THE City Council of Bacolod City approved a resolution requesting the City Health Office (CHO), City Veterinary Office (CVO) as well as the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) to look into reports of imported meat products sold at a low price in various public markets in the city.
The resolution, authored by Councilor Bartolome Orola, was approved during the regular session on May 2.
Orola, chairperson of the City Council committee on markets, said the CHO and CVO should determine if these imported meat products secured the necessary sanitation permits and other requirements.
He said there have been various reports of imported meat products that are being sold at the public markets at a lower price, and are allegedly old meat stocks which are a cause for concern as to the safety and protection of the consuming public.
“There is a need to look into the matter to make sure said meat products passed the necessary sanitary inspection,” he reiterated.
Orola noted it is the policy of the State to ensure food security and provide safety and quality standards for customer products related to agriculture to assure the protection of the public against unreasonable risks of injury and hazard to health.
He said that Section 32 of Republic Act (RA) 9296 or an Act Strengthening the Meat Inspection System in the Country provides that NMIS shall conduct examination and when necessary, laboratory analysis of imported meat and meat products after the products are approved for release by the National Veterinary Quarantine Service at the ports of entry.
“Under the provision of RA 9296 Section 48, no person, firm or corporation shall sell, transport, offer or receive for sale or transportation in commerce carcasses or parts thereof, meat or meat product required to be inspected under this Act unless they have been so inspected and passed,” Orola added.