Cebu politics: From sweet talk to sweet tooth

CEBU — From sweet talk to sweet tooth. It seems that politicians affiliated with the ruling Lapian ng Masang Pilipino (LAMP) have resorted to distributing candies to promote themselves.

Congressional wannabe Aristotle Batuhan started it last week by giving away orange-flavored candies bearing his nickname "Totle."

Not to be outdone, Vice Gov. Fernando Celeste also made his own mint-flavored candies and distributed them during his sorties to the different towns. Wrapped in blue, his candies also bear his nickname "Andoy."

Now it is the turn of provincial board member John Gregory Osmeña, whose staffers offer visitors lemon candies with his nickname "Johnjohn."

Batuhan wants to run for congressman in the south district of Cebu City, while Celeste intends to run for governor. Osmeña is being groomed to run for vice governor.

Board member Juan Bolo said he does not consider the distribution of the "Johnjohn" candies as a political gimmick on Osmeña’s part because it was not really established if it was really Osmeña’s idea.

He said Osmeña’s admirers may have been behind the candies to boost his candidacy next year.

Technically, none of the three politicians could be held liable for electioneering because officially, they are all not yet candidates. The filing of certificates of candidacy has not yet started.

But they could be held liable for violating trade laws that require food items to bear the name of their manufacturers, which is not the case with the "Totle," "Andoy" and "Johnjohn" candies.

Asterio Tadlip, provincial director of the Department of Trade and Industry, said that while his office has no hold on the registration of candies, these food items must bear the names of their manufacturers as required under the food labeling law.

And this is what the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) precisely said, that candies distributed by the LAMP members have violated the labeling law.

BFAD supervisor Elsa Ejercito said the only exception to the regulation are food items considered homemade.

So, Ejercito said, because the candies in question are for mass distribution, the health and welfare of the public should be adequately ensured, such as through proper labeling.

Ejercito, however, believes that the candies may have just been bought and repacked with wrappers bearing the politicians’ nicknames. — Freeman News Service