Victoria, Laguna – The Department of Trade and Industry – Laguna Provincial Office (DTI-Laguna), in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology Region IV-A, conducted a series of Food Compliance Seminars aimed at capacitating micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the food processing sector.

These initiatives are part of the One Town, One Product (OTOP) Next Gen program, DTI’s flagship project that encourages MSMEs to upgrade their products and services through innovation, standards compliance, and brand development to foster local and global market competitiveness.

With food processing being one of the priority industries in Laguna, the seminar focused on helping MSMEs fulfill some of the compliance gaps, such as obtaining a License to Operate with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which falls under the FDA mid-tier regulatory oversight. Traditional and mechanized processors often struggle with food safety compliance due to limited resources and technical knowledge.

The series of capacity-building activities commenced on April 15 with Food Safety and Quality Management followed by Current Good Manufacturing Practices in the New Normal on April 24, Product and Process Standardization on May 8, and Workshop and One-on-One Consultancy on Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures on May 23, 2025, all of which took place at DTI-Laguna Provincial Office in Victoria, Laguna.

These trainings equipped participants—known as OTOPreneurs—with the fundamental knowledge and useful resources that they needed in order to start creating their own food safety systems. DTI-Laguna keeps opening doors for improved product quality, market access, and economic opportunities in the province (CPMorales, DTI-Laguna). ♦

Date of Release: 27 May 2025