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Party-list Representative Jericho Nograles wants Chinese-made hair product Ashley Shine Keratin Treatment Deep Repair blacklisted from the Philippines, upon learning that its packaging says it was being distributed from “Manila, Province of China.”
*Gasps in Chinese.*
Nograles shared photos of the offending packaging in question to reporters today, along with letters dated Aug. 19 sent to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA), where he aired out his outrage.
The congressman said the product was being distributed locally by Elegant Fumes Beauty Products, Inc., a Binondo-based company which has since locked its Facebook account and could not be reached for comments.
“The product bearing this information was manufactured in 2018 and is still distributed throughout the country. Succeeding batches of this product already omitted the declaration, but the offense remains the same,” Nograles said.
He called on the DTI and FDA to “immediately investigate this detestable and repulsive offense against the nation, and if legally justified, prohibit the continued distribution of these products in our country.”
“Any act to undermine our sovereignty must be taken seriously,” the lawmaker added.
Read: Cancel ‘Wow China’ immediately, says Senator Risa Hontiveros
This isn’t the first time that a lawmaker protested against Chinese encroachment in the Philippines. Earlier this year, Senator Risa Hontiveros expressed dismay over the airing of cultural program Wow China on state-owned Radyo Pilipinas and immediately called for its cancellation.
This is in stark contrast to public sentiments expressed by President Rodrigo Duterte, who in his recent State of the Nation Address said he was inutile when it comes to Beijing’s intrusion in the West Philippine Sea — despite the Philippines’ victory in an international court — because China has more weapons than the Philippines, and our leader couldn’t afford to go to war with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jin Ping.
