Cotabato City – Four identified cooperatives went through Technology Training on Food safety cum Halal Awareness provided by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) on October 26-28, 2021, at Pagana Kutawato Restaurant.
The training aims to capacitate Technology Transfer and Commercialization Program (TTCP) beneficiaries with knowledge, understanding, and adherence to Food Safety, current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), and Halal compliance.
The four identified cooperatives were recipients of the Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises – Upgrading Program (MSMEs-Up) and Science and Technology Livelihood Assistance Program (STLAP) under the Technology Transfer and Commercialization Program (TTCP) of the ministry. The recipients under MSMEs-UP were MSR Enterprises, Yasmin Salabat, Emy’s Food Products. Furthermore, the recipient under STLAP was Mhanies Food Product. They were engaged in food manufacturing such as coffee in teabag making, bagoong making, ginger/salabat & turmeric processing, food processed products, and native delicacies.
The training is one of the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) or cooperatives must undergo Food Safety (cGMP, HACCP) cum Halal Awareness Training to acquire the FDA license to operate. The e-LTO is one of the technical and financial assistance given by the ministry to MSMEs-UP beneficiaries.
These cooperatives will also be given processing equipment that would help and speed up the processing and production of their raw materials.
MSMEs-UP beneficiaries are those recipients who have an existing business that needs upgrading or more development and licensing assistance. STLAP beneficiaries are those newly engaged in business with products needing more assistance in packaging and labeling their produced products. Moreover, other technology interventions in their production lines, such as processing equipment, and licensing assistance, are also provided.
MOST-BARMM continues its efforts to provide technology training and other technology intervention for the cooperatives/associations/sole proprietors to support and upgrade their production lines, receive more profit in their business and assist them in complying with CGMP, HACCP, and Halal- requirements.
AOM-IO