BCCI has focused on training Jagna’s local carenderias to be at par with today’s standards for tourism. The Chamber facilitated training on food safety, thru the efforts of the BCCI President and International Culinary specialists on plating, menu and food presentation, with the active participation of Ms. Bea Zobel of the Ayala Foundation taking charge on improving the architectural designs of Jagna’s carenderias.

It aims to leave a legacy of increased forest cover on Bohol’s denuded forestlands. The proposed project shall be a pilot project on private investor led timber plantation. The scheme shall not cost financial investment from the government as funding and management shall be coming from the private sector. The scheme will demonstrate the private sector capability to undertake upland development within the context of reforestation.

PSALM shall adhere to the basic principles of sustainable forest management and the development protocol shall work around a watershed-based integrated ecosystem management approach.

It aims to address the issue on enhancing awareness of local food processors on the importance of food safety, considering that Bohol is now a prime tourist destination in the country. It intends to improve the packaging and labeling designs of our food products to increase food safety of Boholano processed food and to strengthen the Bohol Brand especially in tourism by ensuring the quality and safety of food that tourists eat or take with them as “pasalubong”.

The Project is co-funded by the Philippines-Australia Community Assistance Program (PACAP), the Provincial Government of Bohol, City Government of Tagbilaran in collaboration of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) with the Bohol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) as the implementer.

The Center’s services offered are:

Kiddie’s Bakehaus, one of the leading Bakeshops in the province used the commissary of the Bohol Food Safety and Packaging Center to ensure food safety and international standards in preparing “garlic pretzels” and “piyaya”, when Food Technologist Luchi Uzada of Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) conducted food audit on these products which were applied for the International Food Exposition (IFEX).

Concerns regarding the formation of SWAT team in Bohol was presented by Col. Edgardo Ingking and discussed during Board Meeting on June 10, 2008 at Jj’s Seafood Village. BCCI fully supports Bohol’s quest to come up with the 2nd Provincial SWAT team in the country.

Through BCCI’s initiative, the private sector committed P1.8 million of the total budget for equipment. This is in connection with BCCI’s continued partnership with the PNP in maintaining an atmosphere of safe business in the province, individually and collectively providing cellular phones, fax machines and personal computers to all municipality police precincts to improve communication and response time.

The Bohol Food Safety Team will make sure that all can avail of the services for product development, and that when the product gets to the consumer, it is still safe to eat. Food Safety is not only important to tourists since all of us eat. Bohol has an industry where the consumer profile is not only local but international as well.

Bohol Food Safety Team (BFST)- is the 1st Provincial Food Safety Team in the country who has undergone series of rigid trainings conducted by the Department of Science and Technology Region VII Office (DOST-7). The team provides the following training/consultancy services:

Training Services

Consultancies

MANY WOULD ASK WHY IS THERE A NEED FOR THEM TO UNDERGO TRAININGS ON FOOD SAFETY? - As we all know, a number of food alerts are creating a genuine concern among consumers, the issue of Food Safety and Hygiene has become a primary concern and is the first yardstick by which food businesses are judged by their customers. We have come to realized that there is really a need especially now that tourism have peaked up in the province of Bohol and “food and tourism are closely linked”, that all food processors should undergo trainings on Basic Food Safety, Proper Hygiene and Sanitation, Good Manufacturing/Operations Practices (GMP/GOP) and to Enhance their food packaging as food spoilage is attributed to insufficient packaging, lack of packaging appreciation and non-compliance and absence of food safety and packaging standards.

The other service that the center will offer is the enhancing of product package and label. It enables local food processors to increase productivity and produce hygienic food products.

Packaging/Labelling Services

Well-furnished commissary equipment- to be use as business incubator for the introduction and development of new food products.

The guest speakers were Mr. Ricardo Mercado and Mr. Manolet Siojo from Ateneo de Manila University’s John Gokongwei School of Managemen. The seminar hoped to develop a working knowledge among the Chamber members in addressing concerns in management in family firms/businesses, improve communication, resolve conflicts and lead family members towards positive changes for the family and business.

Officers elected are as follows:

Mr. Norris C. Oculam - President

Ms. Maria Pureza V. Chatto - Executive Vice-President

Mr. Argeo J. Melisimo - Vice-President for Internal Affairs

Engr. Fortunato H. Lim - Vice-President for External Affairs

Ms. Marietta S. Gasatan - Secretary

Ms. Helena Antonieta Y. Veloso - Treasurer

Engr. Albert M. Uy - Auditor.

The following are the members of the Board of Trustees: Engr. Victor J. Bantol, Mr. Obdulio B. Caturza, Jr., Dr. Ed T. Escalona, Atty. Lucas M. Nunag, Mr. Reginald G. Ong, Mr. Loreto M. Palapos, Ms. Dinah L. Ramiro, Mr. Warren U. Yap, Mr. John U. Yap and Mr. Carlito D. Responte.