THE City Council, in last Monday’s regular session, approved on first reading a proposed ordinance prohibiting the sale of adulterated honey in the city.

  The ordinance, authored by Councilor Lilia A. Farinas, states that it shall be unlawful for anyone to sell adulterated honey to the public, within the jurisdiction of the city, and these products shall be confiscated by designated authorities, and violators shall be fined in accordance with the proposed measure or any other national law sanctioning the same.

  The ordinance defined adulteration as a means to render, in the said case, honey and other honey products – to become poorer in quality by adding another inferior substance for reasons of increasing the volume of the said product, enhancing its flavor, or any other fraudulent act to deceive the public for profit.

  Under the proposed ordinance, any person, natural or juridical, found violating the pertinent provisions of the same shall be penalized with the confiscation of the adulterated honey or honey products and a fine of P500 for the first offense; confiscation of the adulterated honey or honey products or a fine of P1,000 for the second offense and confiscation of the adulterated honey or honey products or a fine of P2,000 for the third and succeeding offenses.

  The ordinance mandates the creation of an adulterated honey task force to be headed by the city mayor or his duly authorized representatives with the members coming from concerned stakeholders and other government and law enforcement agencies, to formulate the implementing rules and regulations governing the acts involved in the regulation and prohibition of the sale of adulterated honey and other honey products in the city.

  Moreover, the city adulterated honey task force shall meet every quarter or as may be necessary in accordance with the availability of the members.

  Last August 24, 2022, the City Veterinary and Agriculture Office (CVAO) requested the local legislative body for the crafting of an ordinance to regulate and ensure that honey being sold in the city is 100 percent pure and not adulterated or mixed with sugar and thus this said proposal.

  Moreover, the CVAO pointed out that it is imperative for city legislators to immediately adopt a measure to ensure the quality and purity of honey being sold, and penalize unscrupulous individuals who sell adulterated honey and other honey products.

  Earlier, beekeepers claimed that adulterated honey products are being peddled around the city, usually packaged in recycled gin bottles and other containers.

  The council asserted that such unfair practices do not fare well with local beekeepers who produce pure honey and who use original containers for their packaging. –  DAS