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Published: 09 October 2013

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Global interest on functional foods is ramping up and the Philippines is expected to catch on to this trend, said an official from the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST- FNRI). Yet these foods should come with valid health claims that are government approved and market accepted, he stressed.

Mario V. Capanzana, PhD, director of FNRI, spoke on the topic during the 62nd Annual Convention of the Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science (PhilAAS) held last September at Pearl Manila Hotel with the theme “Nutritional and Functional Food for Health and Wellness.” In his presentation titled “Functional Foods: Global Trends and Issues,”

At the convention, Dr. Capanzana revealed that functional foods, valued at US$ 168 B in the global market, is part of the new “health and wellness” market segment which also includes fortified foods, organic foods, traditional herbal products, and slimming products, among others.

Also called nutraceuticals, functional foods, as defined by the International Life Sciences Institute-North America, are those containing physiologically active food components, thus providing health benefits other than basic nutrition. Functional foods also refer to products isolated or purified from foods and generally sold in medicinal form like pills, or products that serve as supplement diets such as herbs. Some examples are rice, sotanghon noodles, coconut, malunggay, bitter gourd, sweet potato, taro, fruits, nata de coco, achara, and legumes that exhibit antimicrobial, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and anti-allergenic properties.

What are lacking but necessary, according to the FNRI director, are regulations which will protect the public from false and misleading claims yet, will not put a dent on trade. “We need to develop functional foods with acceptable health claims,” said Dr. Capanzana. To establish these health claims, he emphasized, clinical studies, biological or animal studies, in vitro studies which involve isolated cells, molecules and other organism components, and epidemiological studies which involve assessment of links between food and diseases, should be looked into.

According to the European Food Information Council, consumers must have a clear understanding of, and a strong confidence level in the scientific criteria used to document health effects and claims.

Dr. Jaime C. Montoya, executive director of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, another DOST agency, echoed Dr. Capanzana’s statement. “There needs to be a global framework that cuts across countries,” he declared in his presentation titled “Health Claims and Functional Foods: A Global View” during the PhilAAS Convention.

Dr. Montoya suggested that before buying any functional food or product, consumers should get information on product safety, the amount of beneficial ingredients present in the food, whether the herbs and other ingredients were tested for government approval, and nutritional benefits, among others.

Global trends in regulations actually point to the necessity for a broad range of safe ingredient and sufficient information about the foods, as well as globally recognized manufacturing standards and appropriate technical requirements, among others. Dr. Capanzana added that we also need to look at the increasing number and variety of supplements in the market for over-the-counter purchase.

“We do not know how many spoonfuls of a functional food should we eat to have enough amount of nutrients, or how many capsules or tablet should we take per day,” stated Academician Dr. Evelyn Mae Mendoza of the National Academy of Science and Technology, a DOST advisory body, during her talk on “Functional Foods of the Philippines.”
“Let food be thy medicine,“ the FNRI head intoned as he expressed the need for government, the academe, and the local food industry to join hands in solving the issues related to functional food.

The current surge of interest in functional foods is driven by several factors. Among these are globalization, urbanization, science and emerging technologies, the global aging population, increased health care costs, changing regulations, and business opportunities provided by functional foods. The new risk factors involved in strokes and heart attacks also contribute to this upward trend. Around the world, guidelines and regulations on functional foods are now being developed, with Japan leading the way for such efforts. The others are China, Brazil, Brunei, Israel, Estonia, Vietnam, Laos, Russia, Thailand, Venezuela, Vietnam, UK, and Cambodia to name a few.

