ILOILO City – Despite the public health warning issued by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), popular noisemaker lato-lato is still being sold in the city. Sales and supplies, however, are waning.
Since the FDA released an Unauthorized Toy and Childcare Article (TCCA) warning on the lato-lato, sales clerk Rica Magbanua said the toy had fewer buyers, adding that the public either heeded the warning or almost every child already has one.
“Ginpa-barato na lang namon kay wala na sang nagabakal tapos may nagahambal nga daw ginabawal naman,” Magbanua, who works at a commercial establishment on Iznart Street, City Proper, told Panay News.
Previously, lato-lato cost P75 apiece; now it is being sold at P35.
Under Republic Act 9711 (Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Act of 2009), the manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, non-consumer use, promotion, advertising, or sponsorship of any health product without the proper authorization from the FDA is prohibited.
Lato-lato, also known as “clackers”, “clankers” or “ker-bangers”, are toys popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The plaything is currently enjoying a resurgence in popularity in Indonesia and the Philippines.
The toy is composed of two plastic spheres suspended on a single string which makes a loud clacking sound when swung up and down.
Magbanua said there used to be a lot of wholesale customers, and they could hardly take a break to accommodate them all. But now, they cannot even sell 50 pieces per day.
“Pigado na subong ang baklanay, sang una to damo sang naga-order wholesale, subong binilog-bilog na lang,” she added.
Because of this, the establishment stopped additional stock orders from Metro Manila to avoid losses.
Similarly, Ram Abacajin, a sales clerk from another store in the downtown area, said sales have been poor.
During the toy’s peak, they were able to sell 300 pieces per day.
“Subong ara lang sa 20 to 50 ka lato-lato ang mapaubos namon. Kang una mga 300 ka bilog kada adlaw,” Abacajin told Panay News.
It costs P60 per piece before but it is now sold at P50.
Among those whose income was affected was Gloria Cosip, 65, of Barangay Sampaguita, City Proper.
“May nagabakal lang pero gamay lang,” Cosip lamented.
She said most of her customers were students, which she is losing now that classes are coming to a close.
To at least get her capital back, she was forced to sell the toy at a lower price.
“Tag-P40 na lang ang baligya ko kay ang capital P30. Ti, P10 man lang akon sina,” she added.
A few weeks ago, Department of Trade and Industry undersecretary Ruth Castelo pressed for a halt in selling lato-lato toys, which have yet to secure proper documentation from concerned government agencies.
Castelo said that since lato-lato has yet to be given a Certificate of Product Notification (CPN), there is no certainty that the materials used in manufacturing the product are safe.
“Pero ‘yung material na ginagamit doon sa laruan na iyon, hindi naman na-test ng FDA. So ‘yung chemical compounds that are included in the plastic formulation na gamit hindi natin alam kung may hazardous substances siya like lead content,” she said.
This came after the issuance of FDA Advisory 2023-1299 that cautioned the public from purchasing and using “unnotified” lato-lato toys sold to the public — a product that they say could lead to potential hazards due to a lack of proper authorization from experts.
The FDA identified a certain glow-in-the-dark lato-lato toy being sold by a Shopee store online, stating that the product showed no valid certificate of product notification.
“[T]he manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, non-consumer use, promotion, advertising, or sponsorship of any health product without the proper authorization from the FDA is prohibited,” said the agency in a statement signed on June 13.
“Since the abovementioned unnotified toy and childcare article product has not gone through the notification process of the FDA, the agency cannot assure their quality and safety. The use of such violative product may pose health risks to consumers,” the FDA added.
According to the FDA, potential hazards may come from ingredients that are not allowed to be a part of a toy including but not limited to:
* endocrine disruption
* reproductive effects
* development effects
The public is also warned of possible injuries, choking or suffocation arising from its small or broken parts.
“In light of the foregoing, the public is advised not to purchase the aforementioned violative toy and childcare article product,” the FDA added.
“All concerned establishments are warned not to distribute violative toy and childcare article product until they have fully complied with the rules and regulation of the FDA./PN
