The Global Partnership for Improving the Food Cold Chain in the Philippines (FCC) Project conducted its first face-to-face activity entitled “Stakeholders’ Conference on the Recommendation on Refrigeration System Operation and Optimization for the Philippines Commercial Food Retail Sector” at the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) – National TVET Trainers Academy in Marikina City on May 5-6, 2022. The goal of the FCC Project is to identify, develop and stimulate the development of low-carbon, energy efficient refrigeration innovation technologies and business practices in the Philippines throughout the Food Cold Chain industry while increasing food safety and security. It aims to establish a global partnership between public sector, private sector and financing institutions for the promotion of investment and support of best available energy-efficient technologies and practices to address the impacts of the refrigeration sector to the global warming from its emissions of refrigerants and on its high energy consumption resulting to greenhouse gas emission.

The workshop is designed to capacitate the technicians, service providers, and other stakeholders in the cold chain sector of the available refrigerants that has zero ozone depletion potential and low global warming potential on domestic refrigeration, plug-in chillers and freezers, and different types of air-conditioners, such as: R-600a, R-290, ammonia, and R-744 (CO₂). One of the highlights of this workshop is the Water loop System – R290 of Royal, Duty Free Subic Store 1, located inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. The participants were introduced to the store’s water loop system layout and pipe installations. This system introduces the use of the greenest refrigerant (R-290) with a rating of “zero” Ozone Depleting Potential (ODP) and only “3” Global Warming Potential (GWP). The system has been featured in international conferences for its ground-breaking innovation in the refrigeration industry.

The workshop is the first of the many technical trainings expected to be conducted in the CCI Hub that will promote low-carbon and climate friendly cold chain refrigeration to cultivate new skills that will generate Green job opportunities, which DENR fully supports together with its partners TESDA, UNIDO, and Shecco, Inc. “The DENR is at the frontline of climate action and working towards a low-carbon future for the next generation”, Assistant Director Engr. Vizminda Osorio said.

The activity reflects the Government’s commitment to develop training curricula aligned with the country’s agenda on inclusive and sustainable industrial development by developing skills on new commercial refrigeration technologies in anticipation of an uptake in the use of these technologies in the coming years.