The Bureau of Food and Drugs is the key regulatory agency of the Department of Health,

Philippines with major responsibilities in ensuring safety, efficacy, and quality of food
products, drugs, vaccines and biologicals, in vitro, diagnostic reagents, medical devices,
cosmetics and household hazardous substances.

The following are the routine functions of BFAD related to food:

 Inspection and licensing of establishments in accordance with Good Manufacturing

Practices of regulated establishments such as manufacturers, packers/repackers,
distributor, importers, exporters, wholesalers, outlets, groceries, supermarkets,
other commercial outlets.
 Evaluation and registration of regulated products based on set standards of safety,
efficacy, purity and quality of regulated products, processed foods (imported and
local), advertised local products and processed food products intended for export.
 Market monitoring of products for adulterated products, expired and unregistered
products
 Laboratory analysis of regulated products such as collected samples from routine
monitoring, products which are subject of complaints from consumers, products for
registration and donated products.
 Evaluation and monitoring of advertisements and promotions of tri- media such as
television, radio and print ads like newspaper and magazine.
 Policy Formulation, drafting of rules and regulations, administrative orders and
standards, issuance of bureau circulars/bureau memoranda and guidelines.
 Public Assistance and Information such as rendering the following services: product
information, health advisories, and consumer assistance for complaints, and client
assistance for consultancy, seminars and trainings.
 Legal functions such as disposition of consumer complaints re: adulterated food,
misbranded food products, advertisement and promotional regulations.
 Administrative functions for human resource development: enhancement of skills
and knowledge of personnel through training.
 Special functions related to food such as implementation of food fortification
programme, salt iodization, and milk code

II. Legal Basis for Regulation

The Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) derived its mandate from the Philippine Constitution,
particularly Article II Section 15 "To protect and promote the right to health of the people
and instill health consciousness among them." and Article XIII Section 12 which provides,
"The state shall establish and maintain an effective food and drug regulatory system and
undertake appropriate health manpower development and research responsive to the
country’s health needs and problems." Republic Act 3720, otherwise known as the "Food
Drugs, Devices and Cosmetic Act" of 1963 established the BFAD.

Executive Order 175 strengthened RA 3720 through the following provisions: 1) including
the adulteration or misbranding of any food as a prohibited act 2) extending the liability for
violation of R.A 3720 as amended to the following personnel of a food establishment:
Chairman of the Board of Directors, President, General Manager, or partners of a juridical
person; 3) authorizing the BFAD to conduct hearings related to violation of R.A 3720 as
amended; 4) authorizing the Director to issue notices and conduct hearings re: adulterated,
misbranded or unregistered food products; 5) giving the BFAD Director authority to
recommend for criminal prosecution to the Department of Justice any violations of any
provisions of said Act and 6) empowering the Secretary of Health to call for assistance any
Department, Office or Agency for effective implementation of R.A 3720.

Executive Order 119 was promulgated on January 30, 1987 which designated BFAD as the
policy formulation and sector monitoring arm of the Minister of Health on matters pertaining
to foods, and the formulation of rules, regulations, and standards in accordance with R.A
3720 and other pertinent laws for their proper enforcement. It also prescribed general
standards and guidelines with respect to the veracity of nutritional and medicinal claims in
the advertisement of food in the various media. It authorized the BFAD to maintain a corps
of specially trained food and drugs inspectors for assignment to the various field offices of
the Ministry of Health.

In an effort to protect the consumers, the DOH through BFAD implements pertinent
provisions of the Consumer Act of the Philippines, Republic Act 7394. The said law
established the National Consumer Affairs Council to improve the management, coordination
and effectiveness of programmes for the promotion of the welfare of consumers. Also in line
with this law, three implementing agencies, the Department of Health, Department of
Agriculture, and Department of Trade and Industry passed and approved Joint DTI-DOH-DA
Administrative Order No. 1 s.1994 pertaining to the rules and regulations in the procedures
and disposition of consumer complaints filed before the said agencies (BFAD in case of the
DOH).

R.A 7394 mandates the BFAD to regulate the use of Food Additives. R. A. 8976 "Philippine
Food Fortification Act of 2000 and R. A. 8172" ASIN LAW, promotes the nutritional
fortification of food particularly iron, Vitamin A & iodine to combat micronutrient
malnutrition.

