Caloocan to inspect school canteens

MANILA, Philippines - The Caloocan City government will conduct health and sanitation inspections on all public and private school canteens and their operators starting today.

Mayor Enrico Echiverri said the city’s sanitation office will field sanitary inspectors to check all 189 public and private schools in the city to ensure that the students and faculty members are safe from food and waterborne diseases.

The inspection also covers food establishments near schools, including ambulant vendors and food retailers outside the school gates.

Echiverri said the team will also check on the personal hygiene of food handlers to ensure they follow standards imposed by the city health department.

Dr. Maybelle Sison, the city’s sanitation chief, said their office will immediately revoke the licenses of canteen operators found violating the city’s sanitation standard.

She said that before receiving their health certificates, food handlers must undergo a series of seminars from the city health office.

Sison said food contamination is likely when cleanliness in preparing and storing foodstuff is not given top priority. – Pete Laude