Skip to content

Philippines Today

home of the Global Filipino

Menu
  • News Stories
  • Regional News
  • Business & Economy
  • Science & Technology
  • International
Menu

Villar calls for implementation Food Safety Act amid reports of food contamination

Posted on July 13, 2015

By Jelly F. Musico

MANILA, July 13 (PNA) – Amid reports of food contamination and alleged fake rice, Senator Cynthia Villar on Monday called for the immediate implementation of Republic Act No. 10611 or known as Food Safety Act of 2013.

”Perhaps these things happen because it’s a wake-up call for the implementation of the Food Safety law. Sometimes, thing happens for you to question why certain laws are not being implemented,” Villar told the media after the Senate inquiry on fake rice in Davao City.

”This bill was passed in 2013. It should have been implemented already but they said they will meet next week for the first time. So why it took so long?” she asked.

According to the law which was signed on August 23, 2013, the consumers should be protected from food-borne and water-borne illnesses and unsanitary, unwholesome, and misbranded or adulterated foods.

It also aims to enhance industry and consumer confidence in the food regulatory system and improve the economy.

In the Senate hearing, the National Food Authority (NFA) said there were no traces of evidence to conclude the existence of fake rice based on the collected raw rice samples.

However, the laboratory findings of the FDC and the Department of Health (DOH) showed the presence of contaminant in the submitted sample of leftover rice from a certain Carmencita Falle Grino of Davao City.

NFA assistant director for Food Development Center (FDC) Alberto Cariso Jr. said, however, the contaminant, mostly likely Dibutyl Phthlate, is subject for further confirmatory test.

Kenneth Hartigan-Go, undersecretary for health regulation of the DOH representing the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said the chemicals found from the leftover rice are found in pharmaceutical products such as food coloring, flavoring agents and coating for tablets.

Nearly 2,000 schoolchildren in Surigao del Sur were rushed to hospitals Friday after they complained of dizziness and vomiting allegedly caused by contaminated durian candies.

Earlier this month, expired chocolate candies downed 36 Butuan City students.

Mushrooms bought in two town markets were tagged as the culprits in the hospitalization of 17 people in Pangasinan last June 26.

Also last month, 39 pupils and a teacher in Cauayan, Negros Occidental were brought to various hospitals due to alleged food poisoning after eating bichokoy, a local version of the doughnut. (PNA)

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • More
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit

Related

News Categories

  • Announcement (34)
  • Business & Economy (1,567)
  • Comment and Opinion (74)
    • Random Thoughts (18)
  • Current Issues (425)
    • Charter Change (1)
    • Election (228)
    • Population (6)
  • International (389)
  • Life In Japan (66)
    • Everything Japan (41)
  • Literary (34)
  • Miscellaneous (610)
  • News Stories (5,312)
  • OFW Corner (297)
  • Others (75)
  • People (408)
  • Press Releases (163)
  • Regional News (3,362)
  • Science and Technology (502)
  • Sports & Entertainment (287)

Latest News

  • BSP keeps policy rates anew December 17, 2015
  • NEDA cuts PHL additional rice import for 2016 by 25% December 17, 2015
  • DA cites serious implications of banning genetically modified products December 17, 2015
  • BBL is not yet dead – Drilon December 17, 2015
  • Comelec recognizes Duterte’s CoC for president December 17, 2015
  • NEDA chief sees 2015 growth at 6% despite typhoons December 17, 2015
  • House of Representatives ratifies bicam report on P3.002-T national budget for 2016 December 17, 2015
  • Cebu-based developer invests PHP430M to build 709 townhouse units in north Cebu town December 17, 2015
  • City gov’t eyes P75-M income from economic enterprise December 17, 2015
  • Baguio City LGU presents traffic plan for holiday season December 17, 2015

Archives

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Science and Technology

  • DOST-ICTO targets 500,000 web-based workers from countryside by 2016
  • (Feature) STARBOOKS: A ‘makeover’ for librarians
  • Science, research reduce ‘cocolisap’ hotspot areas in PHL
  • Montejo to further improve PAGASA and empower scientists
  • 1st PPP in biomedical research produces knee replacement system fit for Asians

Press Releases

  • Microsoft to buy Nokia’s mobile devices business for 5.44-B euros
  • New World Bank climate change report should spur SEA and world leaders into action: Greenpeace
  • Save the Philippine Seas before it’s too late — Greenpeace
  • Palanca Awards’ last call for entries
  • Philippines joins the global call for Arctic protection

Comment and Opinion

  • Remembering the dead is a celebration of life
  • Killer earthquake unlikely to hit Panay Island in near future – analyst
  • It’s not just more fun to invest in the Philippines, it is also profitable, says President Aquino
  • How does one differentiate a tamaraw from a carabao?
  • Fun is not just about the place, it is also about the people, says DOT chief

OFW Corner

  • Ebola infection risk low in Croatia
  • Death toll rises to 41, over 100 still missing in landslide in India
  • Asbestos use in construction a labor hazard
  • 500,000 OFWs to benefit POEA on-line transactions — Baldoz
  • 25 distressed OFWs return home from Riyadh
©2025 Philippines Today | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme