Makati City– MEMBERS of the Cold Chain Association of the Philippines (CCAP) convened at Ayala Hall, Makati Sports Club on March 26 to discuss “From Gap to Growth: Synergizing Skills, Systems, and Strategy in the Philippine Cold Chain.”
CCAP President Mr. Anthony Dizon opened the session with an inspiring message, emphasizing the importance of building self-reliance to reduce national vulnerabilities and reaffirming the cold chain industry’s commitment to supporting government initiatives on food security. The program featured distinguished speakers from the government sector: Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Agriculture (DA), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
DTI Undersecretary Mary Jean T. Pacheco highlighted her Department’s efforts to streamline permits and licenses for cold storage operations, promote investment in rural facilities, and advance the three-year logistics agenda approved by the President in 2023. She underscored the need for collaboration between government and industry to bridge the ₱25 billion cold storage gap and strengthen disaster preparedness through warehouse mapping and investment promotion. USEC Pacheco also emphasized skills development, noting that online training modules are now available for SMEs to better understand cold chain fundamentals, benefits, and management practices. She further highlighted the establishment of a Supply Chain and Logistics Center, now with 30 private sector partners, aimed at providing SMEs with access to storage opportunities. Addressing industry concerns regarding the effects of the Iran conflict, she acknowledged the challenges posed by rising fuel costs and stressed the government’s advocacy to reduce logistics expenses, citing measures such as subsidies for truckers, ensuring no truck bans for essential goods, and promoting alternative energy solutions like electric vehicles.
Legal and Policy Head Atty. Luke Jickain presented the DA’s Six-Point Agenda to strengthen agricultural and fisheries logistics. Key priorities include:
Food Hubs – Integrated platforms for aggregation, distribution, and marketing.
Farm-to-Market Connectivity – Roads and ports to reduce transport costs and improve access.
Innovative Transport Solutions – Timelines and moderators for mountainous areas.
Warehouse and Post-Harvest Facilities – Expansion of cold storage under MC No. 5, 2025.
Policy Support – Reinforcement of the Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization Act (RA 8435).
Supply and Demand Integration – Linking production areas to food hubs and cold storage facilities.
Atty. Jickain emphasized that these initiatives are vital in mitigating rising fuel costs and ensuring affordable food commodities, encouraging cooperatives and SMEs to actively engage with the Department. He also underscored the importance of the registration and accreditation process under the Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act (RA 12022) to prevent price manipulation and ensure transparency.
The discussion was further enriched by Engr. Lenard A. Nerit, Senior Specialist of TESDA’s Green Technology Center. He highlighted TESDA’s focus on skills training, certification systems (NC I–IV, diploma programs), and greening the TVET system to align workforce competencies with sustainable cold chain industry needs. Engr. Nerit noted the growing demand for skilled workers in industrial refrigeration, particularly ammonia and CO₂ systems, and identified challenges such as limited certification programs, overseas migration of skilled workers, and outdated training standards. To address these, TESDA is working on:
Developing training regulations for natural refrigerants (ammonia, CO₂, R290).
Implementing certifications under RA 11285 (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Act).
Integrating green skills and emerging competencies into programs.
Promoting Upskilling and Re-skilling Programs to enhance competencies.
Creating Micro-Credential training modules for flexible qualification pathways.
Engr. Nerit stressed that the cold chain sector must also respond to climate-related challenges such as heatwaves, unstable power supply, and high electricity costs. To this end TESDA partnered with UNIDO to establish the Cold Chain Innovation Hub (CCI-Hub). By embedding sustainability and green skills into workforce development through the CCI-Hub, TESDA aims to ensure that the cold chain industry not only preserves food but also advances energy efficiency, resilience, and sustainability. CCAP member Cold Front Technologies Asia, Inc. is part of the CCI-Hub as contributor and installer of several green cold chain technologies on display, including the CO2 direct expansion cold storage and the R290 transport refrigeration.
Sponsored by First Gen Corporation, this event helped CCAP members and industry stakeholders gain some clarity from government partners at this time of crisis.
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