PUBLIC- PRIVATE AGENCIES NETWORKING FOR FOOD SAFETY IN THE

PHILIPPINES

NATIONAL LEVEL

“Food safety is everyone’s concern” this statement has catalyzed the public and private agencies
in the Philippines to link together to ensure food safety.
This networking is being catalyzed by the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards
(BAFPS) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) with an aim of inculcating a culture of quality and food
safety in the Philippine food industry.

*8 Bureaus responsible for the different aspects of food safety based on classification.
Agencies deal with different commodities. Thus, crops are under the:
• Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI)
• Bureau of Postharvest and research Extension (BPRE)
• Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards (BAFPS)
FISH and Marine products are under:
• Bureau of fisheries and aquatic resources (BFAR)
Meat and meat products are under:
• Bureau of animal Industry (BAI)
• National Meat Inspection Commission (NMIC)
• Livestock development Council (LDC)
Sugar and sugar products are under:
• Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA)
Coconut and Coconut products are under:
• Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA)
Nutrition matters are under:
• National Nutrition Council (NNC)

LIST OF NATIONAL AGENCIES

Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Product Standards (BAFPS)

MANDATE:
• set and implement standards for fresh, primary and secondary- processed agricultural and
fishery products.
FUNCTION:
• Formulate and enforce standards of quality in the processing, reservation, packaging, labeling,
importation, exportation, distribution, and advertising of agricultural and fishery product.
• Conducts research on product standardization, alignment of local standards with the
international standard.

Bureau of animal Industry (BAI)

MANDATES:
• RA 3639 (1930) creating the BAI: EO 116(1987) reorganizing the DA and Administrative code
of 1987
FUNCTION:
• Formulate long/ short programs for the development and expansion of the livestock, poultry,
and dairy industries to meet the requirements of the growing populace.
 • Recommend policies and procedures on the flow of livestock products, & proper preservation
and inspection of such product.

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic resources (BFAR)

MANDATES:
• Enhance the income and improve the quality of life rural fishing families.
FUNCTION:
• Prepare and implement a comprehensive National Fishery Development plan.
• Issue license for the operation of commercial fishing vessels.
• Develop value added fishery products for local consumption and export
• Recommend measures for the protection of the fishery industry.
• Establish a comprehensive fishery information system.

Bureau of Plant Industry

(BPI)
MANDATES:
• Production planning or improved seeds and planting materials.
• Preparations of programs for the selection, production, and certification of improved seeds and
planting materials, and guidelines for its implementation.
FUNCTION:
• Undertake/implement crop programs and generate packages for the technologies.
• Collect, establish and maintain germplasm banks.
• Produce and distribute higher classes of seeds.
• Formulate policies and implement seed quality control service.
• Monitor and coordinate implementation of seed program.
• Monitor pesticide residue on crops

Bureau of Postharvest and research Extension (BPRE)

MANDATE:
• Generate, extend and commercialize appropriate and problem-oriented post product
technologies and practices to reduce losses, improve food and feed quality and maximize the
benefits to the various post harvest industry stakeholders.
FUNCTION:
• Generate and evaluate technologies related to pests, disease, and other agents of
deterioration affecting food and feed crops.
• Establish benchmark information on postharvest.
• Design and develop postharvest machineries, improve postharvest technologies to suit local
conditions.
• Promote and commercialize research results.

Food Development Center (FDC),

National food Authority (NFA)
MANDATE:
• Provide technical support for the export to Philippine food products
FUNCTION:
• Testing and standards development
• Product development
• Training
• Pilot processing
 Livestock Development Council (LDC)
MANDATE:
• Oversee, unify, and integrate the administration, development, and rationalization of the
livestock and allied industries

FUNCTION:
• Formulate and establish comprehensive policy guidelines for the development of the livestock
industry.
• Formulate long/short range programs to achieve self sufficiency, efficiency, & stability in food
commodities of animal origin.
• Serve as a forum to identify industry problems and thrusts for policy formulation.

National Meat Inspection Commission (NMIC)

MANDATE:
• Promulgate specific policies and procedures governing the flow of livestock products through
the various stages of marketing and proper preservation and inspection of such products.
FUNCTION:
• Render technical assistance in the construction of meat establishment.
• Classify and accredit slaughter houses.
• Formulate national policies, rules, guidelines & regulations, quality, safety standards governing
marketing, preservation, inspection of meat & meat products.

National Nutrition Council (NNC)

 Formulate national food and nutrition policies and Strategies.
 Coordinate planning, monitoring and evaluation of the national nutrition program.

Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD)

MANDATE:
• Ensure safe and good quality food, drugs, devices and cosmetics, and regulate their production,
sale, distribution, and advertisement to protect the health of the consumer RA 3720 (food,
drug and Cosmetics Acts) and RA 7394 (Consumer Act of the Philippines)

Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI), DOST

MANDATE:
• To render a variety of services to local industries (EO 128, Jan. 1987)

ROLE OF THE ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS IN FOOD SAFETY WORK

• Universities and colleges serves as a very important vehicle for research, training, and
information dissemination on food safety and sanitation.
• The food safety-related topics are often woven into the subject matter of courses in the
fields of food and Nutrition.
• The government and private institutions in other countries support researches on Food
Sanitation and Safety

INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES
Codex Alimentarius Commission
(CAC)
 • Sets the international guidelines for food safety.

World Health Organization (WHO) and Food Agriculture Organization (FAO)

• Work closely in a joint FAO-WHO Food Standards Program.

• expert consultations in microbiological hazards in foods
Coordinating Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants.
(CCFAC)
FOREIGN AGENCIES

USDA- United States Department of Agriculture

USFDA- United States Food and Drug Administration

 List of acronyms of terms involved in Food Safety.

AFMA- Agriculture and fisheries modernization act

BHA- Butylated hydroxyanisole
BHT- Butylated hydroxytoluene
BOD- Biological Oxygen Demand
CA- Controlled Atmosphere
CFU- Colony-Forming Unit
CMC- Carboxymethycellulose
EBS- Endogenous Brown Spot
FCE- Food Canning Establishment
GAIN- Government, academe, industry, and Non Government Agency
GAP- Good Agricultural Practices
GMP- Good Manufacturing Practices.
HACCP- Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point
HHS-Household Hazardous Substances
HWT- Hot water Treatment
IB- Internal Breakdown
IPM- Integrated Pest management
IRR- Implementing Rules & Regulation
LACF- Low Acid Canned Food
PNG- Philippine Natural Grade
PNS- Philippine National Standard
VHT- Vapor Heat treatment
QC/QA- Quality Control/ Quality Assurance
R & D- Research & Development