Palace: No politics in ban of Taiwanese products

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine government is not getting even with Taiwan with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s ban on 15 Taiwanese food products found to be contaminated with maleic acid, Malacañang said yesterday.

“It has nothing to do with politics. It has nothing to do with the present situation that we’re in with Taiwan,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said, referring to the sanctions imposed by Taiwan against the Philippines following the shooting of a suspected Taiwanese poacher by a Filipino coast guard. 

“According to acting Director General Kenneth Hartigan-Go of the FDA, the food products found to have maleic acid were independently tested and reported last week by the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority Singapore... (and) none of the food products are officially registered with the FDA or available in the Philippines,” Lacierda said.

“The ban is a proactive measure to protect the public from the possible smuggling in of these products,” he added.

Lacierda also noted that the FDA decision came after an investigation and evaluation.

“The good thing about the (FDA’s move is that) there is empirical evidence... So it’s not subject to politics. It’s subject to a scientific evaluation whether that banned substance exists in those products, and if it is, under our laws, it is banned,” he said. 

The banned products are Hong Tapioca Starch, Redman Black Tapioca Pearl, Sun Right Indica Rice Powder, Top 1 Tapioca Pearls, Tea World Tapioca Starch Ball, Unbranded Starch Ball, Ding Long Tapioca Pearls, Sun Chi Noodles, T & M Resources Corp Tapioca Pearls, Pure Tea Tapioca Pearls (White), Pure Tea Tapioca Pearls (Black), Full Free Green Tea Tapioca Ball, Full Free Yam Tapioca Ball, Long Kow Vegetarian Instant Rice Noodle, and Long Kow Rice Noodle with Thick Soup.

The FDA prohibited the consumption of these food products after they were found to be contaminated with maleic acid, a substance used in making synthetic resin which is used in manufacturing plastic products, automotive parts, pipes and paint. 

The FDA said that long-term consumption of high levels of maleic acid is harmful to the kidneys.

Lacierda urged the public to report to the FDA any incident of the banned food products being sold or imported in the country.

Customs Commissioner Rufino Biazon also instructed yesterday port officials of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) to prevent the entry of the banned products to the country.   “Our standard operating procedure is that we communicate to our port collectors and our intelligence group to strictly monitor the entry of these products. It is automatic that we would enforce the ban so that we would be sure that our countrymen would be safe,” Biazon said. – With Evelyn Macairan