The Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) mandate covers everything that will protect consumer welfare, from probing unhealthy instant noodles to promoting English proficiency in the workplace.
During the budget hearing on Monday, Senator Raffy Tulfo asked the DTI to help other government agencies in ensuring that food products sold to the public are safe, like instant noodle products with high sodium content.
“I-refer ninyo po. Maging concerned din po kayo kahit na ‘di po responsibilidad ninyo (Refer it. Be concerned even if it is not your responsibility),” Tulfo told DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual.
Pascual said he will refer the issue to the Department of Health (DOH).
Republic Act (RA) 10611 or the Food Safety Act states that the DOH and Department of Agriculture are mandated to assess the risk of food and agricultural products available in the market.
Experts say instant noodles are usually low in calories, fiber, protein, and micronutrients, but high in fat, carbohydrates, and sodium
Regular consumption is associated with obesity, digestive problems, heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, health experts have warned.
After DTI’s budget presentation, Pascual was also asked by Senator Pia Cayetano for the feedback of foreign investors, especially in the business process outsourcing industry, on Filipinos’ English language proficiency.
Cayetano cited data from 2013 to 2020 that the English proficiency of Filipinos gradually dropped.
Pascual admitted that the DTI had observed the decline, especially among the youth.
“If you ask us what we’re doing, we are reminding and alerting our educational institutions of the expectations of the foreign investors with respect to the English proficiency of our workers. That’s our advantage and we need to make full use and really develop that advantage further,” he said.
The DTI proposed a budget of PHP18.149 billion but was approved just PHP8.442 billion under the 2023 National Expenditure Program.
Subcommittee on Finance chair Senator Mark Villar assured that the DTI and its attached agencies will have an efficient 2023 budget to effectively implement the priority programs of the administration.
“It is my hope that the DTI and its attached agencies will achieve its goals and programs as we begin this new administration,” Villar said
Source: Philippines News Agency