CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga (PIA) – The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Central Luzon, through the Central Luzon Food Safety Team (CLFST), recognized over 70 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and partner agencies across the region who champions food safety.
With the theme “Celebrating Dedication. Elevating Standards. Ensuring Safety,” the event marked the culmination of the 2025 Plate It Write: Food Safety Manual Writeshops for Food and Drugs Administration- License to Operate (FDA-LTO), which enabled MSMEs to craft and adopt food safety manuals aligned with national and international standards.
These efforts were part of DOST Central Luzon’s advocacy to promote regulatory compliance and support local enterprises in securing vital certifications including FDA LTO, Certificate of Product Registration (CPR), and Halal Certification.
DOST Tarlac Provincial Director and CLFST Regional Coordinator Karen Dañez said the event, which coincides with CLFST’s 10th anniversary, marks a decade of dedicated service in promoting food safety across businesses and homes.
“Since its establishment in 2015, the CLFST has remained steadfast in its mission to deliver high quality capability building initiatives. These efforts extend not only to MSMEs, but also to students, faculty, parents, and food enthusiasts. CLFST now stands 10 years strong, thriving with excellence, and continuing to carry the food safety torch in the region,” she said.
Over the last decade, CLFST has trained 541 MSMEs, mentored businesses through food safety audits, and assisted them in crafting their Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) manuals through the flagship “Plate It Write” writeshop.
From 2023 to 2024 alone, 28 MSMEs secured FDA LTO; while seven received CPRs.
In his keynote message, DOST Central Luzon Regional Director Julius Caesar Sicat lauded the awardees for their dedication to consistently and continuously elevate the standards of food safety for the benefit of the public.
“Your commitment reflects more than personal achievement. It represents a collective leap forward for the food sector in Central Luzon. You have taken the challenge of compliance, invested time, money, and energy in improving your systems, and have taken bold steps to ensure the safety of the food we all consume,” Sicat stressed.
The director also recounted how the CLFST was born in response to food-related public health emergencies in Central Luzon—from food poisoning among kindergarten students to the illegal repacking of sugar—which exposed the urgent need for localized interventions in food safety compliance.
“We faced challenges such as limited awareness, lack of systems, and the perception that food safety was a burden, especially for MSMEs. But we surpassed that because we believed in the potential of every food handler, processor, and entrepreneur we encountered,” he said.
From those early efforts, CLFST grew into a regional powerhouse composed of food technologists, microbiologists, engineers, and educators—all working with partner agencies like the Department of Trade and Industry, Food and Drug Administration, Department of Agrarian Reform, and the academe to support MSMEs.
The team also launched a food safety grading system modeled after Singapore’s hawker center inspections, piloted it in public institutions, and helped 18 MSMEs obtain Halal certification in time for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
More than recognizing technical compliance, Sicat called for a deeper cultural shift in how the public approaches food safety.
“As our food systems evolve and consumer expectations continue to rise, we must remember, food safety is not a one-time intervention. It is a mindset, a daily commitment, a shared responsibility,” he added.
With this, Sicat urged businesses and institutions to embed food safety into every step of their operations—not just for compliance, but as a business value that drives trust, growth, and consumer loyalty.
The anniversary celebration also highlighted the launch of the Central Luzon Food Safety Academy, a digital learning platform that offers self-paced modules aligned with regulatory standards.
“We are transitioning our foundational trainings into full online courses. This means learning will be unstoppable, scalable, sustainable—and accessible even to grassroots communities,” he shared.
Looking ahead, Sicat revealed that DOST will begin integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into its operations to better support stakeholders.
“We will integrate AI in how we do things to be more responsive to emerging food safety threats—from microplastics to antimicrobial resistance,” he announced. (CLJD/MJSC, PIA Region 3-Pampanga)
