TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan – Personnel of the DA- BFAR 2 conducted inspection of major wet markets in the Region as part of the Bureau’s observance of the Food Safety Week from October 24-28, 2022.

Anchored on the theme: “Sapat at Ligtas na Pagkain, Ating Adhikain, sa Hapag ng Bawat Pamilyang Pilipino, Ating Siguruhin”, the food safety week was created through Presidential Proclamation No. 160 signed by then President Joseph E. Estrada on August 6, 1999 which aims to instill awareness on the importance of food safety in order to reduce prevalence of food poisoning and other foodborne illness which in some cases may cause even death.

Further, the Bureau spearheaded the conduct of awareness and advocacy campaign on Fisheries Administrative Order No. 195 which establishes the rules and regulations governing importation of fresh/chilled and frozen fishery and aquatic products to inform the market vendors on the prohibited imported frozen/chilled fisheries products from being sold in the local markets.

Imported fishes such as pampano, whole round squid, salmon head and salmon belly are among the fisheries and aquatic products that are barred from the local markets and “talipapas”.   

Meantime, Dr. Jefferson Soriano, Focal Person on food safety programs stressed that importation of these frozen products is not prohibited; however, these should only reach canneries, restaurants and fish processing plants equipped with cold storage facilities to ensure the quality of fisheries commodities for safe human consumption as stated in the FAO.

The advocacy campaign on food safety was a joint activity of the Regional Fisheries Inspection and Quarantine Unit, Regional Fisheries Laboratory Division and the Fisheries Protection and Law Enforcement Group. #

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