MAIIWASAN ang mga sakit na nakasasama sa ating agricultural sector sa pagtatayo ng border facility para busisiin ang imported meat, fisheries at iba pang agricultural products na pumapasok sa Pilipinas.

Pinangunahan ni Sen. Cynthia Villar, kasama si Department of Agriculture Usec. Domingo Panganiban ang groundbreaking ceremony ng Commodity Examination Facility for Agriculture (CEFA) sa Angat, Bulacan.

“This is the first, and we hope that we will be at the ground breaking ceremonies of the other two more inspection facilities to be put up in Cebu and Davao,” ayon kay Villar, chairperson of the Senate committee on Food and Agriculture.

Aniya, isang ‘milestone’ sa ating bansa ang ground breaking at MOA signing para sa ating first border control facility.

Alinsunod sa Food Safety Act of 2013 or Republic Act 10611, ang pagtatayo ng CEFA, isang state-of-the-art facility.

“The lack of adherence to the Food Safety Act of 2013 has led to the inadequate management of the African Swine Fever (ASF) challenge, and created a risk of other diseases in livestock entering the Philippines,” giit ng senador.

“This compromise the quality and safety of food products endangers consumer health and undermines the reputation of the agricultural industry,” dagdag pa niya.

Ipinahayag ni Villar na mababawasan nito ang panganib ng mga sakit at iba pang potensiyal na banta.

Magkakaroon din tayo ng mas ligtas na mga pagkain para sa consumers at maproprotektahan ang kalusugsn ng publiko.

Sa komprehensibong examination at inspection protocols, magiging mahalagang sandata ang CEFA upang maiwasan ang pagkalat ng mga sakit sa livestock.

“This proactive approach will protect the agricultural sector and local communities from potential epidemics, ensuring the stability of food production.”

Sinabi ni Villar na may ganitong pasilidad lahat ng ‘developed countries’ para palakasin ang food safety at quarantine, inspection regulations.

Agarang masusuri sa laboratoryo ang samples mula sa commodities na pinagdududahang may animal, fish o plant pests o mga sakit at iba psng panganib.

May crematorium din para matiyak ang ligtas na pagtatapon ng kumpirnadong agricultural commodities na may quarantine violations.

Makatutulong din ang border facility upang maiwasan ang agricultural smuggling dahil isasailalim sa 100% inspection ang farm commodities.

“The continued smuggling of agricultural products undercuts domestic producers and compromises our food safety and our revenue collections which otherwise should fund social services for the benefit of our people,” binigyan diin pa ni Villar.