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In what was called a historic moment, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala and Health Secretary Janette Garin signed on Friday (20 February 2015) the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Food Safety Act or Republic Act 10611 (An Act to Strengthen the Food Safety Regulatory System in the Country to Protect Consumer Health and Facilitate Market Access of Local Foods and Food Products, and For Other Purposes) in a ceremony at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
The IRR spells out the regulatory requirements to be complied with by food businesses and the specific functions of the Department of Agriculture, Department of Health , Local Government Units and the Department of Interior and Local Government in the implementation of science-based food safety regulations, based on a farm-to-fork approach to control food hazards.
Based on the IRR, DA will be in charge of food safety regulations of primary and postharvest foods, while food safety regulations of processed and pre-packaged foods will be the look out of DOH.
For their part, local government units (LGUs) will enforce food safety regulations (including implementation of the Code of Sanitation of the Philippines) of food businesses within their territorial jurisdiction, including that of street food and ambulant vendors. The supervision of food safety enforcement will be the guard of the Department of the Interior and Local Government , including collection and documentation of food-borne illness data, monitoring and research.
Monday, 23 February 2015/ DA/ Philippines.
http://www.da.gov.ph
