Section 4Sec./Art. 4

A new Section 5 is hereby inserted after Section 4 of R. A. No. 8178, as amended, to read as follows:

"Sec. 5. Issuance of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance for Rice for the Sole Purpose of Ensuring Food. Safety. - All importers of rice are required to secure a Sanitary and Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC) from the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) prior to importation in accordance with existing laws, rules and regulations: Provided, That the clearance shall not provide for import volume and timing restrictions: Provided, further, That failure on the part of the BPI to release the SPSIC without informing the rice importer of any error, deficiency, omission, or additional documentary requirement shall mean automatic approval of the SPSIC applied for within seven (7) days after submission of the complete requirements.

"The imported rice should arrive before the expiration of the SPSIC from the BPI.

"The food safety regulatory function of the NFA under Item (i), Section 16 of R. A. No. 10611, otherwise known as the Food Safety Act of 2013.1wphi1 is hereby transferred to the BPI."