Anti-red tape body deputizes Quezon City

QUEZON CITY, Philippines — The Quezon City government will be the first local government unit (LGU) to be deputized by the Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) to inspect micro, small and medium food processing enterprises.

ARTA director Jeremiah Belgica said yesterday their initiative to deputize LGUs will be pilot-tested in Quezon City, which has the highest volume of businesses in the country.

Under the program, LGUs will be able to inspect processing plants as part of the application process to get a license to operate from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which will retain jurisdiction over LTO issuance.

The LGUs’ inspections will also be used for the issuance of sanitary permits.

Inspectors from the LGUs will be trained and provided a standard checklist to conduct the inspections in line with good manufacturing practice regulations enforced by the FDA.

The initiative aims to address the backlog in the issuance of LTOs by the FDA’s Center for Food Regulation and Research.

The FDA, the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Quezon City government and the National Association of Business Permits and Licensing Office are part of the initiative.