MANILA, Philippines — Food Safety Awareness Week is celebrated annually in the last week of October, pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 160 issued on August 16, 1999. Led by the Department of Health and the Safety Institute Foundation, the event seeks to raise awareness about proper, clean, and safe food preparation and disseminate information about the effects of improper food handling on people’s health.

World Health Organization figures show that annually there are billions of cases of diarrhea and other food-borne diseases that result in millions of deaths, particularly among children. In the Philippines, the incidence of mortality from diarrheal diseases has reached as high as 1,900 per 100,000 population mostly resulted from cholera, typhoid fever, hepatitis A, food poisoning, and other food-borne diseases.

The fast pace of urbanization that has led over half of the world’s population, including Filipinos, to settle in cities and towns, resulting in inadequate basic urban services, particularly lack of potable water and lack of facilities for proper sewage disposal. This has had its effects on food handling in households and other food establishments.

Food contamination can occur at various stages of food production and preparation, and consumption. Health authorities advise that frozen, pre-cooked, uncooked, and grilled food, and canned food should be handled properly to avoid contamination of bacteria that causes food poisoning. Food safety is especially critical among small establishments that form part of the country’s active underground economy, such as street food vendors.

The celebration of Food Safety Awareness Week serves as a reminder to all concerned to observe proper hygienic preparation and handling of food. This will not only prevent exposing household members and customers to diseases but will also protect their valuable source of income and the jobs of those in their employ.