As part of the 18 key strategies of the OneDA Reform Agenda, the Food Safety Program in the region was reexamined to ensure food safety and nutrition are being carried out.
This is one of the highlights during the three-day planning workshop of the Regulatory Division, Livestock Program, and Halal Food Industry Development Program of the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera.
The reassessment is in response to the directive of Sec. William Dar to review the region’s food safety plan.
The DA is looking into procuring rapid test kits for pesticide residue testing of organophosphate or carbonate pesticides for selected vegetables.
A mini-laboratory will be established at the Benguet AgriPinoy Trading Center in La Trinidad, Benguet and hopefully expand to other major trading areas in the long run.
Partnership with the national government agencies and local government units is being strengthened.
“The primary food safety czars are still our LGUs. Recognizing that, the DA will always support and ensure that what we eat will be safe for our consumers,” said Atty. Jennilyn M. Dawayan, regional technical director for Research and Regulations.
A series of meetings and consultations are being scheduled between different offices and stakeholders to establish a better implementation of food safety measures.
Dawayan hopes before the end of October, they’ll be able to come up with Food Safety Programs from the provinces and consolidate them into one Regional Food Safety Plan. – Press release
April 26, 2024
