CHAPTER II: RULES AND REGULATIONS

GOVERNING MEAT INSPECTION IN THE

PHILIPPINES

Overview

Protection and promotion of the right to health of the people (Section 15, Article II) and
protection of consumers from trade malpractices from substandard or hazardous products
(Section 9, Article XVI) are state’s obligations stipulated in the Philippine Constitution of
1987. In July 2003, Republic Act No. 9296 ordained the “Meat Inspection Code of the
Philippines” to strengthen the country’s meat inspection system to assure safety and quality of
meat and meat products for human consumption both in the domestic and international markets
(Philippine Star, 2003).
Covered in this chapter are the provisions stipulated under the Animal Welfare Act and
the Philippine Trade Standards for Meat. Included also in this chapter is the importance of ante-
mortem and post-mortem inspection in food safety.

Outline of Topics

1. The Animal Welfare Act

2. The Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines
3. Philippine Trade Standards Specifications
4. Ante-Mortem and Post-Inspection

Intended Learning Outcomes/Objectives

At the end of the topic, you should be able to:

1. State the rules and regulation under the Republic Act No. 8485 / Animal Welfare Act
of 1998;
2. discuss the provisions stipulated under the meat inspection code of the Philippines; and,
3. Define the different terms under the Philippine Trade Standards.
Learning Content

A. REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10631

– Excerpts from RA 10631

AN ACT AMENDING CERTAIN SECTIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8485,

OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS “THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT OF 1998″

SECTION 1. It is the purpose of this Act to protect and promote the welfare of
all terrestrial, aquatic and marine animals in the Philippines by supervising and
regulating the establishment and operations of all facilities utilized for breeding,
maintaining, keeping, treating or training of all animals either as objects of trade
or as household pets. For purposes of this Act, pet animal shall include birds.

“For purposes of this Act, animal welfare pertains to the physical and
psychological well-being of animals. It includes, but not limited to, the
avoidance of abuse, maltreatment, cruelty and exploitation of animals by
humans by maintaining appropriate standards of accommodation, feeding and
general care, the prevention and treatment of disease and the assurance of
freedom from fear, distress, harassment, and unnecessary discomfort and pain,
and allowing animals to express normal behavior.

SECTION 2: No person, association, partnership, corporation, cooperative, or

any government agency or instrumentality including slaughterhouses shall
establish, maintain and operate any pet shop, kennel, veterinary clinic,
veterinary hospital, stockyard, corral, stud farm or stock farm or zoo for the
breeding, treatment, sale or trading, or training of animals without first securing
from the Bureau of Animal Industry a certificate of registration thereof.
The certificate shall be issued upon proof that the facilities of such
establishment for animals are adequate, clean and sanitary and will not be used
for, nor cause pain and/or suffering to the animals. The certificate shall be valid
for a period of (1) year unless earlier cancelled for just cause before the
expiration of its item by the Director of the Bureau of Animal Industry and may
be renewed from year to year upon compliance with the conditions imposed
hereunder. The Bureau shall charge reasonable fees for the issuance or reward
of such certificate.
The condition that such facilities be adequate, clean and sanitary and that they
will not be used for, nor cause pain and/or suffering to the animals is a
continuing requirement for the operation of these establishments. The Bureau
may revoke or cancel such certificate or registration for failure to observe these
conditions and other just causes.

SECTION 3 : The Director of the Bureau of Animal Industry shall supervise

and regulate the establishment, operation and maintenance of pet shops,
kennels, veterinary clinics, veterinary hospitals, stockyards, corrals, stud farms
and zoos, and any other form of structure for the confinement of animals where
they are bred, treated, maintained, or kept either for sale or trade or for training
purposes as well as the transport of such animals in any form of public or private
transportation facility in order to provide maximum comfort while in transit and
minimize, if not totally eradicate, incidence of sickness and death and prevent
any cruelty from being inflicted upon the animals.

