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PRACTICUM EXPERIENCES AT SUSTAMINA AGRI-INDUSTRIAL

CORPORATION

Jay-Ar Astilla Destura

1/
A Narrative report submitted to the Faculty of Cavite State University-Silang
Campus in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Bachelor of Science in
Computer Science with Contribution No. ______. Prepared under the supervision of Ms.
Floricelle R. Manimtim.

INTRODUCTION

On-the-Job training is one of the requirements of students taking up Computer

Science Program. They have to finish two hundred hours (200) in any prominent

establishments in the country. The main purpose of this training is for them to gain skills

and enhance knowledge on the principle of Computer Science Services by means of

actual application of theories learned in school. The students are required to perform all

duties and responsibilities of a real office worker.

A practicum experience provides application of classroom theory in a workplace

environment. On-the job training is an important way in which people acquire relevant

knowledge and skills at work. Here it is important to make the distinction between
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training and learning – this is critical to the effective design and delivery of training in

organizations.

OJT can be defined as an activity undertaken at the workplace which is designed

to improve an individual’s skills or knowledge. OJT is a well-established and well-used

intervention designed to enhance individual skills and capabilities with the characteristics

of being delivered on a one-to-one basis and taking place at the trainee’s place of work;

requiring time to take place, including potential periods when there is little or no useful

output of products or services; being specified, planned and structured activity.

Computer Science is a four year program that teaches the students on how to be a

competent computer programmer. In this course, the students develop their typing skills

and enhance their knowledge about computer.

The trainee was given the opportunity to conduct his On-the-Job Training (OJT)

at Sustamina Agri-Industrial Corporation and was assigned as an Office Personnel.

Sustamina is a leading company in Silang, Cavite that manufactures animal feeds and

selling swine and poultry products. The trainee successfully finished his On-the-Job

Training on May 15, 2009.

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Corporate Profile

The start of something big

The year was 1992 when the five enterprising individuals of diverse background

decided to put up a business that would provide employment within the local community

while generating stable financial returns to the investors. Noting the increasing demand

for animal feeds and after careful study, the group decided to put up a manufacturing

plant for animal feeds for poultry and swine. The goal is to serve primarily the continuous

growing livestock industry in Cavite and neighboring areas. Cavite Feeds Milling

Corporation was born.

It was incorporated on November 5, 1992 and was a started commercial operation

in July 1993 with the initial staff base of ten covering both production and administration.

The initial plant is a modest three hundred twenty square meter lot along the Aguinaldo

Highway in Biga II, Silang Cavite.

Creation of a strong brand

Aware that the market is highly competitive at the same time dominated by

multinationals and established brands, the company deliberated and decided on carving a

niche in the market be creating a brand with strong brand recall. Thus, the brad name

SUSTAMINA was coined with a tagline “masustansya na mabitamina pa”.

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Today, the Sustamina brand is able to penetrate established footholds of

manufacturing giants and has in fact became a byword for quality, high nutrition and

affordable animal feeds. For a relatively young company citations and awards have been

given in recognition of its progress and contribution to the community it serves.

Growth continued as CAFCOR added a number of product lines and formulation.

Crumble and pellet forms have been produced.

CAFCOR Diversifies

Even with the inroads it has made in the animal feed industry, the company

looked into other growth potentials and diversified into livestock contract growing

operations. The moved further strengthened the market base of CAFCOR as it served the

feed requirements of contract growers.

The pioneer groups of contract growers were mostly located at the 3rd district of

Cavite. From a “handful”, the number of contract grower has swelled to over 300

strategically located at the growth areas of Silang, Indang, Amade0, General Aguinaldo,

Maragondon, Magallanes, Naic, Dasmariñas and other municipalities of Cavite. The

venture flourished and other contract growers also joined the program, further increasing

the market base of CAFCOR. There are now contract growers from the provinces of

Batangas, Laguna and Quezon.

The growth of contract growing move of the company necessitated a

corresponding physical expansion to give room to the diversification trust. Thus in 1998,

CAFCOR transferred its milling facilities to a 1.5 hectare lot located within the declared

agro-industrial zone in Trece Martirez in Barangay Aguado. The new plant is designed to
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accommodate the increasing demand for Sustamina feeds both from the in-house clients,

the contract growers and the commercial clients that have been steadily growing with the

selection and accreditation of authorized distributors and dealers of Sustamina Feeds

brand.

Sustamina, the company takes shape

The practice when the company ventured contract growing is that the day old

chicks were sourced from integrators. This practice, however, is costly with little or no

control quality. In 1999, the company started importation of hatching eggs from France

and went on to breed day-old chicks to have control over the quality of the inputs for the

contract growing business.

