Junk Foods to be banned in Davao City

 Davao City council’s education committee drafted an ordinance to ban junk food from the items sold in the city’s school, Thursday. They ask the help of Department of Education, City Health Office and other stakeholders to identify all the products in “junk food” list that will be used in drafting the ordinance.

Gerard Pil, DepEd administrative officer said that the ordinance will help enforce the DepEd memo knowing that the school is abundant with vendors who sell junk food in and outside the campus. Last Tuesday, city council education committee chairperson Maria Belen Acosta gathered the concerned officials, including school representatives, to craft details of the ban.
 They suggested that they sell fresh fruits and vegetables or cook food from trusted suppliers. This list are according to the Mindano News site.

- fresh fruits in season and vegetables from reputable suppliers- cooked foods, prepared in the school canteen or from reputable suppliers- vegetable recipes, hot soup, one dish meal, toppings, banana (saba), corn, root crops, native delicacies, peanuts, rice, viand (nutritious and affordable), pancit bihon/canton- pork/chicken barbecue, siomai, siopao, sandwiches with nutritious filling (processed fillings discouraged)

- juices and beverages prepared in the school canteen or from reputable suppliers such as fresh fruit juices and shakes

- safe bottled water, yogurt, milk and milk products, ready to eat products, freshly baked breads from reputable bakeries, biscuits, cakes, mamon, muffins, cupcakes, mamon tostado, biscocho.

Regulated food items, to be sold once a month or once a week, with some items having an updated approval from the Bureau of Food and Drugs, include:

- once a week: chichiria with sangkap pinoy seal, french fries, synthetic juices (artificially flavored and colored juice drinks in bottle/plastic, tetra pack), pizza, doughnuts, scramble, chocolate drinks, dirty ice cream, cookies; processed foods, such as hotdogs, ham, chorizo, tocino, longganiza, fish ball, kikiam, squid balls, canned foods, kwek-kwek with food coloring
- once a month: candies, chocolate candies, tea-based juice drinks, packed and cup noodles, pastillas, yema, and polvoron

Meanwhile, soft drinks, including those sold to teachers, are prohibited in public schools.
Councilor Rachel Zozobrado, the proponent of the ban, said the ordinance would also cover private schools.
She noted at least four private schools have voluntarily banned junk food from their premises.