CONSISTENT VISION OF A HEALTHY, READY FILIPINO FAMILY: PBBM VISITS DOST SETUP-ASSISTED ENTERPRISE, SHOWING TANGIBLE COMMUNITY BENEFITS
Assisted Enterprise, Showing Tangible Community Benefits. Reinforcing the national government’s commitment to food security and science-driven
nutrition, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. visited Nutridense Food Manufacturing Corporation (NFMC) in Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan to witness personally how science, technology, and innovation drive the creation of healthy, nutritious food products. The President was warmly welcomed by Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr., alongside NFMC owner Mr. Racky D. Doctor, DOST Undersecretary for Regional Operations Engr. Sancho A. Mabborang, DOST Ilocos Region Director Teresita A. Tabaog, DOST Pangasinan Provincial Director Engr. Arnold
C. Santos, and the DOSTOneSciglat family.
During the visit, Secretary Solidum and Mr. Doctor toured the President through the facility and showcased the technologies adopted by NFMC through the DOST, demonstrating how science-based research is transformed into healthy, high-impact food products. President Marcos highlighted that solving national hunger requires addressing food quality alongside volume. “Tinitignan natin itong operation na, it’s a very good example na ating ginagawa para sa ating food supply. Pero just as the slogan here, ‘More than food, We provide your nutrition,’ it is not only a food supply, but also about proper nutrition, dahil hindi lang sapat na isa lang ang ating kinakain, kailangang balanse ang nutritional value ng ating mga produkto,” PBBM stated.
Secretary Solidum reinforced this strategic vision, pointing to NFMC as a clear example of how scientific research moves public-private collaboration forward. “Gusto nating maipakita ang partnership ng gobyerno at private sector para mapalakas ang adhikain natin na magkaroon ng food security. At dito sa Nutridense FMC, pinapakita po natin dito yung kanilang mga operation at kung anong mga produkto na galing sa DOST ang kanilang kinocommercialize,” Solidum said.
NFMC’s enterprise journey illustrates how government assistance fuels long-term business transformation. The company partnered with DOST’s Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP) in 2009 to scale up its operations in water disinfectant (Hyposol) and in 2015 to enhance production processes for complementary food products. Today, NFMC stands as a medium-scale model enterprise, recognized as the 2025 SETUP PRAISE National Winner by DOST and the 2025 Presidential Awardee for Outstanding MSMEs.
The company’s expansion has yielded a significant economic and social impact, growing from just 7 employees at the beginning to a total of 300 employees today. To fuel this enterprise growth, NFMC has adopted 48 DOST-related technologies, consisting of 35 DOST-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) technologies, additional ten (10) new technologies, and three (3) DOST-Industrial Technology Development Institute (DOST-ITDI) technologies, building a sustainable business model that strengthens the regional economy while serving as a primary private-sector partner for national agencies across 16 regions nationwide.
NFMC’s impact relies on a broad portfolio of fortified and complementary products, such as Nutridense Premix (Iron Rice Premix / Iron Fortified Kernel 1) and DOST-FNRI Rice- Mongo blends used in feeding programs to combat malnutrition. Building on this momentum, the company officially signed a Technology Licensing Agreement with the DOST-FNRI for the adoption of 10 newly developed Ready-to-Eat technologies to strengthen national disaster relief pipelines, address malnutrition, and create direct market demand for local agricultural produce.
Guided by a shared mission to combat malnutrition, Nutridense demonstrates how targeted public funding, private entrepreneurship, and practical science come together to build strong local industries and secure a healthier future for Filipino families. Ultimately, the visit of the President showcases strong government support for investing in initiatives that secure food safety while continuing to deliver safe, healthy products that benefit all families and all Filipinos. (DOST IR)
