Representatives from different national and local agencies took part in the recently conducted National Food Safety Conference anchored on the research project entitled “Analysis of S&T-Related Institutional Capacity and Readiness to Effectively Implement the Philippine Food Safety Act” on June 1, 2017 at Obdulia Sison Hall, Continuing Education Center, UPLB. The project, based at the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, College of Economics and Management (DAAE-CEM) and headed by Dean Isabelita M. Pabuayon, aims to analyze how the country addresses food safety concerns relating to science and technology for selected fresh and primary processed food products, as well as to assess the readiness of the stakeholders and food safety regulatory agencies (FSRAs) for the implementation of the Food Safety Act of 2013. The latter is RA 10611 – “an Act to strengthen the food safety regulatory system in the country to protect consumer health and facilitate market access of local food and food products, and for other purposes”

The highlights of the project were presented by Dr. Pabuayon along with the project staff and consultants from the College of Economics and Management (CEM), College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS), College of Public Affairs and Development (CPAf), College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM), and Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences (IBS-CAS). Dr. Pabuayon emphasized that food safety is the responsibility of all stakeholders in the entire food value chain – public and private. Guest speakers were Ms. Amparo C. Ampil, chief of the Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Policy Division- Department of Agriculture (FAFPD-DA) representing Undersecretary Segfredo Serrano, and Mr. Timothy Moises C. Mendoza from the Center for Food Regulation and Research – Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Participants were welcomed by Dr. Serlie Barroga – Jamias, Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs and OIC-UPLB, while Dr. Ernesto O. Brown, Director of the Socio-Economics and Research Division (SERD-PCAARRD), gave the rationale and objectives of the conference. There were 40 other representatives from the Agricultural and Veterinary Offices of the Local Government Units (LGUs) and several agencies from the DA, Department of Health (DOH), and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). The project recommendations with inputs from FSRAs and implementers will be finalized for consideration by PCAARRD and relevant agencies. Camil Lontoc and I.M. Pabuayon