LEGAZPI CITY (PIA)—With the collaborative efforts of the regional offices of the Department of Trade in Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), at least 98 food processors in Bicol were assisted in their resumption of business operation in the new normal.
The three agencies signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) in August 2020 to help the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) specifically in securing the license to operate and certificate of product registration, as well as to strengthen their knowledge in the regulatory aspect of business operation.
“Securing these licenses takes time specially [that some of] our MSMEs lack the technical knowledge on how to comply with the requirements and the costs involved,” DTI Bicol OIC-Regional Director Rodrigo Aguilar said.
Twenty of the 98 food processor beneficiaries were for FDA license to operate registration while 78 were to acquire certificate of product registration.
Aguilar said the collaboration of their agencies sought to train and develop the capacities of MSMEs and make them technologically self-reliant. He added that they wanted to expand the role of MSMEs in the region’s economy while ensuring the safety of the customers.
Under the MOA, MSMEs will be also assisted in the areas of product testing, product validation, costing, package design, labelling, registration of intellectual property rights, licensing, and best practices in food safety and manufacturing.
Prior to FDA registration, the products of these MSMEs are subject for testing at DOST laboratory to obtain the necessary nutritional analysis.
Meanwhile, the collaboration of the three agencies was fostered through the Regional Inclusive Innovation Center which aims for regions to contribute in the country’s economic transformation through entrepreneurship and employment. (PIA5/DTI5)
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