April 4, 2012

 

 

The United States has expressed "serious concerns" on the food safety measures on meat that was recently implemented by the Philippine government.

 

According to a report by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) released on March 2012, the US "continues to have serious concerns about the trade consequence of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) policies affecting sales of imported meat in the Philippines."

 

The report specified a "two-tiered system for regulating the handling of frozen and freshly slaughtered meat" as the cause of concern.

 

"This system imposes very high standards on the handling of frozen meat, which is primarily imported, that do not apply to the handling of freshly slaughtered meat, which is exclusively domestic," the report said.

 

The US also expressed their concern over "test disruptive test and hold policies" implemented by local authorities before customs advance. The report noted that the US has already informed the local government of their concerns many times and will continue to do so.

 

On the other hand, the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS) said that the Philippine government continues to uphold that there should be different rules for frozen meat and freshly slaughtered meat.

 

According to Atty Jane Bacayo of the National Meat Inspection Services, frozen meat and freshly slaughtered meat are two different products and that the US has been insisting that the Philippine government should subject freshly-slaughtered meat to refrigeration.

 

Last month, the Department of Agriculture released Administrative Order no. 5 series of 2012 which regulates the handling of freshly slaughtered meat, and AO No.6 series of 2012 governing the handling of chilled, frozen and thawed meat.

 

Both AOs stipulate that freshly slaughtered meat should not be intermingled with chilled, frozen, or thawed meat.

 

Meat Importers and Traders Association president Jesus C. Cham criticized AO no.5, saying that it discriminates against frozen meat.

 

Bacayo, however, pointed out that there is no international standard for newly slaughtered meat held at ambient temperatures for a specific period of time.