Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA), through its Operations Services Department – Quality Assurance Division (OSD-QAD), conducted a series of webinars on current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures (SSOP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP), held on April 20-22 and 27-28, 2022. 

The PFDA QAD invited several representatives of the Food Safety and Environmental Management Unit (FSEMU) of all Regional Fish Ports (RFP) to expand their knowledge and awareness regarding the proper handling, storage, and distribution of fishery products available in their respective port markets. 

On April 20-22, some of the topics discussed during the cGMP include a broader understanding of the Food Safety Act of 2013, the importance of cGMP concerning Food Safety, a review of cGMP elements, and key practices to Ensure Food Safety.

In addition, they also tackled the importance of Sanitation and Hygiene and Key Sanitation Areas / Conditions of SSOP. By the end of the training, participants constructed a Food Policy suitable to their respective ports. 

Meanwhile, on April 27-28, attendees took a deeper look into the pre-requisites and principles of HACCP. For their workshop, participants showed their improved skills in identifying hazards, their causes, and how to prevent them from happening again by creating a HACCP Plan.

Ms. Maria Divina D. Alcasabas, Ms. Maria Luz C. Lizada, and Ms. Rosemarie Tingzon-Kwan, Food Consultants from the Philippine Trade Training Center, served as resource persons in the five-day webinar series on food safety and hazard control. 

(Mark Angelo N. Perez – Public Information Division with report and photos from PFDA OSD-QAD and Mary Felice M. Cirilo – PFDA-ZFPC)