Food Company, Foodsphere Inc. becomes the first manufacturing company in the country to receive the Safety Seal certification from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). This was personally awarded to them by Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III last June 18 at the company’s office in Brgy. Paso de Blas, Valenzuela City.
The Safety Seal is included in the Joint Memorandum Circular 21-01 between DOLE, DTI, DOH, DOT and DILG and is an initiative that certifies that an establishment is compliant in the guidelines set by the agencies to ensure the safety and health of the general public to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in their premises. This includes having a working contact tracing process such as StaySafe.PH thus encouraging the safe opening of the economy.
“More than being compliant to the minimum health standards and having an active process for contact tracing, Foodsphere has been consistently compliant with labor laws and guidelines in the past three years. It has maintained industrial peace and has looked after the welfare of its employees,” said DOLE Secretary Bello.
The placing of the Safety Seal at the main entrance of the company was witnessed by the officers of the Department of Labor & Employment Central and regional offices as well as Paso de Blas Barangay Captain Lucy Nolasco. Also present are CDO Foodsphere President and CEO Jerome D. Ong, Sr. Vice President Dra. Charmaine Ong-Castro and Vice President Jason D. Ong.
“We are grateful to be the very first manufacturing company to receive the Safety Seal from the Department of Labor and Employment and to have the privilege of having Secretary Bello himself to award this to us,” said Jerome Ong. “This is an affirmation and an encouragement to our employees on our joint efforts to keep our workplace safe for all of them. For over a year since the community quarantines started in March 2020 we have proactively and continuously adapted to the evolving guidelines and protocols. It paid off since we have very little cases in the organization and the cases did not originate from our facilities.”
Foodsphere is one of the essential businesses during the pandemic and has over 5000 workers who worked endlessly to meet the food supply requirements. Despite the challenges of lockdowns and travel restrictions, the company has adapted measures that helped its employees to keep their jobs and to perform them.
The awarding of the Safety Seal coincides with the company’s 46th anniversary this June 2021. The company is now one of the largest food manufacturing companies in the country today and owns some of the biggest and most well-loved brands in the market such as San Marino, Highlands, Danes Cheese and the CDO brand. The company also bagged the 2020 ASEAN Business Award distinction for Large Family Business Category last year.