Monday, September 29, 2008 Schools urged to prioritize food safety
EDUCATION Secretary Jesli Lapus over the weekend reminded all school division and regional heads to implement strictly the food safety guidelines it just issued, saying the safety of the students should not be compromised.
Lapus issued the reminder following the recent food poisoning incident at the Jose Corazon de Jesus Elementary School in Tondo, Manila that downed 112.
"School officials should personally oversee the effective management of their school canteens whether those are school-managed or operated by teacher's cooperatives to ensure the safety of the students," Lapus said.
If food at the canteen is supplied on consignment basis, the guidelines of Department of Education (DepEd) Order 52 said the following measures shall be made:
1. There should be a written agreement between the concessionaire and school head
2. The school head should ensure that the food supplier has a business permit and sanitary permit
3. The school head or canteen teacher should require a health certificate for food handlers
4. The canteen teacher shall coordinate with the municipal health office on the periodic monitoring of food preparation and packaging
5. Foods should be nutritious, safe, and affordable
6. Inspection of the consigned foods shall be made before serving or vending them at the canteen.
The same order stated: "A monitoring team shall be tasked to ensure adherence to standards on quality, handling, and serving of food in the school canteen and that food safety standards and hygienic practices are strictly observed and implemented."
School heads and teachers are also directed to encourage parents to prepare snacks for their children.
One hundred and twelve students from the Jose Corazon de Jesus Elementary School experienced diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea after eating mais con yelo, egg sandwiches, and hotdogs supplied by the school's canteen.
Although health officials have found that the food poisoning was caused by salmonella bacteria, the source of the bacteria could not yet be determined.
DepEd Assistant Secretary for Special concerns Thelma Santos meanwhile said they are still waiting for the final results of the test on the affected students.
She added that they are in constant coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) and the local government of Manila.
It was not the first time students fell ill due to alleged food poisoning.
Last June, around 100 pupils from the Cupang, Pantay, and Yapak Elementary Schools in Antipolo city were hospitalized during the opening of classes. They suffered from severe stomachaches and diarrhea after allegedly eating contaminated "puto" or rice cakes.
In 2005, 27 grade school children were killed while 104 were hospitalized after eating cassava sweets in Barangay San Jose, Mabini, Bohol. (AH/Sunnex)
