The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) presented its proposed Food and Drug Administration-License to Operate (FDA-LTO) Common Processing Facilities Project during the second quarter Provincial Science, Technology, and Innovation meeting, highlighting its potential to strengthen the province’s food processing sector.
The proposed facilities, to be established in Borongan City, Guiuan, Can-avid, Taft, Lawaan, and General MacArthur, aim to provide micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) engaged in food processing access to FDA-compliant production equipment and facilities, enabling them to meet regulatory requirements and expand their market opportunities.
DTI Eastern Samar Officer-in-Charge Provincial Director Mary Gwyndele Ponferrada said the project addresses one of the biggest challenges faced by food processing MSMEs, the high cost of establishing FDA-LTO compliant facilities.
Through the project, the agency aims to make regulatory compliance more accessible, enabling local food processors to meet FDA standards and expand into larger institutional, regional, and national markets.
Data presented during the meeting showed that Eastern Samar had 9,477 registered businesses in 2025, with only 9.5 percent engaged in manufacturing and production.
While 62 food MSMEs generated ₱2.4 million in sales through trade fairs this year, only eight food processors in the province currently operate FDA-LTO compliant facilities.
Gov. RV Evardone welcomed the proposal and expressed the provincial government’s support for the establishment of the common processing facilities, recognizing their potential to improve product quality, increase productivity, and create greater market opportunities for local MSMEs. (TAC-GBP)
