`Under the guidance of Ms. Emelita P.
Bagsit, Regional Director
of DOST-CALABARZON,
the workshop began with
a warm welcome to all
attendees. Delivering an
inspirational message that
set the tone for the day’s
proceedings, Engr. Melvin P. Jusi, from the Office of the Undersecretary
for Regional Operations
(OUSECRO), represented
Engr. Sancho Mabborang,
DOST Undersecretary for
Regional Operations.
The central focus of the workshop was
on PagkaINGAT, a forthcoming food safety web
application that will serve
as a centralized portal for
a wide array of DOST food
safety-related projects, research endeavors, training
resources, consultancy
services, and a database
of experts—all accessible
to the public. The aim is to
empower individuals, businesses, and government
entities with invaluable information on food safety
practices.
“If we are establishing a platform or a
website for food safety,
kailangan natin ng content. At hindi lang dapat
sa atin manggaling ‘yon
[DOST CALABARZON],
dapat sa lahat ng partner
agencies na magse-share
ng kanilang information at magpapatuloy na
mag-contribute even after
ng ating mga workshops,”
ARD Barquilla added.
“Kailangan nating i-build
‘yung database content ng
PagkaINGAT through organizing the team na magi-input doon.”
A crucial aspect of the workshop was
the Discussion of Content Guidelines for the
web platform, which was
expertly facilitated by
DOST-CALABARZON’s
unit heads, Ms. Diane
Ulan of the Food Safety
Unit (FSU) and Ms. Krizzia Mei Esperanza of the
Public Affairs, Relations,
and Communications Unit
(PARCU). These guidelines are instrumental in
maintaining the consistency, clarity, and accessibility
of the content on PagkaINGAT.
When we asked
Ms. Diane Ulan about the
project’s objectives, she
said that one of the key
aims of this workshop is
to foster the exchange of
ideas, suggestions, and
feedback. This collaborative effort is intended to
enhance and refine the
project’s final outcome for
the benefit of the public.
Adding practicality to the proceedings,
Ms. Bianca Pantoja, SRS
II and the Head of the
Management Information System (MIS) Unit of
DOST-CALABARZON,
conducted a comprehensive lecture and live
demonstration of the web
application. This practical
experience enabled participants to gain a better
understanding of the web
platform’s capabilities and
potential influence.
According to Ms.
Pantoja, there are still
many possible developments and enhancements
for the system, including
potential reports and data
analytics generated by
PagkaINGAT. She further
added, “Ang isang important din kasi within the system, not specifically on the
enhancement or development of features but more
on sa data content itself.
Sana naka-quality check
natin ‘yung mga details at
‘yung mga data na nae-encode natin kasi from there
doon tayo makaka-generate ng magagandang
analysis na magiging useful both for the executives
of the DOST as well as sa
general public.”
The workshop
continued in the afternoon session, which participants actively engaged
with the web platform.
They had the opportunity
to input their content and
provide feedback, contributing to the refinement and
enhancement of PagkaINGAT.
The “Content
Buildup Workshop for the
DOST Food Safety Web
Application – PagkaINGAT” is a PCIEERD-funded project and activity that
represents a significant
milestone in the journey
toward a more accessible and informative food
safety resource. With the
dedicated leadership of
DOST-CALABARZON
and the active participation
of various stakeholders,
PagkaINGAT is poised
to become a vital tool in
advancing food safety
practices and awa
