01/04/2013 (Manila Standard Today) - The National Nutrition Council has no authority to exclude refined sugar from mandatory food fortification program of the government, or limit the fortification coverage to coconut and palm oil, Justice Secretary Leila de Lima said on Sunday.

“To allow the NNC the absolute discretion to remove, exclude or limit the application of mandatory fortification on any of the staple food identified by law is tantamount to an amendment of the law by administrative legislation, and would defeat the clear legislative intent for which the law was enacted,” De Lima said.

She said the amendment was not legal or allowed by the Constitution and the NNC resolution was null and void.

De Lima was responding to a query by Health Secretary Enrique Ona on the NNC  resolution on the exclusion of refined sugar and on the limited fortification coverage to coconut and palm oil.