SECTION 4: It shall be the duty of any owner or operator of any land, air or
water public utility transporting pets, wildlife, and all other animals to provide
in all cases adequate, clean and sanitary facilities for the safe conveyance and
delivery thereof to their consignee at the place of consignment. They shall
provide sufficient food and water for such animals while in transit for more than
twelve (12) hours or whenever necessary.
No public utility shall transport any such animal without a written permit from
the Director of the Bureau of Animal Industry. Cruelty in transporting includes
overcrowding, placing of animals in the trunks or under the hood trunks of the
vehicles.

SECTION 5: There is hereby created a Committee on Animal Welfare attached

to the Department of Agriculture which shall, subject to the approval of the
Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, issue the necessary rules and
regulations for the strict implementation of the provisions of this Act, including
the setting of safety and sanitary standards within thirty (30) calendar days
following its approval. Such guidelines shall be reviewed by the Committee
every three (3) years from its implementation or whenever necessary.
The Committee shall be composed of the official representatives of the
following:
1. The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG);
2. Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS);
3. Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) of the Department of Agriculture
(DA);
4. Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR);
5. National Meat Inspection Commission (NMIC) of the DA;
6. Agriculture Training Institute (ATI) of the DA;
7. Philippine Veterinary Medical Association (PVMA);
8. Veterinary Practitioners Association of the Philippines (VPAP);
9. Philippine Animal Hospital Association (PAHA);
10. Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS);
11. Philippine Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA);
12. Philippine Society of Swine Practitioners (PSSP);
13. Philippine College of Canine Practitioners (PCCP); and
14. Philippine Society of Animal Science (PSAS)

SECTION 6. It shall be unlawful for any person to torture any animal, to

neglect to provide adequate care, sustenance of shelter, or maltreat any animal
or to subject any dog or horse to dogfights or horsefights, kill or cause or procure
to be tortured or deprived of adequate care, sustenance or shelter, or maltreat or
use the same in research or experiments not expressly authorized by the
Committee on Animal Welfare.

The killing of any animal other than cattle, pigs, goats, sheep, poultry, rabbits,
carabaos and horses is likewise hereby declared unlawful except in the
following instances:
1. When it is done as part of the religious rituals of an established religion
or sect or a ritual by tribal or ethnic custom of indigenous cultural
 communities. However, leaders shall keep records in cooperation with
the Committee on Animal Welfare;
2. When the pet animal is afflicted with an incurable communicable
disease/s determined and certified by a duly licensed veterinarian;
3. When the killing is deemed necessary to put an end to the misery
suffered by the animal as determined and certified by a duly licensed
veterinarian;
4. When it is done to prevent an imminent danger to the life or limb of a
human being;
5. When done for the purpose of animal population control;
6. When the animal is killed after it has been used in authorized research
or experiments; and
7. Any other ground analogous to the foregoing as determined and certified
by a licensed veterinarian.

In all the above mentioned cases, including those of cattle, pigs, goats, sheep,
poultry, rabbits, carabaos, horses, deer and crocodiles, the killing of the animals
shall be done through humane procedure at all times.

SECTION 7. It shall be unlawful for any person who has custody of an animal
to abandon the animal.

If any person being the owner or having charge or control of any animal shall
without reasonable cause or excuse abandon it, whether permanently or not,
without providing for the care of that animal, such act shall constitute
maltreatment under Section 9.

If the animal is left in circumstances likely to cause the animal any unnecessary
suffering, or if this abandonment results in the death of the animal, the person
liable shall suffer the maximum penalty.

Abandonment means the relinquishment of all right, title, claim, or possession

of the animal with the intention of not reclaiming it or resuming its ownership
or possession.
SECTION 8: It shall be the duty of every person to protect the natural habitat
of the wildlife. The destruction of said habitat shall be considered as a form of
cruelty to animals and its preservation is a way of protecting the animals.

