Republic Act 8976, or the “Philippine Food Fortification Act” was signed into law on November 7, 2000, and aims to establish the Food Fortification Program in the Philippines.

Fortification means “ the addition of nutrients of processed foods or food products at levels above the natural state. It is an approach to control micronutrient deficiency by adding the deficient micronutrient in the diet to foods which are widely consumed by specific at-risk groups.”

Based on nutrition surveys, nutritional deficiency problems in the Philippines include deficiencies in energy, iron, vitamin A, iodine, thiamine, and riboflavin. To a minor extent, the Filipino diet is also deficient in ascorbic acid, calcium, and folate. It is for these reasons that the Philippine government is undertaking the Food Fortification Program, in order to compensate for the inadequacies in Filipino diet, based on present-day needs as measured using the most recent Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)

The State recognizes that food fortification “is vital where there is a demonstrated need to increase the intake of an essential nutrient by one or more population groups, as manifested in dietary, biochemical, or clinical evidences of deficiency. Food fortification is considered important in the promotion of optimal health and to compensate for the loss of nutrients due to processing and/or storage of food.”
Under the Philippine Food Fortification Program, the food fortification covers all imported and locally processed foods or food products for sale or distribution in the Philippines. Provided, that dietary supplements for which established standards have already been prescribed by the Department of Health (DOH), through the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD).

***
The Food Fortification program is consist of :
1. Voluntary Food Fortification
The government encourages the fortification of all processed foods and food products based on the rules and regulations issued by the DOH/BFAD, and shall register them under the Sangkap Pinoy Seal Program. However, manufacturers who opt to fortify their processed foods or food products but do not apply for Sangkap Pinoy Seal shall do so, based on acceptable standards on food fortification set by the DOH/BFAD.

2. Mandatory Food Fortification
The fortification of staple foods based on standards set by the DOH/BFAD is hereby made mandatory for the following:

a. Rice (including those milled/or distributed by the National Food Authority (NFA)- with Iron;
b. Wheat flour -with vitamin A and Iron;
c. Refined sugar – with vitamin A;
d. Cooking oil –with vitamin A; and
e. Other staple foods with nutrients as may later be required by the National Nutrition Council (NNC)

The fortification of processed foods or food products shall be undertaken by the manufacturers or producers/manufacturers of imported processed food or food products. Otherwise the importer shall have the responsibility of fortifying the imported food products before they are allowed to be distributed or sold to the public.

The DOH guidelines on micronutrient fortification of processed foods or food products shall serve as basis for the addition of micronutrient(s) to avoid over or under fortification that may create imbalance in the diet as well as avoid misleading label claims to gain competitive marketing advantage. Furthermore, manufacturers of processed foods or food products shall include on the label a statement of “nutrition facts” indicating the nutrient(s) and the quantities of said nutrients added in the food.

(The DOH through the BFAD shall be the lead agency responsible for the implementation and monitoring of the Program while the National Nutrition Council, the policy-making and coordinating body on nutrition, shall serve as the advisory board on food fortification.)

The local government units, through their health officers, agricultural officers, nutritionist-dieticians, and sanitary inspectors shall assist in monitoring/checking that foods mandated to be fortified like rice, refined sugar, wheat flour, and cooking oil are properly fortified and labeled with “nutrition facts” indicating the specific micronutrients it was fortified with. Similarly, the local food industries shall do self-regulation, and report on the production, marketing and distribution of fortified foods. They are required to submit annual reports to the DOH, to include their respective concerns and recommendation.

Administrative sanctions, and stiff penalties for non-compliance with the food fortification guidelines shall be imposed after appropriate notice and hearings were conducted. These include the denial of registration of the processed foods or food products, and therefore, they shall not be allowed to sell in the market; order the recall of these food products; and the imposition of fines from Php300,000 up to Php1 Million for first and second violations respectively; and the cancellation of the registration of the food product in case of third violation.

This column is therefore enjoining the Filipino Consumers to support the government’s Food Fortification Program by patronizing ONLY fortified food products, and at the same time report the non-compliance of some manufacturers/importers of processed foods and other food products.

***
Due to the recent proliferation of superb restaurants and food establishments in Naga City, dining out with family members and guests has become an enjoyable and cool experience.

Last weekend, we treated for supper a guest from Washington D.C. at Bob Marlin along Magsaysay Avenue. A bunch of family members including teen-agers, and kids just can’t have enough of the sumptuous food we ordered. You should try their native dishes like crispy pata, dinuguang vaca, ginataang manok, adobo, seafood specials, and many other exotic and mouth-watering menus. The ambiance is cozy and refreshing, while the service is good. And their prices are reasonable.

We commend Cristy and George Palma, and their able staff for running such a worthy place

***
QUOTES for a president under siege (pus) L :
“Rage, rage, against the dying of the night.”
-Dylan Thomas, British poet
“Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.” - John Donne

“Minimize your phone calls- they might get you into trouble.” - Gary Lising, Filipino comedian