Dr. Mario V. Capanzana, director of the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute, explains the necessity for valid health claims on functional foods backed by scientific studies during his talk on “Functional Foods: Global Trends and Issues” at the 62nd Annual Convention of the Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science last September at Pearl Manila Hotel. (Photo by Gerry Palad, S & T Media Service, DOST-STII)

Dr. Jaime Montoya, executive director of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, shares with convention participants and the media what the public should know about or look out for in a functional food before buying it during the 62nd Annual Convention of the Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science. Among others, he cited food safety and government approval as essential information which consumers should look for. (Photo by Gerry Palad, S & T Media Service, DOST-STII)

The Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science 62nd Annual Convention unreels at the Pearl Manila Hotel in Manila from September 12-13, 2013 with the theme “Nutritional and Functional Food for Health and Wellness”. (Photo by Gerry Palad, S & T Media Service, DOST-STII).

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Published: 24 September 2013

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For 10 years now, the furniture products of Dahile Bamboo Workers’ Association (DABAWA) in Brgy. Dahile, Mabinay, Negros Oriental have been producing sala sets and lounge chairs in basic designs. To help improve and expand their product line, the Forest Products Research and Development Institute (FPRDI) conducted a training on furniture and handicraft making last month through the invitation of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)- Region 7 and the local government of Dumaguete City.

“Male participants were taught how to assemble furniture pieces such as bed, center table, sofas and lounge chairs using improved designs. The female attendees, meanwhile, were trained on making bamboo novelty items,” said Zenaida R. Reyes, FPRDI Training Coordinator.

Meanwhile, participants learned about bamboo treatment and seasoning, product development and finishing techniques, among others, from the lecture of Engr. Victor G. Revilleza, senior science research specialist at FPRDI’s Technology Innovation Division (TID).

“Before the training, the craftsmen used nails to fasten bamboo slats. This technique usually makes the slats prone to cracking. Though the training, the craftsmen learned to use cord instead to strengthen the furniture,” added Reyes.

Participants working on a bamboo sofa.




Mr. Eduardo M. Atienza (in black) of the Technology Innovation Division demonstrates basic finishing techniques to the participants.



Some bamboo pieces assembled by the participants.

The training course was attended by 44 participants and was part of DOST VII’s Program on Poverty Alleviation in Central Visayas, particularly in the Municipality of Mabinay. Talks are now brewing for a follow-up training course on bamboo pole treatment and drying.

Negros Oriental currently hosts the biggest bamboo nursery in the Philippines and is being developed by the Philippine Bamboo Foundation, Inc. as the country’s “center of bamboo propagation and development.” ###

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Published: 24 September 2013

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Technopreneurs from the island provinces of MIMAROPA learned the basics of online selling that could position their products better in the local and even the global market in a forum organized by the Department of Science and Technology-Region IV-B (DOST-IV-B).

Dubbed “e-Marketing: Bridging island products to the mainstream,” the activity is part of the regional agency’s efforts to further support the adoptors of Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP)—the DOST program that provides a package of intervention, including interest and collateral-free funding for technology upgrades to micro, small, medium enterprises (MSMEs).

Sheila Lina, president and CEO of Air21 Global, the company behind the online store Shopinas.com, freely shared to the SETUP adoptors the basics of online selling. She discussed at length that, in setting up an online store, one needs to invest in time, technical team, money, and project management. To balance her discussion, she also laid down several possible issues that an entrepreneur may face in online selling, such as the challenge of creating online traffic for the website and possible credit card fraud from unscrupulous buyers.

In addition, Lina assured that online selling platforms such as Shopinas.com are advantageous because they help minimize the costs in establishing an online store. These platforms also offer protection for both the buyer and the seller in online transactions. (Luisa S. Lumioan, S&T Media Service)





Sheila Lina, President and CEO of Air21Global, discusses how technopreneurs can take advantage of the internet in marketing their products in a DOST-sponsored activity held last August 27, at Traders Hotel.

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Published: 16 September 2013

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The Department of Science and Technology recently formalized cooperation with several partners to lead a coaching program that will help push the export potential and capability of the country’s metals and engineering sector. Partnering with DOST and its lead agency in metals and engineering (M&E) research, the Metals Industry Research and Development Center (MIRDC), are the Philippine Export Confederation (Philexport) National, Philexport Cebu, and the Center for the Promotion of Imports from Developing Countries (CBI).

