Tacloban City, Leyte- Maximizing the potential of available raw materials to strengthen the local food sector in the region is considered by Department of Science and Technology (DOST) as an essential driving force to speed up the current rehabilitation in Yolanda-affected areas in Visayas.

And to achieve that, DOST, together with Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) officially launched the Eastern Visayas-Food Innovation Center (EV-FIC) last September 26, 2015 at EVSU’s main campus in Tacloban City, Leyte.

EV-FIC is a facility that gives opportunities for local residents to develop their ideas and concepts in the field of food processing into innovative and marketable products.

The said center offers range of services that include extensive trainings on food development process and technical consultancy, as well as packaging and labeling design.

The equipments housed in EV-FIC are vacuum fryer, freeze dryer, water retort, and packaging machine among others.

“Equipping and enabling our local micro, small, medium entrepreneurs (MSMEs) to create world-class food products is an integral part of our (DOST) mission to bring inclusive development in different places in the country. With the establishment of Food Innovation Center in Eastern Visayas, we are confident in DOST that local food manufacturers in the region could prove that they are not merely an engine of economic growth but rather they are the critical engines of inclusive growth,” said DOST secretary Mario G. Montejo.

Sec. Montejo also said that MSMEs are responsive to the country’s development agenda not only when it comes to providing employment opportunities but also in terms of manufacturing products, which addresses food security, promotes health and nutrition, supports tourism and offers solutions that impact the lives of Filipinos.

“As important hub for innovation, this center will lead in conducting research and development in the field of food development process in the region. The said facility will also be the training ground for would be entrepreneurs to capacitate and enhance their skills and ideas in making local food products,” said EVSU president Dominador Aguirre.

DOST Region 8 director E¬dgardo Esperencilla shared that since January, EV-FIC has already developed 59 local food products.

The launching of EV-FIC was a part of week-long celebration of 2015 Visayas Cluster Science and Technology Fair which ran from September 23 to 26. Hosted by DOST-Region 8 office, the said event featured innovative, cost-effective, and appropriate technologies to make the agriculture, food, industry, and service sectors more competitive. Showcasing of exhibits and conducting of technical fora were held at Ormoc City Superdome in Ormoc City, Leyte.  (By Allan Mauro V. Marfal, S&T Media Service, DOST-STII)

Secretary Mario G. Montejo of Department of Science and Technology (DOST) delivers his message during the launching of Eastern Visayas-Food Innovation Center last September 26, 2015 at the Eastern Visayas State University campus in Tacloban City, Leyte. EV-FIC is a facility that gives opportunities for local residents to develop their ideas and concepts in the field of food processing into innovative and marketable products. The said center offers range of services that include extensive trainings on food development process, technical consultancy, as well as packaging and labeling design. Sec. Montejo believes that the services and presence of EV-FIC could provide major boost to the current rehabilitation of different provinces in Eastern Visayas , where tons of t resources, including livelihood of local residents, were washed out  during the devastation of “Typhoon Yolanda” two years ago. (Photo by Henry De Leon)

 
Secretary Mario G. Montejo of Department of Science and Technology (DOST) views some of the food products developed through the Eastern Visayas-Food Innovation Center. (Photo by Henry De Leon)

Secretary Mario G. Montejo of Department of Science and Technology (DOST) asks some of the staff of Eastern Visayas-Food Innovation Center (EV-FIC) about the functions of packaging machine and how it will work to make food products more appealing to the customers. (Photo by Henry De Leon)