East-West Seed Gets ISO Certification
The East-West Seed Company recently received from SGS Philippines its ISO 9001:2008 certificate for having complied with internationally accepted quality management system (QMS) standards.
An ISO team consisting of East-West managers and staff was formed to facilitate the attainment of the ISO certificate. The team was headed by Dr. Mary Ann Sayoc, the company’s general manager. Members included Daisy M. Caraos as management representative; Martin R. Hinlo, deputy management representative; Irene M. Sion, document controller; Joseph C. Fajardo, internal quality auditor; Patty C. Fortu, training and awareness leader; and Frank T. Mallari, measurement and calibration of ISO consultants. Robere & Associates served as partner-consultant in the project.
The East-West Seed Company is the first vegetable seed company in the Philippines to receive an ISO certification.
East-West Seed Philippines History
In 1982 Simon N. Groot, East-West Group’ s founder, took the first step. Teaming up with Benito Domingo who had a thriving seed trading business in Manila, they formed Hortigenetics Philippines, Inc. Later, as a gesture to show that a partnership between a European and an Asian would prove that the twain could meet and succeed, they changed the company name to East-West Seed Company.
That same year, Domingo de Guzmnan came on board as product development manager and became general manager in 1989. De Guzman had been director of the Dept. of Agriculture’s Bureau of Plant Industry before joining East-West.
In 1997 a second research farm, Linda Vista Farm, was established in San Ildefenso, Bulacan, in the rice-cultivating lowlands (50 meters above sea level). In 1999 the original plant at Paranaque moved to SanRafael , Bulacan, not far from the Linda Vista Farm and, in 2000, Mary Ann P. Sayoc, a former regional director for the Department of Agriculture accepted the general manager role.
Twenty years after breeding work started at Hortanova Farm, East-West remains the first and one of only a few vegetable breeding companies in the country. With high energy and the hands-on approach typical of East-West, the company as taken on the challenge of expanding the vegetable sector throughout the Philippines, with special emphasis on training farmers in vegetable production.
East-West Seed Co., Inc. (Philippines)
Km. 54 Cagayan Valley Rd.
Sampaloc, San Rafael
3008 Bulacan, Philippines
Tel: +63(044) 766-4952 – 57
Fax: +63(044) 766-1005
E-mail address : info.ph@eastwestseed.com
In 1982 Simon N. Groot, East-West Group’ s founder, took the first step. Teaming up with Benito Domingo who had a thriving seed trading business in Manila, they formed Hortigenetics Philippines, Inc. Later, as a gesture to show that a partnership between a European and an Asian would prove that the twain could meet and succeed, they changed the company name to East-West Seed Company.
In 1997 a second research farm, Linda Vista Farm, was established in San Ildefenso, Bulacan, in the rice-cultivating lowlands (50 meters above sea level). In 1999 the original plant at Paranaque moved to SanRafael , Bulacan, not far from the Linda Vista Farm and, in 2000, Mary Ann P. Sayoc, a former regional director for the Department of Agriculture accepted the general manager role.
Twenty years after breeding work started at Hortanova Farm, East-West remains the first and one of only a few vegetable breeding companies in the country. With high energy and the hands-on approach typical of East-West, the company as taken on the challenge of expanding the vegetable sector throughout the Philippines, with special emphasis on training farmers in vegetable production.