Mayor Reactivates Baguio City Salt Iodization Monitoring Team
Volume XVIII No. 5 (November 8-14, 2014)
BAGUIO CITY – Republic Act No. 8172 also known as the “Asin Law” mandates the iodization of all food grade salt for human and animal consumption to prevent iodine deficiency disorders (IDD).
It is remembered that the Sangguniang Panlungsod passed Ordinance No. 077, series of 2002 requiring the use of iodized salt in the city of Baguio by localizing provisions of Republic Act No. 8172 otherwise known as the Asin Law.
Thus, Mayor Mauricio Domogan recently issued Administrative Order No. 134 reactivating the Baguio City Salt Iodization Monitoring Team to implement the city ordinance no. 077, series of 2002.
In the order, “the law mandates that local government units, through health and sanitary officers, nutritionists and dieticians, shall strictly monitor the quality of iodized salt being sold in the market and to provide mechanisms to ensure its availability to the consuming public through local ordinance and public information campaign.”
Leading the reactivated Baguio Salt Iodization Monitoring Team includes the city health officer. The members are the city nutrition action officer; city treasurer; sanitary engineer; representatives from the Baguio City Police Office, Under 5 of Baguio General Hospital Medical Center, Department of Trade and Industry Baguio-Benguet Office, Department of Interior and Local Government Baguio Field Office, Philippine Information Agency; the public information officer; permits and licensing officer; and members of the City Nutrition Committee.
It is the duty of the team to monitor the compliance of public and private establishments to the provisions of the “Asin Law”, to ensure the existence of barangay-based salt iodization monitoring team which will be under the jurisdiction of the said team, and to perform other duties and responsibilities as may be ordered by the city mayor.
The team members must submit a periodic report to the mayor specifying their activities and recommendations.
“There is a need to reactivate the concerned monitoring team to intensify the compliance of public and private establishments to the provisions of the said law,” said Domogan./Jho Arranz
