Community Corp serves over 1,000 people daily, expands catering...

Community Corp serves over 1,000 people daily, expands catering services
June 28, 2019 | 9:17 am

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The Didipio Community Development Corp (DiCorp) is a multi-million community enterprise providing world-class services to satisfied clients here and abroad.
Decades ago, Didipio was a sleepy town with small scale mining as the main source of livelihood complemented by sustenance farming. Fast forward years later, the area is now the site of a busy multi-million community enterprise providing world-class services to satisfied clients mainly to a large-scale mining firm.
The Didipio Community Development Corp. (DiCorp) is owned and managed by long-time residents of the barangay. It was established through collaboration and partnership between Australian mining firm OceanaGold and Didipio residents in 2011 in order to create more employment opportunities and increase benefits to communities through capacity-building initiatives.
“We remain steadfast in providing our partner communities with economic opportunities through leadership training and capacity building. This way, we strengthen community businesses and ensure the sustainability of all our communities even after the life of mine,” said David Way, OceanaGold Philippines Inc. (OGPI) General Manager.
Skills training for DiCorp employees were provided by OceanaGold for its start-up operations. OceanaGold also organized a loan agreement enabling DiCorp to purchase transport service vehicles and heavy equipment. The loan of PHP 37.26 million (USD 760 K) was considered as advance payment for future services which has been fully-paid.
DiCorp has progressively grown over the years, becoming one of the largest businesses in Nueva Vizcaya. Today, Dicorp currently has about 361 local shareholders and employs 279 local workers. OceanaGold has awarded several contracts to DiCorp from 2011-2018 with total gross revenue amounting to PHP 1.5B (USD 28M). The thriving enterprise is now worth PHP 85.5 million.
Serving more than 1,000 plates daily

The Didipio Restaurant and Catering Services serves food for more than 1,000 employees and guests three times a day, 7 days a week


At the heart of DiCorp’s service is cooking food for over 1,500 OGPI and contractor employees three times a day — breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The catering alone is a massive enterprise, and DiCorp’s manpower works hard day and night to prepare a wide assortment of dishes for round the clock shifts at the mining site.
DiCorp’s extensive menu boasts of a wide range of fish, poultry, meat, and vegetable dishes catering both Western and Filipino delicacies. The Didipio Camp catering serves an average of 2,536 buffet meals a day for over a thousand employees and about 700
camp residents.
“Yung main dishes nila, healthy at marami. Inaabangan ko lagi yung masarap na pagkaing hinahanda nila, nae-energize ako magtrabaho dahil don,” said Engr. Echievery Baguilat, (OGPI Employee).
“We train our staff to deliver excellent service. We aim to give our clients — camp residents, VIPs, and guests – a memorable and satisfying food experience. Our staff are often commended for being consistently hospitable and friendly,” said Simplicia Ananayo, (DiCorp General Manager).
Fruits and vegetable supplies for catering are being sourced out by DiCorp through partnering with Didipio Producers Cooperative (DIPCO) within Didipio community farms and other neighboring barangays. Other supplies that are not available within Didipio and neighboring barangays are taken from the Nueva Vizcaya Agricultural Terminal Inc. with an average total of 18 tons of fruits and vegetables a month.
Expanding the catering business

DiCorp delivers top quality menus for corporate events, private functions, and wedding receptions
DiCorp has expanded its catering business beyond the Didipio mine. The enterprise offers its own brand of creative event planning to help clients make occasions colorful, sumptuous, and unique. DiCorp’s catering team can design and deliver top quality menus for corporate events, private functions, and wedding receptions.
“From the aesthetics of food to the elegant decor of the venue, we have developed a good reputation among our clients for providing the best catering solutions,” Ananayo further said.
Empowering more local cooperatives
The mining company aims to replicate the enterprise’s success story and empower more local communities by helping them deal with sustainability challenges. OceanaGod’s continuing program utilizes social development management funds for livelihood budget allocations. It supports the newly established cooperatives by helping them create more jobs and expand their businesses.
DiCorp is one of OceanaGold’s legacy projects. Next to OGPI, DiCorp is a top taxpayer in Nueva Vizcaya and has generated more than PHP 1.5 billion in gross revenues from long-term Dipidio contracts.

OceanaGold pushes forward with its goal to establish a cooperative in each of the 10 barangays around its mine site in Didipio, Nueva Vizcaya.
“We believe in the role of mining companies in propelling economic growth in rural communities. Our commitment is to provide residents with technical skills and promote sustainability and self-sufficiency through socio-economic innovations,” Way said.
Because of the economic opportunities, residents of Didipio are becoming more confident in their abilities to sustain business partnerships. “We are thankful to OceanaGold for providing development not only in terms of infrastructure but also in the lifestyle of the community residents,” said Henry Guay, Didipio village council member. Guay notes that as enterprising locals, residents are better able to provide for their families. He cites significant improvements and increases in wage earners and monthly household income.
Dicorp currently provides a multitude of services to OceanaGold which includes Camp Administration and Catering, Transport and Trucking, Sales and Distribution, Engineering and Projects, Wholesale and Retailing, Waste Management and Infrastructure Development.
OceanaGold has ongoing agricultural initiatives in its 11 host and adjacent communities in Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya. Under the program, OceanaGold collaborates with local barangay councils and supports community members with technical and financial assistance, education seminars, and strategic planning workshops.