Who wants milk?
Department of Health secretary Francisco Duque III and the Philippine government should not give in to pressure of the US Chamber of Commerce over the issue of firmer guidelines against the prescription of infant milk formulas.
According to reports, the US Chamber led by its president and CEO Thomas Donahue wrote Malacanang expressing protest against the DOH’s implementing rules and regulations on the marketing of milk formula.The chamber has been reported as stating that if the DOH proceeds with
implementing regulations on the marketing of infant formula, the
Philippines ‘ reputation will be tarnished.
This is such a clear case of foreign investors cracking the whip on the Philippine government over issues concerning their businesses, but with immediate impact on the health and well-being of Filipinos. This is US monopoly-capitalism exposing its true character: profit above else including the lives of children.
The US Chamber of Commerce has no right to protest against such a regulation that the Philippine government through its health department seeks to implement for the direct benefit of Filipino mothers and their children. To US milk formula companies investing in the Philippines, the IRR is nothing but a barrier to their profit-making, but to millions of Filipino babies and young children and their mothers, this is an issue between life and death. Under no circumstances should the DOH give in to this pressure and instead proceed with the implementation of the IRR.
The Philippine government should assert itself and defend the DOH’s IRR regardless of what foreign milk companies and investors say. Foreign companies already hold a firm monopoly in the milk industry in the Philippines, and their aggressive media and ad campaigns promoting infant formula has resulted to generations of weak and sickly babies susceptible to malnutrition and diseases. They should be held responsible for this. The least the national government can do is to write a firm response to the letter saying that it stands pat on its decision to impose regulations on the promotion and sale of infant formula.
The DOH’s continuing campaign for the promotion of breastfeeding among young mothers should be supported. In fact, it’s the only government campaign worth supporting. More funds should be allocated for health and information programs such as this that aim to inform mothers of the crucial importance of breastfeeding.