The cooperation was formalized in the signing of MOU and MOA held 09 Sept at the Diamond Hotel in Manila. Signatories of the the MOU and MOA were Sec. Mario Montejo and Asst. Secretary Roberto Dizon representing DOST, Sergio Ortiz Luis representing Philexport National, Dr. Venus Genson representing Philexport Cebu, and Ambassador Ank Willems, deputy head of mission of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Philippines, representing CBI.

The two-fold cooperation as spelled out in the Memorandum of Understanding and Memorandum of Agreement among said institutions involved assistance to local M&E sector to be able to tap the European and other regional markets in the context of CBI’s Metalworking Asia – Philippines program. It also involved the implementation of a business support organization development (BSOD) program to strengthen relevant organizations for sustainable export development activities. The BSOD program consists of several institutional support modules tailored to the specific needs of selected organizations, countries, and sectors.

The firms to undergo the coaching program will be geared to join Asian trades first before embarking into European market, according to Ortiz Luis.

The MOA and MOU likewise laid down DOST’s role as the provider of technical assistance and counterpart funds, MIRDC as the program manager and oversight body, and Philexport National as the champion of the program. Meanwhile, Philexport Cebu will lead the conduct of audits, and CBI will provide technical assistance, consultancies, and access to European trade fairs and exhibits. The coaching program will also use CBI modules.

Bullish economy is a welcome sign
“We are taking advantage of (the country’s) bullish environment to push the agenda of the M&E sector,“ explained Ortiz Luis, referring to the positive and raving economic reviews on the Philippines which posted a seven percent growth for the last four quarters.

With a forecast of 7.5 percent expansion that matches China, the Philippines is now recognized as the fastest growing economy in Asia. According to Ortiz Luis, such performance will generate renewed economic interest in the country, fastracking infrastructure and reviving the manufacturing sector.

“We have high hopes for MakiBayan initiated by DOST. Through this program, we hope to have access to technologies vital to the M&E sector,” said Ortiz Luis. MakiBayan refers to DOST’s program called Makina at Teknolohiya para sa Bayan for the metalworks, machinery, and electronics industries, including the academe, to share technologies, expertise, skills, manpower, and facilities among the partners.

Cooperation to prop up metals industry
Meanwhile, DOST Secretary Mario Montejo said that this cooperation aims to support the principal stakeholders of the metals industry. “DOST will come up with science-based solutions to improve the competitiveness of the country’s M&E industry,” said Sec. Montejo.

“(The cooperation) is a milestone for the DOST, a bold step that I am optimistic about,” he said. “The M&E industry has a very wide scope that includes DOST’s priority concerns such as disaster management, climate change, traffic, malnutrition, advanced transport systems, advanced manufacturing, and others.”

Sec. Montejo enthuses that this cooperative will result in a much-vibrant M&E sector with improved export potential and capability. “This is a proof that technologies developed by Filipinos are definitely world-class,“ he said.

Ortiz Luis was equally enthusiastic about the DOST’s testing facility called ADMATEL, short for Advanced Device and Materials Testing Laboratory, and the upcoming P300 million establishment for the electronics sector, also to be built in the DOST compound in Bicutan, Taguig City.

Said facilities are designed to meet the manufacturing needs of the M&E, electronics, and microelectronics industries, among others, so that they will no longer send their machines abroad for testing. This saves every company thousands of dollars for testing and shipping costs.

Meanwhile, Netherlands Ambassador Willems looks forward to the end of 2017 when the project is expected “to increase export turnover by four million euros and companies will sustain additional growth of five million euros.”



DOST Sec. Mario Montejo (middle) with Philippine Export Confederation President Sergio Ortiz Luis, Jr (left) and Netherlands Ambassador Ank Willems ink accord to work together in a coaching program that will help push the export potential and capability of the country’s metals and engineering sector. (Photo by Framelia V. Anonas, S&T Media Service, DOST-STII)