The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) launched three Training Modules Namely: Basic Food Hygiene, Food safety Hazards and Current Good Manufacturing Practices for Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) during the launching of the DOST Unified Food Safety Training Modules for MSMEs at the Titanium Auditorium, MIRDC DOST Compound, Gen. Santos Ave., Bicutan, Taguig City on June 8, 2019.

Science Secretary Fortunato T. de la Pena whose presence graced the affair delivered his message, expressing the foregoing:

The Philippines is currently finding ways on how to address food safety and nutrition in the decades to come. The food chain made up of a highly complex network of food production and consumption presents challenges that go beyond immediate food and safety concerns. As we attempt to address and capture solutions for food safety, an even bigger challenge is advancing research-based knowledge and its applications to streamline food processing - from the way food is produced, traded and delivered to consumers, along with managing health risks, and combatting fraudulent practices as well as protecting the health of plants and animals. However, this challenge paved a way for new possibilities and established networks relevant in encompassing disciplinary boundaries.

Our food processing sector accounts for nearly half of the total output of the manufacturing sector, contributing to 23 to 24% of the country s annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This sector grows at an annual rate of 8 to 10% and has been identified by the government as a priority sector for attracting foreign investments. As of 2016, our food manufacturing sector’s growth is the second fastest in the ASEAN. Most enterprises are owned by single proprietors which is common to micro and small industries.

The prospects for business in the food industry are clearly promising. Though increasing in number, most locally-produced food products are challenged to prove their safety for consumers as they are mostly made in backyard setups. The lack of technical know-how on safe food handling, good manufacturing practices, and food safety documentation becomes a hindrance for our manufacturers to deliver top-quality products. With the ASEAN Integration and the Influx of imported products, our local products need to be assured of its safety to be able to compete with foreign goods.

With these in mind, the Department of Science and Technology, as part of the Food Safety Regulation Coordinating Board, created the DOST Integrated Food Safety Program to support the mission of ensuring a high level of food safety, promote fair trade, and advance the global competitiveness of Philippine food products. A component in the DOST Integrated Food Safety Program is the creation of the Unified Food Safety Training Modules which will be used to train the food manufacturers in the areas of basic food hygiene, food safety hazards, and current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP). These modules will be used by the DOST Food Safety Teams in all of the 17 regions to ensure the uniformity of the information and knowledge passed on to the food manufacturers situated in different parts of the country.

I would like to commend everyone’s efforts in creating these modules. Let me thank the consultants and the project team from the College of Home Economics, UP Diliman, headed by Dr. Alonzo A. Gabriel, for pouring their knowledge in these texts. The collaboration of DOST Regional Offices, DOST-PCIEERD, and the Food and Drug Administration were also instrumental to the finalization of these manuals. Through our partnership, we have made these modules to attain the goal of helping our MSMEs in producing wholesome and safe food that will be able to compete in the global market.

This endeavor is a tipping point of bringing areas of knowledge together into a new system to spin off applications and fundamentals that can be combined and integrated. As we take another significant step on how we can best work together in pursuit of our shared goals in the face of emerging challenges in food safety, let us realize that we are the key players who can contribute to finding solutions in addressing these issues.

To the food manufacturers, restaurateurs, and food makers alike, I encourage you to maximize the use of these resources to gain knowledge on how to make your food safe for the Filipinos and the global consumers. With food safety, we decrease the incidence of illnesses brought about by the consumption of food produced with poor hygiene practices, which in turn will increase consumer confidence, market access and competitiveness.

Let us all be agents in achieving better human nutrition and build an effective food safety system where the whole food chain operates responsibly and supply safe food to consumers.

Again, we express our heartfelt gratitude to all who have made this accomplishment possible. Let us all go forward with the vision of “safe food for everyone, by everyone, through science, technology, and innovation%

A pleasant morning to everyone!