TO:	Minister of Health Minister of National Defense Minister of Justice
SUBJECT:	Authorizing the Minister of Health, through the Food and Drug Administration, to Effectively Administer R.A. 3720, otherwise known as the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, in the Interest of Consumer Protection.

WHEREAS, the Food and Drug Administration is mandated under R.A. 3720 to administer and supervise the implementation of said law;

WHEREAS, there has been a proliferation of fake, adulterated, misbranded and expired foods and drugs;

WHEREAS, to fully attain the policy of the State to insure good quality supply of food, drug and cosmetics to protect the health of the people, it becomes necessary and imperative that the following measures be effected immediately.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order and direct:

1. That any article or articles of food, drug, device or cosmetic that is adulterated, counterfeited or misbranded when introduced into the domestic commerce, shall be liable to seizure and condemnation upon order of the Minister of Health.
   
   
2. The members of the Philippine Constabulary so selected by the Chief of Constabulary may arrest any person, directly or indirectly involved in the sale, distribution, manufacture or offering for sale of adulterated, misbranded, counterfeited or expired food, drug or device.
   
   
3. All food, drug and cosmetic products intended for sale and distribution in domestic commerce must carry the compulsory ingredient labelling requirements, including but not limited to lot or batch number and expiry dates.
   
   
4. The Minister of Health, upon recommendation of the Food and Drug Administrator, is hereby empowered to cause the closure of any food, drug and cosmetic establishment, found to have Provisions of R.A. 3720 and its implementing rules and regulations.
   
   
5. The Minister of National Defense through the appropriate agencies of the Ministry, shall see to it that  the orders issued by the Minister of Health for the suspension, revocation and closure of establishments violating the provisions of the Food, Drug and Cosmetics Act are strictly enforced.
   
   
6. The Minister of Justice is hereby directed to institute immediately legal proceedings against persons accused of violations of the provisions of this Letter of Instructions and shall see to it the that the maximum penalty is imposed against persons found guilty thereof pursuant to existing provisions of laws.

Strict compliance herewith is enjoined.

Done in the City of Manila, this 13th day of April, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty-two.