In 2000, the breeding operation has stabilized and the company has stop

importation. The operations of the contract growing business also become more efficient

and growth continued. Proof of the continuing growth is the increasing volume of broilers

per cycle. From an initial volume of 30,000 broilers per cycle, it grew to 2 million per

cycle with all the sales going into the live and dressed chicken market.

There was no turning back at this point, from diversification move; the contract

growing side of the business has grown into a full scale company operation. The split

from the mother company, CAFCOR has become inevitable. In February 2001,

Sustamina Agri-Industrial Corporation was incorporated.

Modern Facilities

As part of Sustamina Agri-Industrial Corpoartion’s growth plans, the company

established a fully-equipped modern hatchery and dressing plant. Sustamina Agri-

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Industrial Corpoartion also launched its wholly owned and home-grown chicken brand,

Sustamina Chicken for distribution to institutional clients and mass base consumption, in

groceries and supermarkets. Moreover, to further solidify its growing edge over other

agro-industrial companies, Sustamina Agri-Industrial Corpoartion is also into swine

production. Future plans also include table egg production and meat processing.

Company Vision

Sustamina Agri-Industrial Corporation aims to be the first in the development of

strong business links with SUSTAMINA AGRI-MATES thru the utilization of innovative,

strategic technology and recognition of equitable company existence with our partners.

Business Mission

Sustamina Agri-Industrial Corporation’s business mission is to provide business

and technical linkages to SUSTAMINA AGRI-MATES in all areas of strategic

operations. The company shall endeavor to be the prime movers of business anchored in

Agri and Agro productivity.

Company Slogan

“Sa Sustamina, Suportado ka, Kaya Sigurado ka”

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BOARD OF
DIRECTORS

CORPORATE
SECRETARY

CEO/PRESIDENT

EXEC. INTERNAL AUDIT

SECRETARY

EXEC. VICE
PRESIDENT

COO/GEN COMPTROLLER
MANAGER

SECRETARY

CG- SWINE
FEEDS/ TOLL BROILER SWINE
MILLING DIVSION DIVISION
CG-
BROILER HATCHERY PROCESSING CREDIT &
DIVISION COLLECTION
SWINE
BREEDER
DRESSING
OPERATION
BROILER
BREEDER

MIS LOGISTIC ADMIN/HRD SALES & PLANNING &

MARKETING ENGINEERING
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Figure 1.0 Organizational Structure of Sustamina Agri – Industrial Corporation

Organizational Structure

The figure 1.0 shows that the Board of Directors is the highest position held in

Sustamina Agri-Industrial Corporation under this is the Corporate Secretary. Below them

is the CEO/President under him is the Executive Secretary and Internal Audit.

Next in the organizational structure is the Executive Vice President, and under his

supervision are the General Manager, Secretary and the Comptroller.

Under the General Manager are the Contract Grower – Swine, Contract Grower –

Broiler, Swine Breeder, Broiler Breeder, Feeds/Toll Milling, Hatchery and Dressing

Operation.

Under the Secretary are the Management Information System, Logistics,

Administration & Human Resource Development, Sales & Marketing and Planning and

Engineering.

Under the Comptroller are the Broiler Division, Processing Division, Swine

Division and Credit and Department.

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Duties and Responsibilities

Board of Directors

1. Governing the organization by establishing broad policies and objectives;

2. Approving annual budgets;

3. Selecting, appointing, supporting and reviewing the performance of the chief.

Corporate Secretary

1. Counselor to the Chief Executive Officer;

2. Know what documents and records need to be created.

Chief Executive Officer

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1. Responsible for carrying out the policies of the board of directors on a day-to-day

basis.

Executive Secretary

1. Performs a variety of administrative or executive support tasks that are highly

confidential and sensitive;

2. Researches, compiles, assimilate, and prepare confidential and sensitive documents;

3. Composes letters and memoranda in response to inquiries.

Internal Audit

1. Ensures maintenance of high standards and quality of audit projects;

2. Review and approval of audit programs and time budgets;

3. Review of draft audit reports.

General Manager

1. Responsible for the overall operation of the company.

Comptroller

1. Supervises accounting and financial reporting of the company.

2. Communicates regularly with counter parts in sales, accounting and customer service

department.
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Credit and Collection

1. Creates updates and enforces credit policies and procedures.

2. Trains the staff in departmental procedure.

3. Approves credit levels for the largest customers.

4. Review staff performance.

5. Communicates regularly with counterparts’ in sales, accounting and customer service 

departments.

