The Food and Drug Administration, formerly Bureau of Food and Drugs which was renamed through the enactment of Republic Act 9711, expects a budget of P95 million for the improvement of its two satellite laboratories located in Cebu City and Tagum City.
This was reported by food and drug regulating officer Arnold Alindada in last Monday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao.
Alindada said that by 2011, the FDA will become a “super powerful” agency upon the completion of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of RA 9711. “We are now in the final phase of review of the IRR. It might be signed before the year ends,” he said.
Signed into law in August last year, RA 9711 is “an act strengthening and rationalizing the regulatory capacity of the bureau of food and drugs (BFAD) by establishing adequate testing laboratories and field offices, upgrading its equipment, augmenting its human resource complement, giving authority to retain its income, renaming it the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), amending certain sections of Republic Act No. 3720, as amended, and appropriating funds thereof.”
“Only FDA has 100-percent retention of income,” Alindada said, adding that FDA has an outstanding income of P400 million as of November this year since the implementation of the law.
Aside from the separation of its regional office and director from the Department of Health, FDA will have police power. “Kung dati nagriraid kami ng establishment risking our own lives, this time we will have armed personnel headed by a lawyer,” Alindada said.
FDA can close an establishment, revoke its license and suspend its operation without need for a court order, he added.
Patterned after the US FDA, Alindada said, the FDA will have its centers for food, drug, cosmetics and medical devices. Its satellite laboratories will have state-of-the-art equipment.
Alindada also announced that FDA will be hiring more personnel by next year for the regional office. The number of personnel will depend on the requirement of the divisions which include licensing, administrative, enforcement and satellite laboratories. “Mas marami ang kakailanganin sa licensing division,” he added.
In its five-year strategic plan, FDA 11 highlighted its best practices, particularly the good linkage with government units, and its plans in strengthening this link. Included also in its plan is increasing its income through licensing in collaboration with the Bureau of Internal Revenue that provides business licenses. [Lorie Ann A. Cascaro]
