Tarlac State University's Center for Food Technology and Research sealed a partnership with the Food and Drug Administration as the first SUC in Central Luzon to assist MSMEs in their FDA registration.
The memorandum of understanding, signed on Tuesday morning (August 20) at the CFTR AVR in Lucinda Campus, aims to help Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises follow applicable health product safety through the TSU CFTR.
This partnership is dubbed as a "whole-of-government approach" under the FDA's "Bigyang Halaga, Bangon Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (BBMSMEs).
"We are still on the grassroots. We are trying to capacitate and educate all the MSMEs all around the Philippines as much as possible...As [of this] date, meron na po tayong apat na MOA sa malalaking probinsya. Almost graduate na po kami sa part ng Luzon dahil sa kagalingan at proactive measures ng mga director ko. Susunod naman ay Visayas at Mindanao," FDA Director General Dr. Samuel Zacate said.
"I already talked with the DSWD Secretary, CHED, TESDA, sabi namin we have the FDA for the training, the TESDA, the SUC for laboratory capacitation, at 'yung pambayad ng mga MSME, doon po papasok ang DSWD,” he added.
TSU President Dr. Arnold E. Velasco exhibited his full support for this endeavor as it is "impactful" to society, which was echoed by Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Extension Atty. Wilmark J. Ramos.
"Despite our differences in mandates, our agencies share the goal of ensuring our country's food safety and stability for the welfare of our people and that of MSMEs to capacitate them and for them to be able to provide for food safety. This signing of MOU makes a more systematic share of information and knowledge. This also strengthens the feedback mechanism between our agencies to enhance our operation," VP Ramos said.
"Collaboration, indeed, has been and has always proven to be crucial in achieving shared goals between and among agencies here and abroad. This MOU commits everyone who needs us to work together more closely towards our common goal – the pursuit of MSME efforts at the forefront," VP Ramos added.
The MOU states that the FDA will train TSU personnel as a form of capacity building and assist the center in obtaining its license to operate as a food manufacturer and shared facility for MSMEs.
Department of Trade and Industry OIC Provincial Director Florencia Balilo hopes to "expedite" the CFTR's FDA LTO as a shared service facility, wherein DTI donated its laboratory equipment a few years back.
Through the said license, products for testing will be brought to the CFTR instead of the facilities in Baguio and Pampanga.
Eventually, the university will render technical assistance to MSMEs through laboratory testing and food analysis with a minimal fee as an income-generating project of TSU.
The CFTR will also guide the MSMEs in securing their license to operate, certificate of product registration/notification, online certification processes, and other requirements, allowing them to manufacture, distribute, and export their products.
Moreover, the center will conduct writeshops and coaching and mentoring sessions for MSMEs in line with their preparation, application, and implementation of the needed documents for FDA certification.
In an interview, CFTR Director Dr. Leah T. Matias said that the 17 MSME-incubatees of the DOST-TSU Aslagan-Technology Business Incubator are their initial targets for this project.
DTI Division Chief Ana Marie Tabamo even cited the RP Corpus Sales Enterprise, a Tarlac-based MSME that the university had assisted for its FDA certifications, which is already exporting its products.
According to Ms. Maria Theresa Navarro, owner of Watz Bakin Food and Beverage Trading, one of the MSME-incubatees, TSU has been assisting them through training, documentation, and orientation regarding the requirements for FDA certification.
She hopes the university can further assist them as this will help display products and export pastries.
Joining Ms. Navarro in witnessing the MOU signing is Ms. Adelaida Bugayong, owner of Aling Piling Inuyat Manufacturing, who is seeking the help of TSU in developing and adding a "twist" to her products, such as her sugarcane drink. Her goal is to introduce sugarcane products to the global market. (jlmm-OPA)
Photo by Jodie Andrea G. Pangilinan
