Eastern Visayas Media Without Borders
by Miriam G.Desacada
Tacloban City–The Provincial Government of Northern Samar, through its Provincial Economic Development and Investment Promotion Office (PEDIPO), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Eastern Visayas Food Innovation Center (EVFIC), Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Region VIII, and Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU) on December 9, 2025. The signing took place during the 2025 EVFIC Business Forum at the Summit Hotel in Tacloban City, themed “Building Bridges: The EVFIC’s 10-year Collaborative Approach for Food Innovation and Regional Development.”
This MOU formalizes the adoption and promotion of the Ready-to-Eat (RTE) Retortable Champorado Technology, a locally developed product aimed at enhancing food safety, extending shelf life, and boosting market competitiveness. Notably, this is Northern Samar’s first disaster-response food product, designed to provide nutritious, shelf-stable nourishment during emergencies
The agreement builds on a previous Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between Northern Samar and DOST Region VIII for the Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) Project, which supports technology transfer for the RTE Champorado product.
Through this partnership, PEDIPO will collaborate with EVFIC, DOST, and EVSU to:
- Provide training and technical support to local producers
- Offer access to advanced food processing technologies
- Strengthen Northern Samar’s food portfolio diversification
- Expand livelihood opportunities
- Enhance disaster preparedness and economic resilience
This collaboration underscores the shared goal of leveraging science-driven solutions to uplift local industries and build a competitive, resilient food sector in Northern Samar.
