Bohol, FDA agree to make food

safety training to local MSMEs

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol Feb 11 (PIA)—With about half a million community based food processors that are already producing processed food products and cosmetics already consumed by the public and only about 6,000 with government certified licenses to operate, how do we ensure that food safety and quality standards are met?

With the province’s prominence in tourism and food intricately an integral part of it, the Provincial Government of Bohol has collaborated with the country’s Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to make available to Bohol micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) into food production, training and workshops in health and product safety.

This as Bohol signs a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Food and Drug Administration to partner in bringing down appropriate capability enhancements and compliance to the applicable product safety standards in line with the FDA Bigyang halaga, Bangon MSME (BBMSME) Project.

The MOA now obliges the parties to establish, plan and implement a program, provide a coordination mechanism and accountability in implementing these regulatory functions and allocate resources for its effective implementation.

Governor Aris Aumentado, in his commitment message, said “Together with the FDA's Bigyang-Halaga, Bangon MSMEs, we will intensify our efforts to elevate [MSME] expertise in bringing Boholano products to the world stage while ensuring that their products are within the prescribed standards set by the government.”

BBMSME is an FDA project that supports and empowers local MSMEs by providing them with access to technical and safety standards in food and cosmetics production as embodied in the Food Safety Act of 2013.

The partnership allows MSME personnel training in good manufacturing processes (GMP) that will allow them to comply with the standards, provide inspection guidelines on hygiene and other codes including training in product labelling and pre-packaging.

FDA Director General Dr. Samuel Zacate said Aumentado earlier reached out to him to align the vision of supporting Boholano MSMEs with the FDA.

Together with the FDA, the program also has the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Science and Technology in it.

Provincial Administrator and former DTI Assistant secretary Asteria Caberte said she is excited as the partnership opened a wide range of interventions for MSMEs.

She stressed that as MSMEs account for 99.6% of the local economic landscape, micro-enterprises, about 90% of them may not have the knowledge on GMP and the compliance of food safety standards.

The MOA signing was coordinated by the Department Head of the Bohol Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office (BEDIPO) head Ma. Fe Dominese, with Deputy Director General for Field Regulatory Operations at the FDA Jesusa Joyce N. Cirunay, as well as Officer-in-Charge of the Visayas Cluster at the FDA Rica Reina Aumentado. (RAHC/PIA-7/Bohol)

FOOD SAFETY ENHANCED. Governor Erico Aristotle Aumentado and FDA Director General Dr. Samuel Zacate along with FDA Deputy Director General for Field Regulatory Operations Jesusa Joyce Cirunay (beside Zacate) and Bohol Administrator Aster Caberte sign the MOA as main parties and witnesses while Board members Aldner Damalerio, Jiselle Rae Villamor and Lucille Lagunay graced the ceremony. (PIABohol)