The ban was announced by the Bureau of Food and Drugs.

Last week, the bureau said the Philippines did not import milk from Sanlu Group, the company originally at the heart of a scandal over melamine-tainted milk which has sickened tens of thousands of children in China.

The advisory also called for an investigation into whether infant formula and milk products manufactured in China may have been illegally imported to the Philippines, where smuggling in almost everything from cars to vegetables is rampant.

"The Bureau of Food and Drugs is directing all licenced importers and/or distributors of registered milk products sourced from China to immediately stop from further importing, distributing, selling and offering for sale these products," the advisory said.

Bureau director Leticia Gutierrez said parents, especially mothers, should report to authorities where Chinese milk products are being sold.

"What we are telling parents now, especially the mothers, is to avoid buying milk with 'made in China' markings," Gutierrez said.

"There are other brands in the market which they can buy instead."

Two liquid Chinese milk products with the Yili and Mengniu brand have been found on sale in the local market.

Samples have been collected and are now being tested to determine whether they are contaminated with melamine, a chemical normally used in plastics but which, added to milk, can make it appear richer in protein.

The Philippines trade department has said unlabelled milk products being sold openly in many Manila markets may have been smuggled in from China.

AFP