MANILA, Philippines — A non-profit advocacy group has urged the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to initiate appropriate charges against a vlogger and social media influencer for selling a cosmetic product that was found “unauthorized” by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The group called Action for Consumerism and Transparency in Nation-Building (ACTION) said it recently wrote to the National Bureau of Investigation and the FDA to express alarm over the proliferation of medicine, food products, perfumes, and cosmetics being sold online without FDA certification.
“One company which the FDA should go after is TGWW (Toni Gonzaga, Winnie Wong) Everyday Lifestyle Corporation, which is partially owned and operated by a Taiwan passport holder, Winnie Wong, whose real name is Yun-I Wang,” Vito Gaspar Enrico Silo, the group’s secretary-general, said in his January 14 letter to Atty. Ronaldo Ledesma, who heads the BI’s Board of Special Inquiry.
The FDA earlier cautioned the public against the use and purchase of POUF! Everyday Cologne Spray being sold online by the company of Wong and actress Toni Gonzaga because the product has not secured a proper license.
In his letter, Silo wrote that “the media discovered that TGWW is operating without an FDA License (they are only registered to sell notebook, bags, and toiletries) and that they are using Wong’s home address… as the base of operations.”
“Lastly, Ms. Yun-I was also the subject of criticism from netizens for labeling President Duterte as ‘useless,’” he added.
He went on saying: “Attorney, the media also said that Yun-I is here on a special investor’s visa. We would like to know: Does this allow her to sell cosmetic products online without bothering to secure FDA certification? Does her visa also allow her to take in jobs or projects here as endorsers for local brands?
“More importantly, is a foreigner allowed to engage in political activities, including making unfair criticisms against the President of the Philippines?” he said.
“If the answer is in the negative, we would like to appeal to the Bureau of Immigration to commence appropriate charges against her. We owe it to the public to correct whatever wrongdoings committed by any foreigner living in our country,” Silo added.
Wong earlier said in an email to INQUIRER.net that their legal counsel has told them that the product’s issues with the FDA are already being addressed in a proper forum.
“As much as I want to provide the full details on this matter, our legal counsel has advised us that the issues are already being addressed in the proper forum,” she said.
“There are many sensationalized and fabricated information coming out against us. We do not want to engage in false information,” Wong added.
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