G/TBT/N/PHL/321  
11 January 2024  
(24-0248) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  PHILIPPINES  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
DR. SAMUEL A. ZACATE  
Director General  
Food and Drug Administration  
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notific ation shall be indicated if different from above:   
PILAR MARILYN P. PAGAYUNAN  
Director IV  
Center for Food Regulation and Research (CFRR)  
Food and Drug Administration  
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH  
Email: gapascual@fda.gov.ph ; BPS@dti.gov.ph  
www.fda.gov.ph  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Food 
products in general (ICS code(s): 67.040)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Guidelines for 
the Classification of Vitamins and Minerals for Food/Dietary Supplements under Processed 
Food Product Repealing the Provisions for Food in the Office Order No. 22 s. 1991 entitled 
"Guidelines for the Classification of Vitamins and Minerals as Drug or as Food"; (7 page(s), 
in English)  
6. Description of content:  The establishment of limit of vitamins and minerals in 
food/dietary supplements aims to ensure that the manufacturers use safe  levels of 
vitamins and minerals in their products. Thus, use of the products under the instruction 
or direction for use provided by the manufacturers will be safe for the consumers.  
Accordingly, with the aim to provide coherence in the regulation of food/ dietary 
supplements containing vitamins and minerals under the FDA -Center for Food Regulation 
and Research, the issuance of this Circular is deemed imperative.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Protectio n of human health or safety  G/TBT/N/PHL/321  
 
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  8. Relevant documents:   
FDA Office Order No. 22 s. 1991  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  Fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official 
Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation and upon filing with the University of 
the Philippines Law Center Office of the National Administrative Register.  
10. Final date for comments:  15 March 2024  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
Mr. Neil P. Catajay  
Director  
Bureau of Philippine Standards  
Department of Trade and Industry  
3F Trade and Industry Building  
361 Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue  
Makati City  
Philippines  
Tel: (632) 751 4700; (632) 7913128  
Email: bps@dti.gov.ph  
Website: http://www.bps.dti.gov.ph  
https://www.fda.gov.ph/draft -for-comments -guidelines -for-the-classification -of-
vitamins -and-minerals -for-food-dietary -supplements -under -processed -food-product -
repealing -the-provisions -for-food-in-the-office -order -no-22/ 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/TBT/PHL/24_00388_00_e.pdf