Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced a significant transfer of regulatory functions from the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) to the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the National Dairy Authority (NDA). This decision follows the recent enactment of Republic Act 12308, known as the Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act.

According to Philippines News Agency, the DA and FDA issued a joint advisory detailing these jurisdictional changes. With this shift, the responsibility for regulating veterinary drugs, products, biologics, and other animal health products and devices will transition from the FDA to the BAI. Meanwhile, the NDA will now have full regulatory authority over the dairy industry, including the testing, accreditation, and oversight of local dairy products from production through post-market distribution.

The FDA will continue to evaluate applications submitted before October 28, with cases pending until April 25, 2026, to be transferred to the BAI or NDA for final decisions. Existing permits issued by the FDA will remain valid until their stated expiration dates, while new applications after October 28 will be managed by the BAI and NDA.

Current fee schedules will stay in place unless revised by the DA agencies following public consultation.