Palo, Leyte--Regional Bantay Asin Task Force (RBATF) VIII convened its second meeting for the year 2021 on August 31 at Hotel Alejandro, Tacloban City via blended approach.

The activity highlighted on the salt samples submitted for analysis at DOST VIII during the monitoring dated July 26, 2021 and May 20, 2021. In the discussion, RBATF VIII as agreed shall coordinate with the salt point of origin and relay issues to the BATF concerned. Additionally, RBATF VIII tackled and reviewed the Memorandum dated May 26, 2021 on the Guidelines and Tools for Local SIP Monitoring and Template Ordinance on Strengthening the ASIN Law from the National Nutrition Council.

To ensure that salt distributors only sell adequate and approved iodized salt to markets and stores, the task force in the presence of Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Philippine National Police (PNP) and NNC8 conducted salt monitoring visits in the afternoon and collected salt samples to 3 FDA registered salt distributors. Said samples will be forwarded to DOST VIII subject for iodine analysis.
Presiding over the meeting was Mr. Benczint Benedikt C. Ortgea, FDA 8 Office-in-Charge and RBATF Chairperson, with other members physically present were FDA staff, Philippine National Police, Department of Trade and Industry and National Nutrition Council 8.

Virtual participants who joined through Google Meet were RBATF members and representatives from Department of Health, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Education, Department of Science and Technology and the Department of Social Welfare and Development. #ROBandibas