The other laws and regulations being implemented by the BFAD are: Executive Order No. 51
"Adopting a National Code of Marketing of Breast milk Substitutes, Breastmilk Supplements,
and related products, Administrative Orders and Bureau Circulars for Food Labeling and
Packaging, Product Registration, Food Licensing & Inspection, Food import /export, Food
Standards, Food Additives, and Food Contaminants and collection and submission of
samples of food, drugs, cosmetics and medical devices for physico-chemical analysis..

Administrative Order No. 208 s. 1974 "Human Foods: Current Good Manufacturing Practice
in Manufacture, Processing, Packaging or Holding." determines whether the facilities,
methods, practices and controls used in manufacture, processing, packing, or holding of
food are in conformance with or are operated or administered in conformity with good
manufacturing practices to assure that food for human consumption is safe and has been
prepared and held under sanitary conditions.

III. Non Official Control Services:

Partnership with Industry, Joint BFAD- Industry Committees on Food

One of the activities under BFAD’s Food Control System strengthening is partnership with
industry. The Joint BFAD-Industry Committee on Food is an ad hoc tie up between industry
and government, this was organized on October 20, 2000 to address mutual concerns of
BFAD and the food industry in the enforcement of regulations relative to food safety and
quality. The joint committee also considers projects that will promote the enhancement of
consumer protection and fair trade practice. Technical working groups were identified such
as Technical Working Group on Codification on Food Laws and Regulations, Systems and
Procedures, Licensing and Registration, Food Standards, Food Labeling. The objectives of
this committee are:

 To review the existing policies and procedures relative to food safety and quality
assurance by the food processing industry.
 Develop strategies for ensuring industries’ adherence to pertinent rules and
regulations.
 Provide inputs to address relevant issues affecting consumers and producers of
processed food including those concerning international trade.
 Implement and enforce policies and procedures agreed by the joint committee.

PHILFOODEX INC.-Philippine Food Processors and Exporters Organization Inc.

The Philippine Food Processors & Exporters Organization, Inc. is a non-stock, non-profit
organization of small, medium and large food manufacturers and exporters with the sole
objective of achieving world class stature for Philippine food products. The organization
offers various opportunities in service to its members such as:

 Bar Coding
 Fairs and Promotions
 Training/Seminars/Workshop
 Policy Research and Advocacy
 Information Dissemination
 Raw materials sourcing.

PHILIPPINE CHAMBER OF FOOD MANUFACTURERS INC.

The Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers, Inc., a non-stock, non-profit organization

exists primarily to help the country attain self-sufficiency in food production and expand the
local market by encouraging the manufacture of food products that would otherwise be
imported from abroad. Organized on December 5, 1958, and now with about 80 member
companies of some of the leading names in food manufacturing and service, the Chamber is
cognizant of the need to further stimulate consumer demand and continues to look for ways
to promote their food products both locally and abroad. At the same time, it tries to
promote the competitiveness of these products by ensuring high quality and reasonable
prices. Another goal of the Chamber is to foster close relations among food companies in
the country, so that they can become a strong force that can effectively secure new
legislation and amendments to existing laws for the benefit of the food industry. Along this
line, it makes representations with the government for assistance, protection and
cooperation on food industry concerns and issues.

SOCIETE GENERALE de SURVEILLANCE

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company whose
services are being availed of by some private manufacturers in the Philippines. SGS is
recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With 37,000 employees, SGS
operates a network of about 1,000 offices and laboratories around the world. The core
services offered by SGS can be divided into three categories:

 Inspection services. SGS inspects and verifies the quantity, weight and quality of
traded goods. Inspection typically takes place at transhipment.
 Testing services. SGS tests product quality and performance against various
health, safety and regulatory standards. SGS operates state of the art laboratories
on or close to customers' premises.
 Certification services. SGS certifies that systems or services meet the
requirements of standards set by governments, standardisation bodies (e.g.ISO
9000) or by SGS customers. SGS also develops and certifies its own standards

IV. Conclusion:

The legal framework in which the BFAD works is sufficient to address the demands for the
promotion of food safety. One aspect that can be improved, however, is the codification of
the different Bureau Circulars, Rules and Regulations in order to have a definitive reference
for BFAD officials as well as the general public.