The Department of Agriculture-Central Visayas (DA) facilitated two batches of seminar on Food Safety, with emphasis on the Philippine Good Agricultural Practices (PhilGAP) and Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP) certification to around 60 agricultural technicians from the Local Government Units (LGUs), farmer cooperatives, and individual farmers, held on March 26-27, 2025, at a hotel in Cebu City.
DA7 Regional Technical Director for Operations, Engr. Cirilo Namoc, in his message, shared that the role of DA is to promote agricultural productivity and increase farmers’ income. He also said that everyone has a role in ensuring the consumers with safe foods.
The DA, he said needs the help of LGUs and the farmers in achieving its objective of providing not just food but safe food, as he says “We eat because we want to be healthy and so we need to ensure that the food that we are consuming will keep us healthy.”
Director Namoc recognized the effort of the Regulatory Division of DA, in facilitating an activity that will help the region’s effort to promote sustainable farming practices, ensuring safe and quality agricultural products, sharing a quote, “A million kilometer journey starts with a single step.”
Discussions include understanding PhilGAP, Food Safety, Produce Quality, Environmental Management, Workers Healthy Safety and Welfare and PhilGap Certification Process with speakers from the Regulatory Division.
Dr. Mayolyn Majaducon, the chief of the DA7’s Regulatory Division encouraged the participants to apply the Good Agricultural Practices, for them to increase market access, improve product quality and safety, and to protect the environment.
The first day of seminar is focused on crops production while the second day is allocated for livestock raising.