Remarks by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. during his visit to Nutridense Food Manufacturing Corporation (NFMC) for the inspection of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Small Enterprises Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) and Commercialized Food Technologies developed by the DOST- Food and Nutrition Research Institute

Good morning.

We are here in Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan to look at this operation. Tinitingnan natin itong operation na it’s a very good example nung ating ginagawa para sa ating food supply.

Pero just as the slogan here says: It is not only about food supply, it is also about proper nutrition. Dahil hindi lang sapat na basta’t isa lang ang kinakain, kanin lang ang kinakain or karne lang ang kinakain – kailangan balanse ang nutritional value ng ating mga produkto.

So, ang mga produktong nakikita ninyo ay ‘yung R&D niyan, research and development, ay ginawa ng DOST. The government is the one who is doing the R&D.

Pati na ‘yung scaling at para ‘yung nagawa sa laboratoryo ay puwede nang gawin in mass manufacturing. Diyan tayo naghahanap ng mga partner kagaya ng Nutridense and kaya ito ‘yung tinour (tour) namin, ito ‘yung kanilang operation.

Now, ang isa sa pinakamalaking problema na lagi natin hinaharap, marami tayong mga magagaling na scientist, marami tayong mga researchers, pero mula sa laboratoryo hanggang sa manufacturing, ‘yung pag-scale up ng production, ‘yun ang kailangan talagang pag-aralan.

And that is what is happening here. They have, together with the R&D, of course, the formula of the actual products, and the manufacturing process also has to be taught. The machines, tinutulungan natin sila makakuha ng mga machines para dumami ang kanilang production.

At tuloy-tuloy ‘yan, at hindi lang pangkaraniwan na biskwit ito. Mayroon added iron, added – basta’t added nutrients. At ginagamit natin ito for the school feeding program, pati DSWD kumukuha dito and operations like this.

So, we have to congratulate Nutridense because they started with seven employees. Ngayon, 300 plus na ang employees nila at they are continuing to expand. ‘Yung mga nakikita natin dito, ‘yung mga produkto nila, at ‘yung mga ibang produkto na gagawin pa, na sisimulan pa lang nila.

So, this is the kind of operation that we need. So that not only are we able to supply – not only are we able to secure our food supply, but also we are providing our children especially with proper nutrition. And that is in the formulation of these products that they have.

Although they look like ordinary, ito parang biskwit lang na may kaunting palaman, pero dinagdagan nila ng nutrients. Ito pa, this is another one. Imbis na ‘yung mga junk food, ito, ang tingin niyo junk food, pero it’s not junk food because it’s very healthy for you, it’s good for the children.

So, this is the kind of operation that we will continue to do. Hindi lamang dito naman, sa Pangasinan, at ginagawa rin natin – how many facilities do we have? We are doing similar to this around the country para marami ang ating production at marami tayong mabibigyan.

Another added advantage to this is that ang raw material dito galing sa local. So nagko-contract farming sila. ‘Yung ibang produkto mo, ‘yung munggo nga galing doon sa amin eh, sa Ilocos Norte. So, but that helps also the local farmers because direct na sa kanilang mga market ang produkto.

It is an entire—hindi lang isang factory, hindi lang isang laboratory, kung hindi isang buong sistema ang ating binubuo para patuloy at maganda ang magiging production at sa ganoong paraan ay natutulungan nga natin ang ating mga kabataan na kumain nang tama at masustansya na pagkain.

Mayroon pa para sa buntis eh, mayroon pang pagkain para talaga sa buntis which is formulated for pregnant mothers. So it is not only food supply, it is also good nutrition. So, that is what we are trying to promote and will continue that.

Maraming salamat.

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