Senate President Francis “Chiz” Escudero has filed a bill seeking to overhaul the country’s product regulation system by transferring some Food and Drug Administration (FDA) functions to other government agencies.
Under Senate Bill No. 2310, raw and unprocessed food products would be regulated by the Department of Agriculture, while processed food, cosmetics and other consumer goods would fall under the Department of Trade and Industry.
Escudero said the proposal aims to cut red tape, improve regulation and strengthen consumer protection.
“Product regulation efficiency is critical for promoting public health and safety, and for protecting consumers from trade malpractices and from substandard or hazardous products,” he said in the bill’s explanatory note.
The measure also seeks to assign other products to agencies with the proper technical expertise, while requiring coordination among government offices to avoid overlapping functions.
Escudero said the country’s regulatory system must keep up with new technologies, changing markets and emerging public health risks.IMT
