News Briefs: May 23, 2019

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture has asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to disclose the vinegar brands made of synthetic ingredients and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to pull them out of market shelves due to the health risks posed by the products.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol made the call on his Facebook page as a way to protect the livelihood of Filipino vinegar makers who, he said, were being robbed of “a decent source of income” with the sale of cheaper synthetic vinegar.

Vinegar is a condiment that goes through a natural fermentation process. “Synthetic acetic acid marketed commercially as ‘vinegar’ is not only an adulterated product but a serious case of product misrepresentation punishable under Consumer Protection laws,” Piñol said. —Karl R. Ocampo

PH interested in acquiring retired US patrol planes

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of National Defense is looking into acquiring retired US surveillance planes to help the military patrol the country’s territory.

In a phone interview with reporters on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the department would “soon” relay to its US counterpart its intention to acquire at least one of the P-3C Orion maritime patrol planes.

The US Navy started retiring in 2013 its fleet of P-3C Orions, in operation since the 1960s, as it transitioned to the more capable P-8A Poseidon planes.

“It will be good if we acquire even one P-3C Orion, provided it has all its original equipment … We will find out if we can get one or two,” Lorenzana said. —Jaymee T. Gamil

TUCP hails Senate’s passage of security of tenure bill

MANILA, Philippines — The Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) has praised the long-awaited passage by the Senate of the security of tenure bill.

In a statement, TUCP said it expected millions of workers to benefit from the measure that would help put an end to the practice of contractualization.

“Though it does not totally ban contractualization, this bill will now [make it] easier to distinguish what are the acceptable seasonal jobs and what are the prohibited labor-only contracting to minimize the incidence of abuse and exploitation of workers by manpower agencies and business owners,” said Raymond Mendoza, the president of TUCP. —Jovic Yee

Sandiganbayan allows ex-tourism chief Durano’s travel

MANILA, Philippines — The Sandiganbayan’s Seventh Division has granted the motion of former Tourism Secretary Ace Durano to travel to Australia.

Durano, who faces charges in the antigraft court for his alleged involvement in the anomalous production of P2.7 million worth of wall calendars in 2009, will be in Australia for 13 days, starting on June 2.

In a resolution dated May 10, the Sandiganbayan ordered Durano to deposit a travel bond of P60,000 and to present himself to the court within five days of his return.—Patricia Denise M. Chiu