As early as the 19th century, a Spanish Royal Decree instituted a meat inspection system in the Philippines. The system called for a record of meat inspection activities and statistics, employing the services of government-appointment meat inspectors or supervisors whose only task was to witness the slaughtering process.

When the Americans came in the early 20th century, the simple Philippine meat inspection service came under the guidance and supervision  of the US Federal Meat Inspection Service. A veterinary surgeon under the Public Commissioner of Health conducted the meat inspection. A new system, more advanced, organized, and detailed than the Spanish one, was put in place, adopting the procedures that the Americans used in their own country.

From the American colonial period, the meat inspection system in the country continually evolved until the the establishment of the National Meat Inspection Commission (NMIC) in 1972. When many national government services were devolved as a result of Republic Act 7160, the Local Government Code of the Philippines, the law recognized the construction, maintenance, and operation of slaughterhouses as one of the basic services and facilities that should be delivered by local government units.

The NMIC maintained its task to protect the meat-consuming public through effective meat inspection service by adopting and implementing new technologies to assure food safety. In 2004, Republic Act 9296, the Meat Inspection Code of the Philippines, was signed into law strengthening the country’s meat inspection system. By virtue of the Code, the National Meat Inspection Commission (NMIC), renamed the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), was mandated to serve as the sole national controlling authority tasked to implement policies, programs, guidelines, and rules and regulations pertaining to meat inspection and meat hygiene to ensure meat safety and quality from farm to table.

This week, the NMIS takes the lead in the national observance of National Meat Safety Consciousness Week with the theme “Para Sa Kaligtasan ng Karne, Kaisa Ako.’’ The activities slated for the week include the launching of collaboration between the parent department of the NMIS, the Department of Agriculture (DA), with the Department of Health (DoH), and the conferring of the “Kabalikat sa Paglilingkod’’ award on select national and local government units and industry partners. Another highlight of the celebration is the holding of the National Meat Inspector Congress.

We congratulate the National Meat Inspection Service for its continuing effort to secure the safety of this agricultural product and mobilize the participation of relevant groups and communities.