QC officials will review banned food list in schools

Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte said on Sunday that city officials would review the list of food and drinks banned in schools under an approved ordinance after two school canteen operators in the city were penalized following a raid.

According to Belmonte, the city council has sought a review of the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Anti-Junk Food and Sugary Drinks Ordinance of 2017.

“The ordinance is fine; it’s the list of food and the way they raided the schools [that must be reviewed],” she said.

On Thursday, school canteen operators at Pasong Tamo Elementary School and Lagro High School were found to be selling food which were on the list during a surprise inspection conducted by the city health department.

“There should be guidelines relative to the implementation and enforcement of the ordinance and the IRR,” Belmonte said, noting that the list of prohibited junk food and drinks must be reviewed and updated.

Approved in June 2017, Ordinance No. SP-2579 prohibits the selling and promotion of junk food and sugary drinks to students in schools or within 100 meters of the school.

These include instant noodles, processed food, powdered juice drinks and chocolate drinks.