Authorities confiscated 81.55 kilograms of fish due to spoilage and issued a notice of violations to a local supermarket for allegedly using deceptive lighting and displaying meat and fish together during an inspection of supermarkets in the Summer Capital’s central business district and along Magsaysay Avenue on October 26, 2026.
The Meat and Fishery Products Monitoring Task Force conducted the joint inspection to protect consumers from food safety hazards and deceptive sales practices, while ensuring compliance with sanitation standards and business permit requirements.
The team examined meat and seafood displayed for sale, cold storage facilities and work areas to determine whether the products were properly handled and safe for human consumption. Inspectors also checked the establishments’ compliance with business permit requirements.
The City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) under Dr. Silardo Bested issued a notice of violations to one of the supermarkets over the alleged use of deceptive lighting and the intermingling of displayed meat and fish.
The task force urged vendors of meat, poultry and fishery products to consistently observe proper hygiene, storage and handling practices to maintain food safety and product quality.
Consumers, meanwhile, were advised to remain vigilant when purchasing meat and seafood by checking their appearance, looking for signs of spoilage, smelling the products and assessing their condition before buying.
The interagency task force is composed of personnel from the CVAO’s Abattoir and Animal Products Quality Assurance Services, Department of Trade and Industry-Baguio-Benguet, Permits and Licensing Division, Mayor’s Office Public Order and Safety Division, City Health Services Office, National Meat Inspection Service-Cordillera Administrative Region, Food and Drug Administration-Cordillera and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources-Cordillera.
The inspection forms part of the efforts of the city government under Mayor Benjamin Magalong to safeguard public health and ensure that meat and fishery products sold to consumers meet applicable food safety and regulatory requirements.**Gaby B. Keith with CVAO report