SECTION 9. Any person who subjects any animal to cruelty, maltreatment or

neglect shall, upon conviction by final judgment, be punished by imprisonment
and/ or fine, as indicated in the following graduated scale:

(1) Imprisonment of one (1) year and six (6) months and one (1) day to two (2)
years and/or a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) if
the animal subjected to cruelty, maltreatment or neglect dies;
(2) Imprisonment of one (1) year and one (1) day to one (1) year and six (6)
months and/or a fine not exceeding fifty thousand pesos (P50, 000.00) if the
animal subjected to cruelty, maltreatment or neglect survives but is severely
injured with loss of its natural faculty to survive on its own and needing human
intervention to sustain its life; and
(3) Imprisonment of six (6) months to one (1) year and/or a fine not exceeding
thirty thousand pesos (P30,000.00) for subjecting any animal to cruelty,
maltreatment or neglect but without causing its death or incapacitating it to
survive on its own.

If the violation is committed by a juridical person, the officer responsible thereof

shall serve the imprisonment. If the violation is committed by an alien, he or she
shall be immediately deported after the service of sentence without any further
proceeding.

The foregoing penalties shall also apply for any other violation of this Act,
depending upon the effect or result of the act or omission as defined in the
immediately preceding sections.
However, regardless of the resulting condition to the animal/s, the penalty of
two (2) years and one (1) day to three (3) years and/or a fine not exceeding Two
hundred fifty thousand pesos (P250,000.00) shall be imposed if the offense is
committed by any of the following: (1) a syndicate; (2) an offender who makes
 business out of cruelty to an animal; (3) a public officer or employee; or (4)
where at least three (3) animals are involved.

In any of the foregoing situations, the offender shall suffer subsidiary

imprisonment in case of insolvency and the inability to pay the fine.

SECTION 10. The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture shall deputize

animal welfare enforcement officers from nongovernment organizations,
citizens groups, community organizations and other volunteers who have
undergone the necessary training for this purpose. The Philippine National
Police, the National Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement
agencies shall designate animal welfare enforcement officers. As such, animal
welfare enforcement officers shall have the authority to seize and rescue
illegally traded and maltreated animals and to arrest violators of this Act subject
to the guidelines of existing laws and rules and regulations on arrest and
detention.

The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture shall, upon the recommendation

of the Committee on Animal Welfare:
(1) Promulgate the guidelines on the criteria and training requirements for the
deputization of animal welfare enforcement officers; and
(2) Establish a mechanism for the supervision, monitoring and reporting of these
enforcement officers.”

B. MEAT INSPECTION CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES/ REPUBLIC ACT NO.

9296

– In July 2003, Republic Act No. 9296 ordained the ‘Meat Inspection Code of
the Philippines’ to strengthen the country’s meat inspection system to assure
safety and quality of meat and meat products for human consumption both in
the domestic and international markets.

– Under this law, it is the State’s policy to, among others, (a) promulgate specific
policies and procedures governing the flow of food animals; (b) ensure food
 security and provide safety and quality standards to assure the protection of
public against risks of injury and hazard; and (c) support the livestock and
poultry industry development and promote animal health by preventing the
entry of disease-carrying animals in meat establishments.

– The Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines laid guidelines on the following
area: institutional mechanisms, scope of meat inspection, ante- and post-
mortem inspection, inspection of imported meat and meat products, sanitation,
product quality and safety, product information and consumer awareness, fees
and charges, and prohibited acts and sanctions.

