BAYBAY CITY, Leyte - The Philippines is one of the largest coconut-producing countries and one of the leading exporters of coconut products. About 80% of the country’s coconut products are geared towards the export market, hence, certifications such as Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) are applied for by the Philippine coconut-based companies to ensure safe and quality products that are both locally and globally competitive. Moreover, the implementation of the regulatory policies of the major markets and trading partner countries such as the United States (US), European Union (EU), Japan, China, and Korea necessitate the conformity of Philippine coconut manufacturers and exporters to international standards and regulations, as non-compliance would mean a decrease in the market shares.
With the mandate of the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) to spearhead the rapid integrated development and growth of the coconut and palm oil industry, PCA continues to strengthen its efforts in the enforcement of quality and food safety systems by harmonizing the procedures and requirements of certifications and expand the trade through equivalency with the global standards and regulations. It is therefore deemed necessary to conduct capacity-building activities for the PCA regulatory officers and selected technical field personnel on the standards to strengthen their capacities in enforcing regulations and compliance monitoring.
Under Republic Act (RA) No. 10611 or the Food Safety Act of 2013, enacted to strengthen the Food Safety Regulatory System in the country, PCA as a member of the Food Safety Regulatory Agencies (FSRAs) is tasked with fresh coconuts, while the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) is for plant foods.
BPI currently handles the PhilGAP certification program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) while the transfer of Philippine GAP Certification for coconut farms from BPI to PCA is underway. The BPI is leading the amendment of the DA Administrative Circular No. 1, series of 2018, ‘Rules and Regulations on the Certification of Philippine Agricultural Practices (PhilGAP) for Crops, superseding Administrative Circular No. 10 series of 2013’ to delineate responsibilities and facilitate the proper transfer of PhilGAP Certifications of farms to appropriate Food Safety Regulatory Agencies (FSRAs). To support a smooth transition, PCA tapped the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) to train its field personnel and regulations staff.
Mr. Diosdado Espinosa, PCA-Basilan Division Chief, shares, “All the expectations have been attained and make the discussion an interactive one. Thank you for the chance to visit Eastern Visayas and see its beauty while we are learning. Thank you, BPI, for sharing your expertise on PhilGAP for coconut. You make it easier to digest and understand the process. You made us more confident in conducting a mock inspection in GAP on Coconut for easier understanding of the process and procedures.”
Thirty-four PCA field personnel and regional coconut production and regulation officers completed the Training of Trainers on Good Agricultural Practices on Coconut Production and Management for Field Inspectors on November 25-29, 2024 at Hall C, ATI-RTC 8, VSU Campus, Baybay City, Leyte.
