With food safety becoming a critical public health concern in the rapidly growing food industry, ensuring safety and quality standards is essential.

To support this, the Department of Agriculture’s Philippine Rural Development Project (DA-PRDP), through its I-REAP Component, initiated a week-long training for proponent groups engaged in the production of muscovado sugar, coffee, and virgin coconut oil.

The activity, titled “Training on Good Manufacturing Practices, Principles of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points, and Lecture on Licensing of Food Establishments and Product Registration,” was held from May 26 to 30, 2025, at Acacia Hotel in Bacolod City.

This capacity-building workshop focused on strengthening food manufacturing practices and ensuring regulatory compliance—especially for enterprises scaling up their operations or entering broader markets.

By understanding the principles of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), proponent groups can ensure the consistent quality and safety of their products while complying with national standards set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Throughout the training, participants engaged in technical lectures, hands-on workshops, and actual plant visits. Resource persons from the Department of Agriculture’s Food Development Center provided guidance on best practices, regulatory requirements, and process improvements.
The training also included on-site visits to La Castellana, La Carlota, Sipalay City, and Cauayan—offering real-world insights into operations and food safety implementation.

The Province of Negros Occidental served as a key partner in organizing and facilitating the activity, reinforcing local support and collaboration for enterprise development.

By the end of the training, proponent groups were expected to:
1.Understand the key principles and guidelines of Good Manufacturing Practices, as well as the steps to secure a License to Operate (LTO) and a Certificate of Product Registration (CPR);
2.Update their enterprise operations plans to include hygiene and sanitation measures, quality control procedures, employee training, documentation, traceability, and production consistency; and
3.Develop a checklist of FDA-required documents for LTO and CPR, while identifying responsible personnel, necessary resources, and support systems.

Through initiatives like this, the PRDP continues to empower agri-based enterprises—helping them become more compliant, competitive, and sustainable. Together, we build a safer food supply chain and a stronger rural economy. (September Noon M. Dela Cruz, PSO Visayas, Writer)