Toy, game safety label law remains unimplemented

CEBU, Philippines - Three years after the Toy and Game Safety Labeling Act of 2013 was passed into law, no Implementing Rules and Regulations have been issued until now.

This prompted two consumer groups to ask President Rodrigo Duterte's administration to immediately issue the IRR for Republic Act 10620 as Christmas gift to the public.

Thony Dizon, coordinator of the EcoWaste Coalition's Project Protect, said that the continued proliferation of misbranded and mislabeled toys in the market, including those that contain undisclosed hazardous chemicals, justifies the immediate issuance of the IRR.  

"Its promulgation will be an excellent Christmas gift that the Duterte administration can give to all children across the country," reads a statement from Dizon.

Dizon said that the enforcement of the general and specific labeling requirements for toys and games manufactured, imported, exported, donated, distributed and sold in the country will go a long way in protecting children from unsafe toys that can be harmful to them.

Lawyer Victor Dimagiba, former undersecretary of the Department of Trade and Industry and president of Laban Konsyumer, Inc., also said that the DTI and the Department of Health have already completed the draft of the IRR in 2015 yet.

"With the yuletide season upon us, we hope that the authorities would fast track its promulgation for the sake of our children's safety and well-being," said Dimagiba.

Section 2 of R.A. 10620 provides that "the State recognizes that children, by reason of their physical and mental immaturity, need special safeguard and care. The State acknowledges its obligation to secure the right of children to proper care and special protection from all forms of neglect and other conditions prejudicial to their development."

The law also emphasized that the "State shall ensure the protection of children against potential hazards to their health and safety by requiring special labeling of toys and games. To guarantee the rights of children to protection and safety, the State shall provide a means of redress for violation of said rights."

R.A. 10620 imposes a fine of not less than P10,000 but not more than P50,000 or imprisonment of three months to two years or both for any person found to have violated the law.

The law also requires the DTI to regularly publish every six months the list of all manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers who failed to comply with the requirements of R.A. 10620.

The DOH is also required to publish every six months the list of all misbranded or banned hazardous substances.  (FREEMAN)