1. Institutional Mechanism
- National Meat Inspection Services or NMIS, an attached agency of the
Department of Agriculture, is tasked to serve as the national controlling
authority on all matters pertaining to meat and meat product inspection and
hygiene. It is mandated to formulate and implement policies, programs, rules
and regulations in relation to meat inspection and hygiene to ensure safety and
quality from farm to table. As well, the agency was tasked to undertake
functions including but not limited to policy formulation and program
implementation, supervision and control of meat inspection and meat hygiene,
regulation, information, training and capability building. NMIS operates with
twelve divisions namely: (1) Plant Operation and Inspection, (2) Accreditation
and Registration, (3) Enforcement and Food Defense, (4) Meat Import and
Export Assistance and Inspection, (5) Meat Science and Technology, (6)
Laboratory Services, (7) Consumer Information, Education and Assistance, (8)
Legal Affairs, (9) Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation, (10) Engineering and
Climate Change, (11) Administrative, and (12) Finance Division. NMIS
operates in the regions through its Regional Technical Operation Centers
located in the 16 regions of the country.

2. Scope of Meat Inspection

- The provisions of the Act applies to all meat establishments such as
slaughterhouses, poultry dressing plants, meat cutting plants, meat processing
plants, cold storages, meat shops, meat markets and other outlets engaged in
 domestic and international trade. Only meat control and inspector officers duly
appointed and designated by the NMIS or local government units are
authorized to conduct meat inspection work. NMIS has the responsibility to
ensure, and to enforce, that meat establishments operate in accordance with
humane slaughter and hygienic requirements.

C. PHILIPPINE TRADE STANDARDS SPECIFICATIONS

1. Specification for Beef Carcass (PTS 011-01; 1970)

a. Definitions
a.a Beef carcass – the trunk of slaughtered, skinned cattle (Bos
indicus, Bos taurus) with the head, feet, tail and internal organs
removed.
Type of beef carcass
– Type 1- Fresh beef carcass
Beef carcass from newly slaughtered cattle that have not
been hung for more than 12 hours at room temperature
nor undergone chilling, freezing or any other processing
treatment.

– Type 2- Chilled beef carcass

Beef carcass that is cooled to a temperature range to 1 to 30C
at the deepest portion within two hours. The chilling shall
commence within 2 hours after the cattle is bled. The carcass
shall be properly shrouded before bringing it into the chilling
room.
– Type 3- Frozen beef carcass
Beef carcass that is chilled in an air temperature of -230C or
lower and then frozen to an internal temperature of -200C at
the deepest portion within 6 days

Classes of Beef Carcass

– Bull carcass – the carcass of an uncastrated mature male
cattle.
 – Cow carcass – the carcass of a female cattle that has given
birth or is older than five years.
– Heifer carcass – the carcass of mature female cattle that is
less than five years old and has not yet given birth.
– Stag carcass – the carcass of male cattle that has been
castrated after the secondary characteristics have fully
developed.
– Steer Carcass – the carcass of a male cattle that has been
castrated before the full development of the secondary sex
characters.

a.b Beef grading –a system of classification to determine the

different characteristics of the beef carcass that are beneficial to
the consumer, the producer and the meat trade. Beef is graded
on a composite evaluation of conformation and quality. These
two factors are concerned with the promotions of the various
whole sale cuts in the carcass, the proportions of the fat, lean,
and bone, and the quality of the meat.
– Grades of beef carcass are based primarily on the carcass
yield and quality attributes
Excellent
Superior
Good
Utility
a.c Chronological age – the length of life of the animal from birth
to the time of disposal.
a.d Lean to fat to bone ratio – the proportion of each component
relative to the total chilled carcass weight.
a.e Quality – refers to the combination of marbling feathering,
color and firmness of fat and texture of the lean and maturity of
the bone.
a.f Wholesale cuts – refers to the round, short loin, sirloin, rump,
flank, ribs, plate, brisket, chuck, and forearm/foreshank.
b. Requirements
– Beef carcass shall have a bright appearance and shall be neatly
butchered and trimmed, with feet, tail and internal organs
removed. They shall be free from bruises.
– Beef carcass shall be delivered in a good condition and shall show
no evidence of deterioration at the time of delivery (sliminess,
moldy surface, discoloration, foul odor, etc.)
– Carcass from bulls that had been used for breeding purposes, stags
and cows shall not be graded Excellent.
– The color of the fat shall not influence the grade of the carcass.
– Dark cutting beef shall be graded Utility regardless of
conformation and quality attributes.

