NAME:CORDERO,CAMILLE B.

BSED1A-SCIENCE

Activity 7-8

Answer the following questions:

1. Why is it important for a farmer to be certified by PhilGAP?

.The Regulatory Division is promoting and facilitating the Good Agricultural Practice Certification
program in order to guarantee food safety, ensure the quality of agricultural products, and maintain a
high regard for environmental protection, as well as the health, safety, and welfare of workers. Many
food companies also demand that farmer suppliers have PhilGAP certification in order to serve food that
is both environmentally and healthfully safe. Additionally, it aims to make it easier for Philippine
agricultural crops to access markets in the ASEAN neighborhood as well as other international markets.

2. Why is there a need for high standards in fruit and vegetable selection in the Philippines?
To ensure that your fruits and vegetables are safe to eat, it's important to know how to choose high-
quality produce. Farmers who adhere to this set of practices are expected to increase trade and
competitiveness of the nation's agricultural products as well as promote consumer protection against
food safety hazards. To ensure adequate consumer protection and to promote trade, it is important to
ensure an acceptable level of food quality and safety. Harmful bacteria and viruses, also known as
pathogens, can occasionally contaminate fresh fruits and vegetables. When appropriate and feasible,
quality assurance procedures along the entire food chain can be implemented and monitored to help
attain these goals.

3. What are some of the concept of PhilGAP that you’ve observed in your community?
The concept of PhilGap that I've observes in our community is the food safety.Food safety is the control
of factors that could enter food and make it harmful to be consumed.Any food that is prepared has to
be free of contamination, and this makes it safe for consumption. At its barest, this is what food safety
and sanitation is essentially about. Food is absolutely essential, but its preparation, service,
transportation and handling are complex and usually pass through many hands. This exposes food to a
variety of opportunities for contamination, making food safety and sanitation requirements an
indispensable aspect of the food chain.

Food safety and sanitation requirements are possibly easy to set by legislation or best practices, but
these are difficult to implement. What makes it so? Food safety and sanitation requirements are difficult
to implement because different conditions prevail in different parts of the world through which food
gets transported and consumed in.

4. What are the process and procedures of application for PhilGAP certification?

There are 8 steps procedurs of applications for PhilGap certification. The first step is the PRELIMINARY
ASSESSMENT which Describe condition of farms and potential for PhilGAP certification,Pinpoint group of
farmers, association or cooperative open to applying for PhilGAP certification, Solicit support from LGU
leadership for PhilGAP and explore how this can be integrated into bundle of services LGU extend to
farmers,Map out potential support available within the area from outside government.The second step
is the FARMERS’ EDUCATION AND AWARENESS-BUILDING ON PHILGAP which raise greater awareness
among farmers on the importance of food safety and the potential of tieups with institutional markets if
following PhilGAP through:formal training ,distribution of information, education and communication
(IEC) materials (budget permitting),Win over farmers about how compliance to PhilGAP is strongly
related to their currentday farming practices to convince them to voluntarily apply for PhilGAP
certification (individual track).The third step is GROUNDWORKING TO RESULT IN FARMERS’
COMMITMENT-SETTING which set policy within farmers’ association or cooperative to abide by PhilGAP
and procedure to monitor compliance to it from production to delivery and extend regular assistance to
ensure initial farmers’ commitment to apply for PhilGAP certification is maintained. The fourth step is
PRE-ASSESSMENT OF FARMS BY LGU which Track compliance of standards by potential farmer-
applicants for PhilGAP certification and put forward corrective action for areas of non-compliance and
seek assistance from others, where necessary, to secure readiness of potential farmer-applicants for
PhilGAP certification while in fifth step is the SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION FORM AND ANNEXES which
is Decide on a final list of farmers to apply for PhilGAP certification ensure timing of schedule of farm
inspections is concurrent with farmers’ planting or harvesting season.The sixth step is PRE-INSPECTION
OF FARMS BY RFO REGULATORY DIVISION which render third-party confirmation about readiness of
farmers to undergo PhilGAP certification and get farmer-applicants for PhilGAP certification all set and
ready for actual BPI farm inspections.The seventh stage is INSPECTION OF FARMS BY BPI DEPUTIZED
PHILGAP INSPECTORS which is need to secure 100% passing of all farmerapplicants for PhilGAP
certification at first instance.And last step is the INTRODUCTION OF ICS AS STRATEGY FOR
SUSTAINABILITY- Make adoption of PhilGAP by farmers irreversible and the process of monitoring
adoption more systematic and the responsibility of farmers’ association or cooperative.