Seven years after establishing the Wooden Spoon Innovation Center for Bread and Pastry Production, the two institutions continue their mission of equipping trainers and bakers with future-ready skills.
“MasaGaling” blends masa (dough) with galing (skill and excellence), symbolizing the program’s goal to cultivate highly skilled bakers and trainers.
Uplifting communities through baking
“Our mission has always been to help our partners and communities rise with us,” said William Paradies, first vice president and country director for food and nutrition at Aboitiz Foods.
“Programs like this demonstrate our commitment to continued learning, open up new opportunities, and help the baking industry and the people behind it grow and succeed.”
Under the program, Pilmico will spearhead five hybrid webinars on baking and bakery management. The inaugural session in July drew over 150 in-person participants and nearly 100,000 online viewers.
Led by Chefs Jenny Angela Madulid and Carla Valencia, the session combined practical demonstrations with virtual learning, ensuring accessibility for learners nationwide.
Innovation meets tradition
TESDA Secretary Jose Francisco “Kiko” B. Benitez praised the launch for highlighting nutrition and creativity in bread-making.
“The launch of MasaGaling features healthy and creative recipes like kalabasa pan de sal, kalabasa cheese bread, and kalabasa ensaymada…innovations that underscore our shared commitment to nutrition and quality training. This initiative strengthens our Pastry Production NCII programme and shows how training can be both relevant and responsive to real-world needs,” Benitez said.
A partnership rooted in capability building
Pilmico’s collaboration with TESDA began in 2018 through the TESDA Women’s Center (TWC). That year, the company opened the Wooden Spoon Innovation Center for Bread and Pastry Production, later recognized as one of only three pilot institutions in the Asia-Pacific under UNESCO-UNEVOC’s Skills for Innovation Hubs (i-hubs) project.
In April this year, Pilmico and TESDA renewed their partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing trainer skills, modernizing curricula, promoting technical education, and expanding access to upskilling initiatives. MasaGaling is a key outcome of this renewed agreement.
Shared wins for the baking industry
Benitez expressed gratitude to Pilmico for its continued support.
Through MasaGaling, Pilmico and TESDA are not only building skills but also creating opportunities where success is shared. The initiative reflects Aboitiz Foods’ 2024 core value behavior: Pursuing Shared Wins. —Ed: Corrie S. Narisma
