Century Pacific says GenSan plant nearing full operations

CENTURY PACIFIC FOOD, Inc. (CNPF) said its General Santos (GenSan) operations are nearing normal levels more than three weeks after a major earthquake disrupted production, as the company restored facilities and replaced damaged raw materials.

During a media briefing on Tuesday, CNPF Executive Chairman Christopher T. Po said the company resumed operations within a week of the June 8 earthquake, initially at reduced capacity.

“As of June 30, we are actually close to normal, save for some raw materials that were damaged and we’re having to replace them,” he said.

“But we are actually getting very close to normal at this point,” Mr. Po added.

The company did not provide a percentage estimate of its operational recovery but said its earlier target of restoring operations within one to two weeks had largely been met, with production steadily increasing since operations resumed.

Last month, CNPF said it had resumed partial operations at its General Santos facilities, including logistics activities, following structural safety assessments after the magnitude 7.8 earthquake disrupted production.

The company said at the time that operations were expected to gradually return to normal over the following one to two weeks as additional inspections were completed and repairs continued.

Mr. Po said the company’s initial priority was accounting for employees and providing relief assistance to workers and nearby communities before focusing on restoring operations.

He said restarting production was the most effective way to support employees, noting that the General Santos facilities support about 13,000 jobs.

CNPF Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer Gregory H. Banzon said the company’s initial response focused on ensuring the safety of employees and nearby communities affected by the earthquake.

“The first response was safety,” Mr. Banzon said. “After safety, the next step was really stability, making sure that we understood the impact of the earthquake and what steps were needed to get back to operations.”

He said production was restored in phases as the company expanded operations following damage assessments.

“We’re now in the stage of really working towards productivity and sustainability. So I think we’re on track,” Mr. Banzon said.

He added that CNPF continues to monitor aftershocks and has maintained safety protocols to ensure employees can safely return to work as operations move toward full productivity.

Century Pacific manufactures branded food products, including Century Tuna, Argentina, 555, Ligo, and Birch Tree, and supplies private-label tuna and coconut-based products for export markets.

Shares in CNPF fell 0.65%, or 20 centavos, to close at P30.80 apiece on Wednesday. — Alexandria Grace C. Magno