The Department of Trade and Industry – Zamboanga City Office (DTI-ZCO) recognized and awarded the Zamboanga Peninsula Food Innovation Center (ZPFIC) of Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology (ZSCMST) as the “Innovator of the Year”. The award was given for the outstanding creativity, ingenuity, and groundbreaking contribution of the ZSCMST’s Food Innovation Center (otherwise known as the Zamboanga Peninsula Food Innovation Center or ZamPen FIC/FIC-9) to the Shared Service Facility (SSF) Program of the DTI. The award was given on November 10, 2023 at the DTI-ZCO Conference Room, ADZU Lantaka Campus, Zamboanga City.

The ZamPen FIC is a food research and development center that houses various equipment coming mostly from the DTI IX Regional Office and ZCO under the Project titled “Shared Service Facility Food Packaging Hub (SSF-FPH) in Support to the Food Innovation Center at ZSCMST”. It was first established as a regional food innovation center (RFIC) through the Department of Science and Technology’s Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI) project titled “Roll-out of DOST-developed Food Processing Equipment to the Regions”. It has been supported mainly through grants-in-aid (GIAs) from the DOST Regional Office IX (and with substantial counterpart funding from the ZSCMST) through the project titled “Support for the Operations of the Food Innovation Center (Zamboanga Peninsula Food Innovation Center) at Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology” in three (3) Phases.

The filing of applications for patent or Utility Model for six (6) innovative food products/processes with the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines was a significant milestone for the ZamPen FIC. This was facilitated through the technical and legal assistance of DOST Technology Application and Promotion Institute (TAPI), and with preliminary assistance from the DOST-ITDI and DOST Regional Office IX and Zamboanga Del Norte Provincial Office).

Aside from conducting food product development research studies that address actual and potential problems/needs of the region’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that are involved in food manufacturing, the ZamPen FICalso conducts seminars on food safety, current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and selected food processing technologies. It also offers/renders technical assistance to the food-based MSMEs on various aspects of food processing, product development, including technical assistance in complying with some requirements pertaining to their application for a Licence to Operate (LTO) with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It also extends its services to faculty- and student-researchers, of both public and private higher education institutions (HEIs), and technical personnel of government agencies and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) within and beyond Zamboanga Peninsula.

The ZamPen FIC is under the helm of Prof. Divinia U. Ramillano as FIC 9 Project Leader and Center Manager, with Ms. Mary Flordiluna A. Guisada as Co-Project Leader and Assistant Center Manager, and overall leadership of Dr. Jaime G. Jalon, ZSCMST President, who also serves as ZPFIC Project Administrator.