13 Alaminos Cityโs Kalipunan ng Liping Pilipina (KALIPI) and Empowerment and Reaffirmation of Paternal Abilities (ERPAT) members attended skills training on Sweet Treats Processing provided by the DOST Pangasinan in partnership with the City Government of Alaminos on August 11, 2021 at the City Social Welfare Development (CSWD) Office in Alaminos City, Pangasinan.
The activity aimed to provide livelihood opportunities for the members. Sweet delicacy products to be produce such as polvoron, yema and pastillas will be sold at the newly opened Pasalubong Center in the city.
Ms. Elizabeth A. Radoc, CSWD Officer welcomed the participants and expressed her gratitude to the City Cooperative Office and DOST. She commended the eagerness of the members to learn new things as well as their commitment for the successful implementation of the livelihood project given to them.
Mr. Hecson Lee De Vera, Cityโs Executive Assistant who represented Hon. City Mayor Arth Bryan Celeste also expressed his gratitude to the DOST for the agencyโs support in providing cityโs needed technical assistance for their livelihood programs.
Ms. Meryl A. Bernardino, DOST staff assigned at PSU-DOST1 Food Innovation Center together with PSU-Bayambang Campus faculty staff Ms. Charissa M. De Vera and Mr. Felcris Z. Dy served as trainers.
Ms. De Vera discussed the Basic Food Safety and Hygiene Practices in food processing. She also demonstrated the process of making polvoron in peanut, pinipig and cookies and cream flavor while the process of making yema in milky and peanut flavor was taught by Ms. Bernardino. Lastly, Mr. Dy demonstrated the processes of making pastillas with tips to use other fruits or flavor that is abundant in their area to produce other flavors.
Participants were advised to innovate their own flavor, recipes, and shapes for their packaging to attract customers. Trainers also emphasized the use plastic cellophane as primary packaging of their products. They were also taught a simple product costing and the importance of documenting all the supplies and raw materials used.
Ms. Bernalyn Martinez, Project Assistant II of DOST-1 informed the participants about the free label design assistance by the DOST that they can avail for their products.
During the closing program, the CSWDO awarded package of materials and ingredients to the participants as their startup capital for the livelihood project. (by: BPMartinez/ PSTC-Pangasinan).