Alliance Select Foods International Inc. has temporarily suspended operations at its General Santos facility after strong 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the city and nearby areas on Monday, June 8, forcing the company to assess damage and ensure employee safety before resuming production.
The listed tuna processor and food exporter said it immediately activated emergency response procedures following the quake, evacuating personnel to designated safe areas. Some employees required medical attention and are receiving assistance from the company.
Operations at the facility have been halted as a precaution amid continuing aftershocks while engineers and safety teams conduct inspections and evaluate the extent of the damage.
Initial assessments indicate that warehouse facilities sustained damage, including portions of inventory stored inside. Management said a more comprehensive review is underway to determine the full impact on buildings, equipment, inventories and business operations.
Alliance Select currently expects operations to resume on or around June 16, subject to the completion of safety checks and any repair or remediation work that may be required.
The company has yet to quantify the financial impact of the disruption.
The incident highlights the vulnerability of food processing and export operations to natural disasters, particularly in Mindanao, where major agricultural and fisheries facilities form a critical link in the country’s export supply chain. Even brief production interruptions can affect inventory flows, delivery schedules and export commitments, depending on the extent of the damage.
Alliance Select is one of the country’s key seafood exporters, with its General Santos operations serving as an important processing hub for tuna and other fish products destined for international markets.
For now, management’s priority remains employee welfare and facility safety. The company said it will provide further updates once inspections are completed and a clearer picture of the operational and financial consequences emerges.
