Professional competitiveness roadmap for the food technology profession in thePhilippines calendar year 2023-2028

Several higher education institutions in the Philippines offer food science and technology courses with the goal of producing a critical mass of graduates who can serve in the food industry. However, there is a growing concern about whether these institutions are generating graduates with adequate skills and knowledge necessary to meet the demands of society, particularly given the rapidly evolving food systems and environment. An act regulating the practice of Food Technology (FT) in the Philippines was signed into law in 2018 and the first licensure examination was conducted in 2023. Hence, it is essential to gauge the career advancement of Professional Food Technologists as Licensure Examination and Continuing Professional Development programs are implemented. This paper outlines the Professional Competitiveness Roadmap for the FT Profession in the Philippines. The proposed plan period is 2023-2028, aligned with the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) of the current administration. The MTPDP will provide the platform and mechanisms for the generation of resources that will support the implementation of the roadmap. This paper details the objectives, key results, actions to be undertaken, responsible entities and timelines, and the indicators to assess performance in the process of enhancing the competitiveness of FT professionals.