ILOILO City – To develop and enhance the market competitiveness of locally produced food products in Region 6 through the provision of product packaging services, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) 6, turned over packaging and labelling materials to forty-nine micro enterprises in the province of Iloilo on May 30 at Casa Real, General Luna Street, here.
The initiative was in partnership with the Iloilo Provincial Government through the Local Economic Development and Investment Promotion (LEDIP) Division of the Provincial Planning and Development Office (PPDO).
The materials given during the turnover program included label design prototypes in compliance with the labelling requirements of the Philippines, an initial volume of printed label prototypes; and an initial volume of packaging materials.
This project in partnership with the Iloilo Provincial Government is already on its 5th year, assisting the 5th batch of beneficiaries from Iloilo.
During the event, Engr. Rowen R. Gelonga, CESO II, DOST-6 Regional Director, emphasized the importance of having a proper packaging system that is not only limited to better visual presentation of the product but a structure that is able to protect, preserve and extend the shelf life of the product.
Director Gelonga also cited the different firms successfully assisted by DOST-6 who started with the packaging and labelling assistance that enabled them to expand their market and improve their production facilities as the level of service extended by DOST to these firms also increased.
Aside from the said turnover, the agency has also provided seminars and consultancies to the firm-beneficiaries which were conducted last November 2018. Moreover, DOST-6 continuously provides seminar-workshop on packaging and labelling and the mandatory labelling requirements of the Philippines, seminar on food safety, and current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) and packaging technical consultancy./PN
