Section 15. Principal Responsibilities of Government Agencies. —

The DA, the DOH, the DILG and the LGUs shall have the following responsibilities:

1. The DA shall be responsible for food safety in the primary production and post harvest stages of food supply chain and foods locally produced or imported in this category;

2. The DOH shall be responsible for the safety of processed and prepackaged foods, foods locally produced or imported under this category and the conduct of monitoring and epidemiological studies on food-borne illnesses;

3. The LGUs shall be responsible for food safety in food businesses such as, but not limited to, activities in slaughterhouses, dressing plants, fish ports, wet markets, supermarkets, school canteens, restaurants, catering establishments and water refilling stations. The LGU shall also be responsible for street food sale, including ambulant vending;

4. The DILG, in collaboration with the DA, the DOH and other government agencies shall supervise the enforcement of food safety and sanitary rules and regulations as well as the inspection and compliance of business establishments and facilities within its territorial jurisdiction;

5. The LGUs may be called upon by the DOH and the DA to assist in the implementation of food laws, other relevant regulations and those that will hereafter be issued;

6. The DA and the DOH shall capacitate the LGUs and provide necessary technical assistance in the implementation of their food safety functions under their jurisdiction. In compliance with this responsibility, they shall provide training to the DILG and the LGUs and shall periodically assess the effectiveness of these training programs in coordination with the DILG; and

7. The DA and the DOH, in cooperation with the LGUs, shall monitor the presence of biological, chemical and physical contaminants in food to determine the nature and sources of food safety hazards in the food supply chain.