MANILA – Senator Raffy Tulfo lashed out at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for what he described as negligence and inaction on the continued sale of unregistered products that pose risks to public health.

During the Senate Committee on Finance hearing on October 1, where the proposed 2026 budget of the Department of Health was discussed, Tulfo expressed frustration over the ineffectiveness of FDA advisories.

He pointed to the case of GlutaGenC Glow Gummies, which reportedly caused illnesses among consumers, including a child who was hospitalized. Despite the incident making it to primetime news, Tulfo noted that the product remains available on Shopee, other online platforms, and in various stores.

The FDA, in response, said it has only 890 plantilla employees, limiting its ability to monitor banned items. Tulfo rejected this explanation, saying the agency could easily assign staff to check with major drugstores, shops, and online marketplaces.

“If by next hearing these banned products are still being sold in the market, you should resign from your post because the public is clearly not benefiting from your leadership,” Tulfo told FDA Director-General Paolo Teston.

Tulfo also raised the possibility that some suppliers of prohibited products were bribing FDA personnel, which, he said, could explain the agency’s inaction.