardees to showcase their talents such as playing musical instruments, singing and dancing.

All the awardees went home “Galing Medal” and cash awards from Mekeni.

 

 

Before this in-house recognition, the company initiated a similar program extended to public schools in the community that honored top graduates and students who won district-level competitions. The said recognition was extended to their mentors/teachers who guided the winning students.

The Galing ng Batang Mekeni Award program is dedicated to the founders, Tatay Felix Garcia and the late Nanay Meding Garcia, both public educators, who are strong believers that education is key in uplifting the quality of life of every Filipino family.

Mekeni Food Corporation joined hands with RP Healthcraft Carrier Foundation Inc. - Hospital on Wheels (HOW) through the assistance of the local government of Porac, PhilHealth Regional Office III, and Barangay officials of Manibaug to provide free medical care to citizens of Pampanga last February 25.

The lack of basic healthcare has been a perennial problem in the country, which was even more highlighted during the pandemic. Hence, in the hopes of helping the community, Mekeni supports this kind of advocacy. "We are glad to be a beacon of hope to our fellow Kapampangan, even in our small ways. We will always extend assistance to help our fellow Kapampangan," Mekeni President Pruds Garcia said.

 

 

Founded in 2007, HOW, headed by Dr. Jim Sanchez, aims to reach underprivileged citizens in the country by bringing a fleet of vehicles carrying medical practitioners and equipment to conduct various medical treatments.

To help HOW further realize its goal of reaching more Filipinos in remote areas, Garcia and Mekeni’s Emergency Preparedness and Response Team joined the fleet of medical practitioners on the second day of the medical-surgical mission in Barangay Camias, Angeles City where they provided free medical services to our fellow katutubo.

 

 

 

 

This March, the Hospital on Wheels will be conducting medical missions in Subic and Botolan, Zambales. You may visit them there for free medical treatments.

 

It is that time of year again for Mekeni Food Corporation as they have concluded their annual gift-giving tradition to select institutions in Pampanga.

Led by HR Supervisor and Safety Officer Apple Garcia, Mekeni employees, represented by the members of its Emergency Preparedness and Response Team (EPRT), brought assorted groceries, personal care essentials, and gift packs to Bahay Pag-ibig (home for the aged) in San Fernando; Munting Tahanan ng Nazareth(for special and abandoned children) and Duyan ni Maria (home for abandoned children) in Mabalacat; and Children’s Home of Immaculate Mary (home for abandoned children) in Angeles.

“We are committed to doing this annual activity to inspire and give our beneficiaries hope, especially now that we have yet to fully overcome the effects of the pandemic. We are delighted that our employees and the whole Mekeni family have imbibed the company’s culture of gratitude and malasakit,” said Assistant Vice President for HR and Export Marilou Uy.

 

 

Since 2008, the Mekeni management team and employees have been sharing their time, resources, and hearts through this program. The pandemic may have changed the way they executed the turnover of items, but it did not change the organization’s level of generosity.

Before the pandemic, Mekeni employees used to spend a day in the institutions to interact with beneficiaries. There were mini-programs, games, and kumustahan. However, when the pandemic happened, they only dropped off the gifts in designated areas to ensure safety precautions could be maintained.

With the combined generosity of the management and the employees, Mekeni was able to provide food and personal care supplies that could sustain the basic needs of over 200 beneficiaries in the next few months.

“This annual activity embodies our favorite saying ‘we rise by lifting others’. We hope that with this simple act, our beneficiaries feel the love, positivity, and joy that we wish to bring, especially this season,” said Mekeni President Pruds Garcia.

 

 

The annual gift-giving program is one of Mekeni’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs geared towards continuing the value of gratitude and malasakit, and fulfilling its mission to uplift lives.

“For 14 years, this program has reminded us that small acts of love and joy can have significant impacts on other people’s lives. In every way we can, we will continue to serve and uplift others’ quality of lives through our CSR programs,” said Uy.

Delegates from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (PCCIJ) and officials of the Embassy of the Philippines-Tokyo recently visited the Mekeni Food Corporation’s headquarters in Pampanga.

The group, led by PCCIJ Chairman Allan Reyes and Agricultural Attaché Jose I.C. Laquian, went to Mekeni for a tour of the facility to gain a better understanding of the food manufacturing process and to know more about Mekeni’s biosecurity measures.

 

 

Mekeni, a home-grown brand that is starting to strengthen its international market, is the first heat-treated meat processing facility accredited by Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the first and only meat processing facility in the Philippines to be accredited by the Japanese government to export products to the country.

Mekeni is also one of the pioneers in food safety and quality in the Philippines. It is the first in Asia and second in the world to be certified compliant with ISO 22000, and the first hotdog and marinated meat processing plant in the Philippines to be accorded certification for FSSC 22000.

These milestone accreditations demonstrate that Mekeni meets the highest and globally recognized standards of the food safety management system.

PCCIJ aims to further develop and advance the relationship between the Philippines and Japan through partnerships and trade. The visit gave a glimpse of how Mekeni is at par with global organizations in terms of food safety and quality.

“It is an honor to host our delegates and show some of the processes that we have in place,” said Mekeni President Prudencio Garcia. “We hope that they learned from us, and we look forward to working with PCCIJ in the future.”