6. Select and manages relation with the collection agencies.

7. Monitors the use of collection techniques on the customers.

MIS

1. Create information system of the company;

2. Solving business problems such as costing a product and services.

Logistic
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1. Responsible for documentation;

2. Scheduling trucking for delivery.

HRD

1. Responsible for hiring new employees;

2. Computing and submitting attendance of the employee to accounting department.

Sales and Marketing

1. Responsible for different transaction of company especially in sales.

Planning and Engineering

1. Create a plan for new building and assigned to create a new design for the

company.
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ON-THE-JOB TRAINING PROPER

No. of Hours Required

The Computer Science students who had taken a practicum experience are

required to finished their two hundred (200) hours On-the-Job Training. The trainee

started his practicum experience on April 13, 2009 and ended on May 15, 2009.

Department Assigned

The Credit and Collection is concerned with all the transaction of Sustamina

Corporation regarding with the contract growers and all the customers who buy swine

and poultry products. This department is responsible for releasing check payment from

the contract grower, accepting cash and check payments from the customer, issuing

receipts and cash advances from the employee. Filing of sales invoice, cash voucher

delivery receipt, posting of checks and statement of accounts are done in credit and

collection department.

Duties and Responsibilities

The trainee was assigned as office personnel at the Credit and Collection

Department. As office personnel, the trainee handled various task. The trainee was the
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one the one responsible for posting of checks, recording the statement of account in the

ledger. Aside from the said tasks, the trainee was also in charge for filing and organizing

sales invoice, cash voucher, provisionary receipt and official receipt of payments from the

contract growers.

Daily Time Record

The trainee worked eight hours (8) a day and required to time in at 8 o’clock in

the morning, have a lunch break of 12:00-1:00 and time out at 5 o’clock in the afternoon.

Learning Experiences

The trainee applied his experience and knowledge learned in school in an actual

workplace. The trainee enhance his skills in pc operation in installing software and

operating system, checking defective computer parts and also reformatting computers

The trainee improved his communication skills with other people dealing with his

supervisor upon accepting orders. The trainee also developed good working relationship

with his co-employee.

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SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

Summary

Computer Science students are obligatory to have their practicum during their

summer vacation, a requirement before they can continue their studies in the university.

They are obliged to complete two hundred On-the Job training hours in any prominent

companies and establishment. The trainee accomplished his training at Sustamina Agri-

Industrial Corporation and was assigned in the Credit and Collection Department. The

trainee’s served as an office staff. The trainee was the one responsible for posting of

checks in the ledger. The trainee was also in charge of filing of checks, cash voucher,

sales invoice and delivery receipt. After the trainee completed his on-the-job training, the

trainee had enhanced his confidence and increases his knowledge in pc operation,

develop his communication skills.

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Conclusion

Sustamina Agri-Industrial Corporation is an admirable and worthy training place,

wherein the trainee attained his purpose and goals through entire training. The department

where he was assigned has guided the trainee to grow and apply his knowledge he

learned in school and applied it in the workplace. Sustamina gave the trainee a chance to

practice and apply his knowledge in an office environment doing a like what real office

worker does.

The trainee can therefore say that On-the-Job training is significant experience for

students to be exposed in the field of work their going pursue when they graduated and it

also build trainee’s confidence. The practicum aided the trainee to enhance his

capabilities in computer operation that the trainee will be able to apply in his future

profession.

Recommendation

To develop skills and acquire knowledge the trainee must experience training

even before they graduated. These training will help the trainee to apply his knowledge

from school to the workplace.

The trainee recommends Sustamina Agri-Industrial Corporation to the students

who will undergo their On-the-Job training as one of their training ground. The

establishment offers a good training place to practice, enhanced trainee’s skills, and
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increased self confidence and develop superior communication skills to have a good

working relationship with co-workers.

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APPENDICES
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APPENDIX A
(Recommendation Letter)
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APPENDIX B
(Learning Journal)
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APPENDIX C
(Evaluation Form)
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APPENDIX D
(Daily Time Record)
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APPENDIX E
(Pictures)
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Figure 2.0 Sustamina Logo

Figure 3.0 Building of Sustamina Agri-Industrial Corporation

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APPENDIX F
(Certificate)
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APPENDIX G
(Curriculum Vitae)
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Jay – Ar Astilla Destura

420 Sampaloc II, Dasmariñas, Cavite

Mobile Phone: +639086217572

E-mail Address: jay.destura@gmail.com

Personal Data

Date of Birth: July 4, 1985

Place of Birth: San Vicente II, Silang, Cavite

Age: 24 yrs old

Sex: Male

Civil Status: Single

Height: 5 ft. 8 in.

Weight: 75 kgs.

Educational Background

Cavite State University – Silang Campus

Silang, Cavite

Year 2006 – Present

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

New Era National High School

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Brgy. New Era, Dasmariñas, Cavite

Year Graduated: 2001

Silang Central School

Silang, Cavite

Year Graduated: 1996

On The Job Training

Sustamina Agri-Industrial Corporation

Aguinaldo Highway, Brgy. Biga II, Silang, Cavite

Position: Office Personnel – Credit & collection Department