(FSCO Trainers seated at the center: Glenn dela Cruz VP of FoodSHAP training and development program and Lesly Gatpayat authorized FoodSHAP trainer pose with the Batch 1 participants for FSCO training course. Photo By Joann M. Valenciano)
CLARK FREEPORT – The Food Safety and Hygiene Academy of the Philippines (FoodSHAP) concluded its first batch of the final training certification on the Nationwide Food Safety Compliance Officer course (NFSCOC) at the Xenia Hotel here recently.
The training is in compliance with Republic Act) RA) No.10611 or the Food Safety Act of 2013.
The NFSCOC is an on-going regional seminar that is already on its third year as part of its three-year program in partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd).
It is meant to guide schools on the development and implementation of Food Safety Management System and to develop Food Safety Compliance Officers (FSCO) in every school in the Philippines.
“We started in 2017, naka-align sila (DepEd) sa requirement ng Food Safety Act of 2013. This is a nationwide three to six-day FSCO program that is being taken annually, per year pear level,” said Glenn Dela Cruz, FSCO and VP of FoodSHAP training and development program.
“We started with North Luzon Regions 1, 2, 3, and the NCR as the participants for the first batch. There are other clusters per region as well,” he added.
Dela Cruz explained that “our main focus here would be the school canteens since based on recent studies, there are growing cases of food poisoning in schools. Dahil ang goal kasi is to reduce (and prevent) ‘yung food poisoning sa mga bata.”
The training will help the participants learn proper food handling on equipment and personal sanitation not just in canteens but also the food and beverage vendors outside the school to prevent food contamination and food poisoning overall.
Participants are required to take and pass the post-training assessment as part of the official certification for each FSCO.
“Once this is implemented, kasama ‘yung mga vendors sa labas ng school (premises) but ‘yung mga FSCO ‘yung magco-coordinate with the local government units (LGUs) sa kanila,” Dela Cruz said.
“DepEd’s goal is to have a holistic food safety program for students to highlight food safety apart from focusing on nutrition,” Dela Cruz added.
FoodSHAP is the first educational institution at the forefront of Food and Safety Qualification Program development for handlers in the Philippines with an internationally recognized certification programs through authorized course providers.
