Dear Chief Acosta,
Ako ay distributor ng mga gamot at infant formula. Noong nagkaroon ng kalamidad sa aming lugar ay minabuti ko na mag-donate ng mga gamot at infant formula sa Department of Health (DOH) upang maipamahagi ito sa mga nangangailangan. Pero sinabihan ako ng kanilang kawani na hindi nila maaaring tanggapin ang infant formula na ibinigay ko. Bakit ganu’n? – Julio
Dear Julio,
Ang pagtanggi ng Department of Health (DOH) na tanggapin ang infant formula bilang donasyon mula sa inyo ay nararapat. Ito ay alinsunod sa Executive Order No. 51 o mas kilala bilang “The Milk Code” at ng Administrative Order 2007-0017 kaugnay ng “Guidelines on the Acceptance and Processing of Foreign and Local Donations During Emergency and Disaster Situations” ng DOH kung saan nakasaad na:
“Executive Order No. 51
Section 6. The General Public and Mothers –
(b) Manufacturers and distributors shall not be permitted to give, directly or indirectly, samples and supplies of products within the scope of this Code or gifts of any sort to any member of the general public, including members of their families, to hospitals and other health institutions, as well as to personnel within the health care system, save as otherwise provided in this Code.
xxx xxx xxx
Administrative Order 2007-001, Guidelines on the Acceptance and Processing of Foreign and Local Donations During Emergency and Disaster Situations:
VI. Guidelines for Acceptance
C. Infant formula, breastmilk substitute, feeding bottles, artificial nipples, and teats shall not be items for donation. No acceptance of donation shall be issued for any of these enumerated items.”
Alinsunod sa nabanggit na batas at kaugnay na Administrative Order, sa panahon ng kalamidad at katulad na mga kaganapan, ang infant formula, breastmilk substitute, feeding bottles, artificial nipples at teats ay hindi maaaring ibigay bilang donasyon.
Nawa ay nasagot namin ang inyong katanungan. Nais naming ipaalala sa inyo na ang opinyon na ito ay nakabase sa inyong mga naisalaysay sa inyong liham at sa pagkakaintindi namin dito. Maaaring maiba ang opinyon kung mayroong karagdagang impormasyon na ibibigay. Mas mainam kung personal kayong sasangguni sa isang abogado.