The Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) co-hosted the Webinar on Food and Establishment Registration and Certification via Zoom platform last February 1, 2024.
The online activity centered on discussing procedures and requirements for securing a Certificate of Registration on various food products categorized as pre-packaged and processed products and Licensing of Food Establishments. It was attended by more than 400 cooperative members who are engaged in food establishments, including the merchants and those who are registered at Co-opBiz, the CDA’s flagship program for promoting locally produced cooperative products to the global market.
The webinar was graced by the Opening Remarks of ASec. Myrla B. Paradillo, Head of the CDA Cluster for Public Utility Cooperatives and former CDA Acting Administrator.
After acknowledging and thanking everyone in the webinar, she shared that the CDA hopes to present to the cooperatives the procedures and requirements in undertaking the necessary steps in completing the requirements to secure the Certificate of Registration required for the different products of cooperatives.
This was followed by the CDA Chairperson, Usec. Joseph B. Encabo, who cited the importance of a cooperative’s product to be registered and given certification by an agency like the FDA. He also expressed his gratitude to the FDA for sharing their expertise and time in a joint effort to strengthen the cooperative business engagement in its respective communities. Ending his remarks, the CDA Chairperson highlighted the statement “Para sa Bagong Kooperatiba, Bagong mga Produkto at Bagong Pilipinas.”
Ms. Marfil M. De Luna, FDA’s Food and Drug Regulation Officer III, discussed the Licensing of Food Establishment. She mentioned that they have 2 authorizations. The first one is the License to Operate and the Certificate of Product Registration. The facilities need to be inspected first to have a License to Operate followed by the Certificate of Product Registration.
The second speaker, Ms. Kathyn Pascual, FDA’s Food and Drug Regulation Officer II, discussed the Food Product Registration Requirement and Procedure.
The third part of the webinar which is the Open Forum/ Question and Answer was very fruitful and engaging. They made follow-up questions on some matters that were not clear or the current situation they were in with the process.
After the awarding of the Certificate of Appreciation to the speakers, the Webinar was honored to be visited online by the newly appointed CDA Administrator, ASec. Santiago S. Lim.
In his message, he said that to ensure the continued growth and development of cooperatives, CDA must engage in collaborative efforts with development partners and other government agencies in providing the necessary assistance to the cooperatives. He thanked the speaker for sharing the requirements of FDA and hoped that the collaboration between agencies would further strengthen for the benefit of the cooperatives all over the country.
Concluding the webinar, Mr. Ray R. Elevazo of the CDA-Institutional Development Service (IDS) gave his message citing that the essence of the webinar is in line with one of the functions of CDA which is to provide assistance in cooperatives’ product development and facilitate their marketing both in the domestic and international in coordination with the concerned agencies. Said further, the CDA will continue to intensify the collaboration to ensure that cooperative products will be visible in the market that everyone could be proud of.
The webinar was brought about through the effort and facilitation of the Cooperative Project Development and Assistance Division (CPDAD), an office of the CDA-IDS under the stewardship of Deputy Administrator Ray. R. Elevazo.
