President Aquino declares September 17 as
special non-working day in Los Banos, Laguna in celebration of its Foundation
Day
President Benigno S. Aquino III has declared
September 17, which falls on a Tuesday, as a special (non-working day) in the
municipality of Los Baños in the province of Laguna in celebration of its
Foundation Day.
The Chief Executive issued the declaration
through Proclamation No. 640 signed by Executive Secretary Paquito N. Ochoa Jr.
on August 22 to give the people of Los Baños, the full opportunity to celebrate
and participate in the occasion with appropriate ceremonies.
Los Baños was originally a barrio of Bay called
Mainit, alluding to the town’s thermal springs.
Los Baños became a municipality on September 17,
1615. The town's present name is derived from the Spanish word for “The Baths.”
PND (js)
President Aquino signs bill into law aimed at
protecting consumers from trade malpractices and substandard, hazardous
products
President Benigno S. Aquino III has signed into
law a bill aimed at protecting consumers from trade malpractices and
substandard or hazardous products.
The Chief Executive signed on August 23 Republic
Act No. 10611 otherwise known as the “Food Safety Act of 2013.″
The Act, which is a consolidation of Senate Bill
No. 3311 and House Bill No. 6474, was finally passed by the Senate and the
House of Representatives on June 5, 2013.
The Food Safety Act of 2013 lays down a
comprehensive framework that sets the benchmark for food safety in various
stages from the harvest to the manufacture, processing, handling, packaging,
distribution, marketing, food preparation until its consumption.
To strengthen the food safety regulatory system
in the country, the state is adopting measures to protect the public from
food-borne and water-borne illnesses and unsanitary, unwholesome, misbranded or
adulterated foods.
The state is also enhancing industry and
consumer confidence in the food regulatory system. The state is working towards
achieving economic growth and development by promoting fair trade practices and
sound regulatory foundation for domestic and international trade.
The law defines the roles and responsibilities
of food business operators and government agencies involved in the food
business, with emphasis placed on food business operators on their knowledge of
the specific requirements and procedures relevant to their activities. Food
business operators, under the measure, will also be held accountable on
instances of food recall.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) shall be
responsible for food safety in the primary production and post harvest stages
of food supply chain and foods locally produced or imported in this category.
The Department of Health (DOH) shall be
responsible for the safety of processed and prepackaged foods, locally produced
or imported foods under this category and the conduct of monitoring and
epidemiological studies on food-borne illnesses.
The local government units (LGUs) will monitor
the compliance to food safety standards of food businesses such as
slaughterhouses, dressing plants, fish ports, wet markets, supermarkets, school
canteens, restaurants, catering establishments and water refilling stations.
The LGU shall also be responsible for street food sale, including ambulant
vending.
The Department of the Interior and Local
Government (DILG), in collaboration with the DA, the DOH and other government
agencies, shall supervise the enforcement of food safety and sanitary rules and
regulations as well as the inspection and compliance of business establishments
and facilities within its territorial jurisdiction.
The law also provides stiff penalties to those
who are found guilty of violating its provisions, ranging from fines of P50,000
to P500,000 and the suspension of appropriate licenses to conduct business or
to prepare food.
The law paves the way for the creation of the
Food Safety Regulation Coordinating Board, whose powers and functions include
monitoring and coordinating the performance of the mandates of the DA, DOH,
DILG and LGUs in food safety regulation, and crisis management and planning
during food safety emergencies.
The Board is also tasked with the establishment
of policies and procedures for coordination among agencies involved in food
safety, as well as the continuous evaluation of food safety regulations and
research and training programs aimed at addressing food safety hazards.
The law mandates the DA and the DOH to jointly
issue the implementing rules and regulations within ninety (90) days after the
effectivity of this Act.
This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. PND (js)
Malacanang condemns Compostela Valley blast
Malacanang condemned on Tuesday the explosion in
Pantukan, Compostela Valley that injured seven Army soldiers who were on
patrol.
In a press briefing in Malacanang, Deputy
Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said the explosion, that was caused by
an improvised explosive device, was a violation of “every rule in anybody’s
book.”
“Alam niyo pag IED na ang pinag-usapan, that
really violates every rule in anybody’s book. Talagang nobody will come to your
side and say that what you did was justified,” Valte said.
She said that although the explosion set back
the peace talks between the government and communist rebels, “we will plow on.”
“These are incidents that make it difficult (on
the peace process) but we will plow on and we are waiting for the update on the
condition of the seven soldiers who were wounded. Hopefully nothing worse will
happen,” Valte said.
Lt Gen Ricardo Rainier Cruz III, chief of the
Eastern Mindanao Command, said in a press statement that the soldiers were on
patrol in Sitio Lantaan, Barangay Napnapan on Tuesday morning when members of
the New People's Army (NPA) detonated an explosive device.
He added that two combat helicopters were
immediately dispatched to evacuate the wounded soldiers who were brought to the
Camp Panacan Station Hospital in Davao City. PND (rck)