c. Marking
– A certificate of Inspection and Standard shall be issued in
accordance with the specification set forth in this standard. The
standard shall be worded as follows:
a.a Beef carcass, Philippine Standard Steer, Excellent; or
a.b Beef carcass, Philippine Standard Heifer, Superior
Every beef carcass which has been classified and graded in
accordance with this standard specification shall bear one
of the following stamps:
– PTS, Steer Excellent
– PTS, Steer Superior
– PTS, Steer Goo
– PTS, Heifer Excellent
– PTS, Heifer Superior
– PTS, Heifer Good
– PTS, Heifer Utility
– PTS, Cow Superior
– PTS, Cow Good
– PTS, Cow Utility
– PTS, Bull Superior
– PTS, Bull Good
 – PTS, Bull Utility
– PTS, Stag Superior
– PTS, Stag Good
– PTS, Stag Utility

2. Specification for Pork Carcasses (PTS 001-03.00; 1969)

a. Definitions
a.a Pork carcass – the trunk of a slaughtered swine dehaired and
the head, edible organs and offal removed.
Type of pork carcass
– Type 1- Fresh pork carcass
Pork carcasses from newly slaughtered swine, which has not
undergone chilling, freezing or any processing treatment.

– Type 2- Chilled pork carcass

Pork carcass that has been cooled to a temperature range of 1-
3⁰C at the deepest portion within 24 hours. The chilling should
commence within 1⅟₂ hours after the swine has been stuck.
– Type 3- Frozen pork carcass
Pork carcass that has been previously chilled and exposed to an
air temperature of -23⁰C or lower and then brought to an internal
temperature of -20⁰C at the deepest portion within six (6) days.

Classes of pork carcass based on the apparent sex condition

of the animal at the time of slaughter.
– Barrow carcass – the carcass of a male swine castrated
before it attained sexual maturity.
– Gilt carcass – the carcass of a young female that has not
produced a young and has not reached an advance stage
of pregnancy.
– Sow carcass – the carcass of a mature female swine that
shows evidence of having reproduced or has reached an
advanced stage of pregnancy.
 – Boar carcass – the carcass of an uncastrated male swine
breeder
– Stag carcass – the carcass from an adult boar which has
undergone a post-surgical castration period of 120 days
or more.

a.b Firmness – the characteristics of the fat which can be very soft
and oily to very firm. The lean can also be very soft to very lean.
a.c Interior fat – the streaks between the ribs after removing the
entrails known as the feathering.
a.d Intermuscular fat/seam fat- these are fat found between the
muscles. The least amount of seam fat is desired in pork
carcasses.
a.e Intramuscular fat/ marbling- this is the fat between muscle
fibers. Moderate amount and good distribution of marbling is
desirable for high quality pork.
a.f Percent fat cut yield – the trimmed belly, jowl, clear plate and
backfat as a percentage of carcass weight.
a.g Percent lean cut yield – the trimmed loin, ham and shoulder
expressed as a percentage of carcass weight
a.h Wholesale cuts – any pork cut handled in bulk
a.i Primal cuts – the lean cuts (loin, ham, and shoulder) and the
belly

b. Requirements
- Pork carcass shall have bright appearance and shall be neatly
butchered and trimmed, with head, edible organs and offal
removed. They shall be reasonably free from scratches, bruises and
blemishes of any kind.
- Pork carcasses shall be delivered in good condition and show no
evidence of deterioration at the time of delivery.
c. Marking
- For the convenience of traders and consumers, the metric system
shall be used.
 - Every pork carcass shall be graded in accordance with the
specification set forth in this standard.

