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BY JULIO P. YAP JR.
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THE issue of food safety became an urgent concern in the Caraga Region after the Department of Health declared an outbreak of food poisoning in July 2015 where 1,925 cases were reported due to poor hygiene in food preparation.
While actions have been made after the incident, the food regulatory system focusing on food safety in the region leaves much to be desired, especially in the areas of meat production in abattoirs, and by small scale livestock producers.
Same is true to the commercial and household level in the region, where food safety as an issue should also be pondered.
The 2015 incident in the Caraga Region is only one of the thousands of incidents of food poisoning that could happen around the world.
Finding out the causes may answer the aftermath, but preventing such is another story.
To address the concern, the United States’ Department of Agriculture-funded Philippine Cold Chain Project (PCCP), a program implemented by the Winrock International Institute for Agricultural Development in the region, partnered with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) to implement a food safety campaign.
The program aims to contribute to the government’s target of strengthening the food safety regulatory system by promoting and supporting improved practices in food production, handling and marketing to ultimately protect the health general welfare of the consumers.
Before the end of this year, the DOST, PIA, and Winrock International signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) during an event in Butuan City for the conduct of the Public Awareness Campaign on Food Safety in the Caraga Region.
Those who signed the MOU included DOST Caraga Regional Director Dominga D. Mallonga, PIA Caraga Regional Director Abner Caga, and Winrock-PCCP Chief of Party Daniel J. Gudahl.
Following the signing of the MOU, the campaign dubbed “Food Safe Caraga” was officially launched.
The Food Safe Caraga effort has two major components: a training program on meat handling for meat shop operators and workers, meat vendors, and the general public; and the Public Awareness Campaign which aims to disseminate information about food safety and improve the food handling practices of the residents in the Caraga Region.
Early this year, the Stakeholders Forum on Food Safety was held where about 100 participants coming from government and non-government agencies and small-scale food processors in the region attended the event.
The forum was able to bring up issues regarding the cleanliness of public markets and the possible interventions that science and technology (S&T) could offer.
Initial steps have already been made to fast-track the activities of the campaign which include a series of training sessions for meat stall vendors, owners and processors, as well as the general public.
Mass communication campaign with the use different media tools immediately started.
The campaign is slated to end next year, where the Caraga Region is expected to be a safer area when it comes to food handling and distribution, not just for food processors but also for each individual in the community./PN
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