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Republic of the Philippines

House of Representatives
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NAG OB

INTRODUCED BY CONGRESSMAN ALFRED VARGAS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Filipinos nowadays are more conscious of the food they eat, considering the
alarming rise of various diseases attributed to unhealthy diet and nutrition.

According to a report from the Department of Health (DOH), cardiovascular disease
is the leading cause of mortality in the Philippines. The World Health Organization
indicated, however, that 80% of premature heart disease, stroke, and Type Il Diabetes and
40% of cancers can be prevented through a healthy diet. Thus, consumers have now
become more discerning in their choice of food, always checking the nutritional
information and calorie count in food labels. Filipinos, however, are not as informed when
dining in restaurants. They are often unaware of the calorie and nutritional content of a
meal, leading them or misleading them into an unhealthy eating pattern.

This bills aims to mandate the disclosure and display of the nutrition content
information on each standard menu in all types of restaurants, including fast food chains, in
order to arm consumers with the right choice of food to take without compromising their
health.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

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Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2
HOUSE BILL. no4898

INTRODUCED BY CONGRESSMAN ALFRED VARGAS

AN ACT
MANDATING THE DISPLAY OF NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE MENU OF FOOD.
ESTABLISHMENTS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Menu Nutritional
Information Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - \t is hereby declared the policy of the State to
protect and promote the right of the people to good health. Towards this end, the State
hereby mandates the disclosure and display of the nutrition content information of food on
the menus and menu boards of restaurants and fast food chain establishments to help
Filipinos make healthier food choices.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall
mean:

(a) Food establishment - any food retail establishment that is part of an affiliation of
ten (10) or more food retail establishments, doing business under the same name,
regardless of its type of ownership, and selling substantially the same menu items in
standard content and portion servings.

(b) Food items - a unit serving of a ready-to-eat food or beverage for sale in a
restaurant or food retail establishments.

(©) Food-on-display - food offered for sale that is visible to a customer before making
a selection, and needs no further preparation before consumption.


(4) Standard menu item - any individual food item or combination of food items that
is routinely listed on a menu or menu board, or routinely offered for sale by a
restaurant or fast food chain establishment.

(e) Menu - a printed list or pictorial display of food items or combination of food
items and their prices posted in and visible within a fast food chain as defined in this
Act, including menus distributed or provided outside of the establishment.

(8) Menu board ~ any list or pictorial display of food items and their prices posted in
and visible within or outside a fast food chain as defined in this Act, including drive-
thru menu boards.

(g) Selfservice food - food and beverages that the consumers serve themselves,
including food offered for sale at a salad bar, buffet line, cafeteria line, or similar
self-service facility.

SECTION 4. Disclosure of Nutrition Information. - All food establishments, as
defined in this Act, are hereby required to disclose and display the nutrient content
information of each standard menu item on their menus and menu boards as usually
prepared and sold to the public. Food establishments offering self-service food and food-
on-display, the nutrient content information per item or serving shall be posted on a sign
adjacent to such food.

The nutrition information shall indicate the amount of each of the following:

(a) Total fat;

(b) Saturated fat;
(c) Cholesterol;
(d) Sodium;
(e) Total carbohydrates;

(8 Complex carbohydrates;
(g) Sugars;

(h) Dietary fiber; and

(i) Total Protein.

Disclosure and display of nutrition information shall not apply to custom orders on
food that is part of a customary market test or temporary menu items.

SECTION 5, Calorie Content. - The disclosure of nutrition content information by
food establishments, as required in the preceding section, shall indicate the calories
contained in a standard menu item to the nearest five-calorie increment up to and
including fifty (50) calories, to the nearest ten-calorie increment above fifty (50) calories.


For foods that have fewer than five (5) calories, the declaration may be expressed as zero

(0).

SECTION 6. Disclosure Compliance Certificate. - As an additional requirement for
their operation within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act, food establishments
are hereby directed to apply for and secure a Nutrition Disclosure Compliance Certificate
(NDCC) from the Department of Health (DOH). The NDCC issued by the DOH shall be valid
for two (2) years from the date of issuance and may be renewed at least thirty (30) days
before its expiration. The DOH may refuse to renew the NDCC of any restaurant or fast food
chain establishment found to be in violation of this Act.

Failure of any restaurant of fast food chain establishment to secure a NDCC shall be a
ground for the suspension or revocation of its license to operate.

SECTION 7. Penalties. - A fine of not less than twenty thousand pesos (PHP 20,000)
but not more than one hundred thousand pesos (PHP 100,000) shall be imposed upon any
person operating a food establishment found to have failed to comply with the mandatory
nutrition information regarding the amount of calories or nutrients contained in their
standard menu items.

SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from
the effectivity of this Act, DOH shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the
effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - Should any provision herein be declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions of this Act.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause ~ All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations or
other issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or
modified accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after
publication in the Official Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the
Philippines.

Approved,