Makati begins crackdown on unregistered cosmetics

MANILA, Philippines - The Makati City government has started a crackdown on unregistered cosmetic and food products being sold in the city.

 

Acting Makati City Mayor Romulo "Kid" Peña said a team of sanitary inspectors from the Makati Health Department (MHD) confiscated last Friday some 197 boxes and bottles of unregistered beauty and cosmetic products from several stores at the Guadalupe Commercial Complex in Barangay Guadalupe Nuevo.

 

Peña said he ordered the crackdown after he received a complaint letter from Ecowaste Coalition about the proliferation of unregistered consumer items being sold in some stores in Barangay Guadalupe Nuevo. 

 

"Unregistered products, especially those made of unknown ingredients and components, could pose danger to the health and even the lives of people,” Peña said.

 

The acting mayor also instructed MHD to verify and if necessary, confiscate unregistered products sold in Makati without the requisite registration from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

 

“In view of the recent spate of food poisoning cases including slimming products throughout the country, we need to be extra vigilant about products being sold in our city, particularly those that are ingested or applied directly on any part of the body,” Peña said.

 

The inspectors from the Health and Sanitation Section of MHD confiscated the products when the stores failed to present the appropriate certificates of registration from the FDA. The products will be turned over to FDA for testing and analysis.

 

The stores in Guadalupe Nuevo found with unregistered products were identified by the Makati City government as RFLC Cosmetic and General Merchandise at UNIMEC, Rose & Fujikura General Merchandise at UNIMEC, VALS Herbal Beauty Products at Guadalupe Commercial Complex, Rose & Fujikura General Merchandise at Super 8, Guadalupe Commercial Complex and Red Coco Beauty Product at Stalls 1, 2 and 3 in Guadalupe Commercial Complex.

 

The products seized included products with unregistered brands such as Jiaolin, Brazilian Slim Coffee, Body Beauty, Curu, S’Zitang Lotion Papaya, S’Zitang Lotion Milk, S’Zitang 10 Day Whitening, Body Beauty 5 Days Slimming Coffee, Leisure 18 Orange, Leisure 18 Slimming Coffee, Brazilian Slimming Coffee, Erna Whitening Cream and Curvy Slimming Orange Juice.

 

Peña advised the public to always check for the FDA registration on the products and, if needed, demand to see the FDA certificate before making any purchase.

 

He also called on residents and the general public to immediately report any suspicious products being sold in stores anywhere in Makati through hotline 168 or the Makati Health Department at 8701192 thru Dr. Bernanrd T. Sese and Engr. Albert Lusterio.