SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
) 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S. No. 1890 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 15 provides that: 
The State shall protect and promote the right to health of 
the people and instill health consciousness among them. 
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v, 
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Republic Act No. 7394, or the "Consumer Act of the Philippines," was enacted to protect 
the interests of the consumer, promote the general welfare, and to establish standards of conduct 
for business and industry. Article 77 of this Act provides for the minimum labeling requirements 
for consumer products. 
Genetically engineering food is a new way of producing foods, by taking DNA from one 
species and inserting it into another. Given the huge complexity of the genetic code, no one can 
possibly predict the effects of adding new genes into any organism or plant. It has been reported 
that one genetically engineered food supplement (tryptophan) has killed 37 North Americans and 
permanently disabled 1500. Many scientists feel that these foods have not been properly tested 
and pose serious health risks. 
Consumers have a right to know whether the food they purchase contains 01' was 
produced with genetically engineered material. Thus, the bill seeks to require the labeling of 
food, meat, and poultry products that contains genetically engineered material. ' 
~'-. 4k·~~D ~~ 
t(f$ ~IRIAM DEF~NSOR S'J\~lirU 
* This bill was originally filed during 14th Congress, First Regular Session. 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. .1890 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
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ESTABLISHING A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM TO ENSURE COMPULSORY 
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LABELING AND FAIR PACKAGING OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOOD 
Be it enacted by (he Senate and (he House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION I. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Genetically Engineered Food 
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Compulsory Labeling and Fair Packaging Act." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy .. - The State shall enforce compulsory labeling and 
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fair packaging of genetically engineered food to enable the consumer to obtain accurate 
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information as to the nature, quality, and quantity of the contents of the consumer products and 
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to facilitate the consumer's comparison of the value of such products. 
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. -As used in this Act: 
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(A) 
"Genetically Engineered Material" means material derived from any pari or a 
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genetically engineered organism, without regard to whether the altered molecular or cellular 
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characteristics of the organism are detectable in the material. 
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(B) 
"Genetically Engineered Organism" means - (1) an organism that has been altered 
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at the molecular or cellular level by means that are not possible under natural conditions or 
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processes (including hut not limited to recombinant DNA and RNA techniques, cell fusion, 
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microencapsulation, macroencapsulation, gene deletion and doubling, introducing a foreign 
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gene, and changing the positions of genes), other than a means consisting exclusively of 
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breeding, conjugation, fermentation, hybridization, in vitro fertilization, or tissue culture; and (2) 
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an organism made through sexual or asexual reproduction (or both) involving an organism 
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described in sub-clause (I), if possessing any of the altered molecular or cellular characteristics 
or tile organism so described. 
(C) 
"Meat Food" means a carcass, part of a carcass, meat, or meat food product that is 
derived !I'om cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, or other equines and is capable of use as 
human food. 
SECTION 4. Labeling o/Genetically Engineered Material.-
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(A) 
In General - This labeling requirement shall apply to food, poultry, and meat 
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pl;oducts; 
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(B) 
All products enumerated in the preceding paragraph, domestically sold, whether 
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manufactured locally or imported, if it contains a genetically engineered material, or was 
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produced with a genetically engineered material, shall provide notices in accordance with the 
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following: 
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(I) 
(2) 
(3) 
A notice as follows: "GENETICALLY ENGINEERED." 
A notice as follows: "THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS GENETICALLY 
ENGINEERED 
MATERIAL, 
OR WAS 
PRODUCED 
WITH A 
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED MATERIAL." 
The notice required in clause (I) immediately precedes the notice required 
in clause (2) and is not less than twice the size of the notice required in 
clause (2). 
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SECTION 5. Genetically Engineered Food. -
(A) 
In General - Food shall be considered to have been produced with a genetically 
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engineered material if -
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(I) 
the organism from which the food is derived has been injected or 
otherwise treated with a genetically engineered material (except that the of 
manure as a fertilizer for raw agricultural commodities may not be 
construed to mean that such commodities are produced with a genetically 
engineered material); 
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(B) 
(2) 
(3) 
the animal from which the food IS derived has been fed genetically 
engineered material; or 
the food contains an ingredient that is a food to which clause (l) or (2) 
applies. 
Exceptions - This paragraph does not apply to food that -
(l) 
is served in restaurants or other establishments in which food is served for 
immediate human consumption; 
(2) 
(3) 
is processed and prepared primarily in a retail establishment, is ready for 
human consumption, which is of the type described in clause (A), and is 
offered for sale to consumers but not for immediate human consumption 
in such establishment and is not offered for sale outside such 
establishment; or 
is a medical food. 
SECTION 6. Genetically Engineered Meat. -
(A) 
In General - A meat food shall be considered to have been produced with a 
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genetically engineered material if -
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(B) 
(1) 
(2) 
(3) 
the organism from which the food is derived has been injected or 
otherwise treated with a genetically engineered material; 
the animal from which the food is derived has been fed genetically 
engineered material; or 
the food contains an ingredient that is a food to which subparagraph (1) or 
(2) applies. 
Exceptions - This paragraph does not apply to any meat food that -
(1) 
(2) 
is served in restaurants or other establishments in which food is served for 
immediate human consumption; or 
is processed and prepared primarily in a retail establishment, is ready for 
human consumption in such establishment, and is not offered for sale 
outside such establishment. 
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SECTION 7. Genetically Engineered Poultry Product. -
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(A) 
In General - A poultry product shall be considered to have been produced with a 
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genetically engineered material if -
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(B) 
(I) 
(2) 
(3) 
the poultry from which the food is derived has been ir\iected or otherwise 
treated with a genetically engineered material; 
the poultry from which the food is derived has been fed genetically 
engineered material; or 
the food contains an ingredient that is a food to which subparagraph (I) or 
(2) applies. 
Exceptions - This paragraph does not apply to any poultry product that -
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is served in restaurants or other establishments in which food is served for 
immediate human consumption; or 
(2) 
is processed and prepared primarily in a retail establishment, is ready for 
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human consumption, is offered for sale to consumers but not for 
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immediate human consumption in such establishment, and is not offered 
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for sale outside such establishment. 
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SECTION 8. Implementing Agencies. - The provisions of this Act and its implementing 
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rules and regulations shall be enforced by the Department of Health with respect to food; and the 
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Department of Agriculture with respect to products related to agriculture. 
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SECTION 9. Penalties. - Any person who shall violate the provisions of this Act shall be 
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subject to a fine of not less than One Thousand Pesos (P I ,000.00) but not more than Twenty 
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Thousand Pesos (P20,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than three (3) months but not more 
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than two (2) years, or both, at the discretion of the comi. 
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SECTION 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part thereof is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
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with the provisions ofthis Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly 
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SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least (wo (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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