In an online training program titled, “Food Connect Program”, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) MIMAROPA region tapped the services of the Philippine Trade Training Center (PTTC) to assist food manufacturers in understanding and applying the standards, documentation, and application of the “gate-to-plate” processes in the food chain.
The program consists of two courses: 1) Application Requirements for FDA-License to Operate and 2) Application Requirements for FDA-Certificate of Product Registration. For Course 1, DTI MIMAROPA shouldered the training expenses of 25 micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) belonging to the food sector. From this number, five MSMEs are from the province of Occidental Mindoro, two MSMEs from Oriental Mindoro, and six MSMEs each from Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan. On the other hand, DTI MIMAROPA is currently looking for more MSMEs to complete the line-up for Course 2.
Track 1 of Course 1 ran from 14 – 17 June 2022 and focused on the Awareness on Food Safety, cGMP and Philippine Documentary Requirements. This track covered Basic Food Safety, Awareness on current Good Manufacturing Practices, and an initial coverage of the Philippine FDA-License to Operate Documentary Requirements.
While Track 2 of the same course will start on 5 July 2022, and will end on 8 July 2022, focusing on the Documentation/Establishment of Quality/Safety Management System: GMP and its Implementation Plan. This will deal with GMP Documentation, Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP), and Sanitation Checklists. The last and third track for Course 1, which will run from July 26-29, 2022, centers on Compliance to Philippine FDA License to Operate Documentary Requirements and encompasses Awareness on Philippine Labeling Requirements, Overview on Product Recall, and completes the discussion on Philippine FDA-License to Operate Documentary Requirements.
Lastly, the program will end with Track 4 under Course 2, which will happen on 9-12 August 2022, and will focus on the Compliance to Philippine FDA-Certificate of Product Registration Documentary Requirements. This concluding track will incorporate topics on the Philippine FDA-Certificate of Product Registration Documentary Requirements, Product and Process Standardization as a CPR requirement, and Shelf-life Study as a CPR requirement.
By the end of the Food Connect Program, the participants are expected to comply and acquire fundamental documentary requirements that are in line with globally recognized standards, making them market and export-ready. ♦
Date of Release: 20 June 2022