Lowly “sari-sari” stores cannot operate like drugstores as it is against the law. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) says so.
The DILG has called on local governments to approve ordinances banning the sale of medicines by “sari-sari” stores nationwide. The agency made the move after receiving complaints about the proliferation of retail stores selling fake medicines.
DILG Secretary Eduardo Año also ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to arrest persons operating stores selling medicines without license.
The DILG chief said local government units should protect the health and general welfare of their constituents. “We therefore urge LGUs to ensure that sari-sari stores within their jurisdictions are not selling any medicine because under the law they are not authorized to do so,” Año was quoted as saying by national daily newspapers yesterday.
The crackdown ordered by Año came after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reported to President Duterte about the rampant problem.
Año should see to it that the crackdown will bear results like violators arrested and charged in court.
As of this writing almost 200 violations have been listed by the FDA and reported to the President.
