Tainted ‘galunggong barred’ from PH markets, says Palace

The government’s health and agriculture departments will not allow the entry of “tainted” galunggong or round scad into Philippine markets, Malacañang said on Thursday.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque made the remark after reports have surfaced that some imported fish products were laced with formalin.

“Kung may ganyan pong alegasyon, eh mayroon naman po tayong Department of Health, mayroon tayong Department of Agriculture at alam ko po meron tayong mga Phytosanitary measures na pupuwedeng gamitin (If there were allegations like that, we have the Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture, and we have Phytosanitary measures that we can use),” Roque said in a press briefing on Thursday.

“The DA and the DOH have heard these allegations and I don’t think that the government will allow the entry of these tainted fish products,” he said.

READ: ‘Galunggong’ imports to stabilize fish prices

The Department of Agriculture recently allowed the importation of round scad to address the rising prices of the fish variety in the market. /ee