RD Tuna CEO Wins Social Responsibility Awardff

The tuna industry has not been this lucrative in General Santos City, the “Tuna Capital of the Philippines,” since 1970.

Last year, there were at least 23 companies engaged in tuna manufacturing, eight of which have gone into exporting fresh, chilled, and frozen whole tuna and choice cuts, according to records from the Department of Trade and Industry.

One of those companies is RD Corporation whose executive vice-president and chief operating officer, Ritchie C. Rivera, recently bagged the plum Socially Responsible Entrepreneur award from the organizers of the prestigious Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Rivera, president of RD Manufacturing Group as well, also is in command of the 1,500-strong workforce of the newest tuna cannery in General Santos City, the Philbest Canning Corp.

The company was purchased from RFM Tuna Corporation in 2001 with the vision of becoming the best in Asia. Philbest daily processes 120 metric tons of tuna, mainly skipjack and yellowfin, into canned products for export to the United States, Europe, Middle East and Japan. It is one of the 27 business units under RD Corporation, which is becoming the fastest-growing, and probably the largest and biggest, Filipino-owned conglomerate in Southern Mindanao.

“We are a team of dynamic Filipino professionals committed to be responsible stewards in the pursuit of our vision to make Philbest Canning Corporation the best and biggest processor of tuna products in Asia,” says Rivera.

The Philbest workforce is a merry mix of personalities whose work experiences are as diverse as their cultural backgrounds, their ages ranging from 18 to 25 years.

In 2003, Philbest also received the Top Exporter of the Year Award from President Arroyo, through the Export Development Council.

Rivera has successfully steered RD tuna Canners in Papua New Guinea, in Philbest, in Asia Pacific Tuna Canning Corp., and in its allied companies that comprise the RD Manufacturing Group, which has become a top earner for its holding company, RD Corp.

More than building revenues, however, Rivera was cited for applying his private sector skills and creativity to help his community overcome social and environmental problems. Apart from employing over 2,000 residents of General Santos City and nearby areas, Rivera leads community outreach programs through the RD Foundation.

Today, RD Foundation is on the forefront of RD Corp.’s social responsibility efforts. Its long-running scholarship program and community outreaches are becoming local benchmarks. Recently, the League of Corporate Foundations has accepted it as a member, giving it national recognition along with other luminaries in corporate citizenship.

Rivera relates that in line with Philbest’s vision of becoming the leader in the industry, the company has introduced innovative manufacturing ideas  and surges with the latest business trends. It introduced the pouched tuna in late 2004 to serve the demands of consumers in the US and Europe.

“We set our eyes on our vision as we work hard towards realizing it,” Rivera reiterates.

The cannery also has plans for future expansion and is always on the lookout for other markets here and abroad that are buying premium packs.

At present, Philbest is strengthening its foothold on value-added products such as tuna patties, spring rolls, siomai and sausages, among others. The new products are bringing in close to P30 million to the company.

Industry records showed that revenues from exports of tuna value-added products to Japan, Korea, US and Hong Kong reached $11.5 million in 2004.

“Among our advantages is our highly skilled and available labor,” says Rivera. While the government recognizes Rivera’s contribution to the country in terms of job creation and revenue generation, the top honcho in tuna manufacturing has not stopped challenging himself, and his employees, to keep on improving and growing. Moreover, he ascribes Philbest’s success to the efforts of its employees.

“The awards and citations only show that the efforts of the men and women behind Philbest have paid off,” says Rivera.