"SAVE Food Systems," Gawad Pangulo for Excellence in Public Service
“Strengthening Against Vulnerabilities and Externalities (SAVE) of Food Systems" from the School of Management was awarded a Gawad Pangulo: Excellence in Public Service in ceremonies held on 16 December 2021. SAVE Food Systems' School of Management core team is composed of Prof. Glory Dee A. Romo, Prof. Jon Marx Sarmiento, Mr. Adonis Traje, Mr. Francis Levi Durano, and Ms. Geraliza Wahing. The project was funded through the Australian Government’s Australia Alumni COVID 19 Response Grant Scheme. This was made possible through the Australian Aid, Australia Global Alumni, and Australia Awards and Alumni Engagement Program-Philippines. For this project, the following were the initiatives undertaken to respond to the challenges faced by the food system actors during the COVID-19 pandemic: 1) Provided smallholder farmers in Davao with hygiene kits to ensure safety from exposure to COVID19 virus; 2) Conducted community tree planting, distribution of vegetable seeds to farmers, and food packs to the farming communities in Barangay Kapatagan in Digos City and Marilog District in Davao City; and 3) Conducted free training on Good Manufacturing Practices to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the food processing sector, government and regulatory personnel from Food and Drug Administration, and faculty members and students in UP and other universities.