D. ANTE-MORTEM INSPECTION

- Animals are inspected before they are slaughtered. This may enable
identification of clinical signs of diseases which could either be transmitted to
humans (zoonoses) or other animals, or make the meat unfit for human
consumption. It may also enable identification of animals which have had
medicines or other pharmacological agents given to them, or which are injured
and should therefore be handled separately or possibly slaughtered immediately
to prevent further suffering.
- A systematic ante-mortem inspection, as prescribed by NMIS, is made by
authorized inspector to the food animals before animals are slaughtered. The
inspection is done in a holding pen located within the premises of the
establishment at the time of slaughter and when the animals are delivered to the
establishment. Any animals found to be infected by diseases or defect that
would render the meat unfit for human consumption are marked ‘condemned’,
isolated immediately and disposed properly. Ante-mortem inspection also
includes inspection of method by which food animals are slaughtered and
handled in meat establishments in accordance with RA 8485 or otherwise
known as Animal Welfare Act.

E. POST-MORTEM INSPECTION

- The carcass and viscera are inspected as soon as possible after slaughter. As in
ante-mortem inspection, this is to identify abnormalities or disease that would
make the meat and edible offal unfit for human consumption. To this end, it is
important that the carcass retains its identity with the parts and viscera removed
from it.
- Inspection is normally carried out by licensed veterinarians or meat inspectors.
As well as inspection, they will often have other roles, including overseeing
animal welfare and hygiene standards.
- Tissues and organs are examined by visual inspection, palpation and incision.
Various findings of disease or infection may require condemnation as unfit
parts and if necessary, trimming of the tissue.
- The following are the country’s guidelines and activities for post-mortem
inspection:
a. Systematic post-mortem inspection is carried out to the carcasses and
parts of all food animals at any meat establishments. Any carcasses and
parts of food animals found to be hazardous are condemned for human
consumption. The condemned meats are remained under the custody of
inspector until the required treatment and method of disposal has been
applied in a safe and secure manner. The disposal of condemned meat
conforms to all pollution control and environmental laws and
regulations of the country (Section 21);
b. Carcasses and parts of food animals found not to be adulterated are
marked by stamping, labeling, or tagging ‘Inspected and Passed.’ The
ink mark assures consumers the safety and wholesomeness of the meat.
Re-inspection is done to determine whether the meat has become
adulterated after the first inspection (Section 22, 23, and 27);
c. The NMIS has the power to limit entry of carcasses, meat and meat
products, and other materials into any meat establishment. By rule, only
slaughtered food animals, inspected and passed by inspectors from
NMIS accredited slaughterhouses shall be utilized in NMIS accredited
meat processing plant for meat processing, meat canning and packing
(Section 25);
d. Examination and inspection of all meat and meat products prepared for
commerce in any slaughtering, meat canning, salting, packing,
rendering, or similar establishment at all times (whether in operation or
not) are conducted by inspectors (Section 26);
e. All meat and meat product exporters shall be licensed, registered, and
accredited by the NMIS. By rule, only HACCP certified meat and meat
products from accredited ‘AAA’ meat establishments shall be allowed
for export. Veterinary Quarantine Clearance is issued by National
Veterinary Quarantine Services (NVQS) to vessels cleared to export
meat and meat products from the country. (Section 28); and
 f. The inspectors has the power to seize, confiscate, condemn or dispose
carcasses or parts of food animals that is sold, transported, distributed,
offered or received for distribution in commerce that have not passed
through ante-mortem inspection (Section 31).

Self-Check/Self Learning Activities

1. What are the rules and regulation under the Republic Act No. 8485 / Animal Welfare
Act of 1998?
2. What are the provisions stipulated under the Republic Act 9296 or The Meat Inspection
Code of the Philippines?
3. Define the different terms under the Philippine Trade Standards.
4. Why the ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection are important in food safety?

Self-Reflect
– If you are to amend RA 10631, what are the revisions that you are going to make?

VII. References

Garcia, M. A., & Tabon, G. (2014) Rules and Regulations Governing Meat Inspection in the
Philippines. Slaughter of Animals and Processing of Their Products (pp. 13-20).