LGU-Balangkayan Receives DOST Assistance

L-R: Mr. Amosco, Mayor Alde, DAR-MO officials and Engr. Manlapas of DTI

Balangkayan, Eastern Samar - No less than the chief executive of LGU-Balangkayan, Mayor Nenita B. Alde, received the financial assistance from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) – Regional Office No. 8 last January 27, 2011. The grant, amounting to P141,500, is funded under the DOST Grants-in Aid (GIA) Program and will be used for the upgrading of production facilities of Cabay Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association, Brgy. Cabay, Balangkayan for its Biribid (Twisted Stick Bread) product.

Among the equipment to be acquired are stainless steel tables, cake mixer, weighing scale and a heavy duty stove. The DOST will also design a packaging label to attract more customers. With this assistance, the group expects to boost their biribid production by more than 100% with gross sales of at least P40,000 a month.

Biribid is an age-old local delicacy in Eastern Samar and are produced by residents of Brgy. Cabay, Balangkayan. Recognizing the economic potential of the product, the DOST, thru its Eastern Samar Provincial S&T Center, spearheaded the conduct of Good Manufacturing Practices last year to the biribid production workers in an effort to improve their production processes, understand and appreciate the importance of cleanliness and orderliness in the production area.

The project is being implemented in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) - Eastern Samar Provincial Office and the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). The DTI will take charge in the entrepreneurial capacity development of the beneficiaries and market access strategies. They will also provide funds for the nutritional analysis and bar-coding of the product. On the other hand, DAR will serve as technical adviser for the project implementation procedures and policies. LGU-Balangkayan, in addition, will construct a one-storey production building as its counterpart for the project and will act as overall supervisor of the project. In the succeeding months, the assisting agencies also hope to secure a license from the Food and Drug Administration for the group.