FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENt'ffi53 
S . No. ---'=-='-=----=-
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article XVI, Section 9, provides: 
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The State shall protect consumers from trade malpractices and from 
substandard or hazardous products. 
Consumption of bottled water has increased markedly in recent years, with thousands of 
households currently consuming bottled drinking water as their source of drinking water. 
Consumers are paying premium prices for bottled water based on the assumption that it is 
of superior quality of their tap water. Unfortunately, bottled water sold in the country is left 
unregulated. This certainly is a cause for concern, as there exists a possibility that the bottled 
water sold in the market is not of superior quality as claimed. Hence, this bill seeks to establish 
quality standards for mineral and carbonated water. 1 
1 This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regnlar Session, 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SEN1~53 
S.No. ___ _ 
, 
"'''';;1> i ,,",-
l, ' 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
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ESTABLISHING QUALITY STANDARDS FOR MINERAL AND CARBONATED WATER 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Safe Bottled Water Act." 
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SECTION 2. Definitions. -For the purposes of this Act, the tenn: 
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(A) "Director" means the Director of the Bureau of Foods and Drugs. 
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(B) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Department of Health. 
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SECTION 3. National Primary Drinking Water Regulations for Bottled Water.-
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(A) Primary Drinking Water Regulations. - When the Director promulgates interim of 
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revised national primary drinking water regulations concerning maximum contaminant levels, 
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such regulations shall be applicable to an bottled drinking waters, including mineral, spring, 
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natural, sparkling water, and vended water. Not later than twelve (12) months after the date of 
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enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish quality standards and definitions for mineral 
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water and carbonated water which include-
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(l) Limits for total dissolved solid, sodium, and trihalomethane content; 
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(2) The Secretary shall insure that standards for mineral water and carbonated 
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beverages meet all established health-based drinking water standards. 
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(B) Source Protection. -Not later than twelve (12) months after the date of promulgation 
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ofthis Act, the Director shall-
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(1) Define "approved sources" of bottled water; 
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(2) Establish criteria to determine the adequacy as well as the protection of 
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"approved sources" of bottled water including but not limited to-
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(a) Minimum well construction standards; 
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(b) Minimum distance separation from upstream wastewater discharges; 
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(c) Minimum distance separations from abandoned wells, septic tanks, 
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waste impoundments, and landfills. 
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(C) Monitoring. Reporting and Inspection. -Not later than twelve (12) months after the 
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date of enactment ofthis Section, the Director shall-
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(l) Establish a bottled water monitoring program which at minimum-
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(a) Is as stringent as that used for public water supplies and provides for 
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yearly testing and monitoring for unregulated contaminants for which public 
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water utilities must test; and 
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(b) Requires that imy analyses or testing be performed in an approved and 
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certified laboratory. 
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(2) Establish a bottled water reporting program that includes-
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(a) Time tables and procedures for timely reporting; 
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(b) Provide public notification procedures should a bottled water be found 
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to be exceeding health-based standards; 
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(3) Establish a national registry of bottled water facilities and their most current 
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reporting information; 
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(4) Require that records of sampling and analysis be maintained at the plant for 
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not less than two years and shall be available for official review upon request; and 
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(5) Establish a bottled water facility inspection program which includes at a 
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minimum two (2) scheduled inspections a year and one (1) unscheduled inspection a 
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year. 
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(D) Recall Regulations. - Not later than six (6) months after the date of promulgation of 
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this section, the Director shall-
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(1) Establish procedures and public notification guidelines for recall of a bottled 
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water product if exceeding any health-b~sed standards. 
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(2) Require each bottled to develop and submit individual recall notification and 
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recall procedures. 
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(E) Prohibition on Dual Use of Bottled Water Equipment. - Not later than twelve (12) 
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months after the date of enactment of this section the Director shall prohibit the processing and 
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bottling of non-carbonated water with equipment used to process milk, fruit juice, or other food 
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products likely to contribute nutrients for microbiological growth. 
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(F) Bottling, Packaging, and Storage Study. -
The Director shall conduct a 
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comprehensive study of contaminants and the extent to which they contribute to the degradation 
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of bottled water from the unique processing and storage of bottled water. The Director shall pay 
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particular attention to contamination problems which may arise from the bottling, packaging, or 
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storage of bottled water. 
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SECTION 4. Labelling. - Not later than six (6) months after the date of promulgation of 
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this section the Secretary shall-
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(A) Establish and enforce clear, conCise, and encoded uniform source labelling 
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requirements for all bottled water products which at a minimum includes-
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(1) The original source ofthe water; 
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(2) Type of water; 
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(3) Type of treatment, if any; 
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(4) The date of bottling; 
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(5) The address of the bottlers; and 
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(6) Provide numerical specifications of sodium content. 
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(B) Define mineral water, spring water, naturally carbonated, naturally sparkling, well 
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water, natural well water, artesian water, natural artesian water, purified water, distilled water, 
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drinking water, and require that the definition for the appropriate product be placed on the bottle. 
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SECTION 5. Authorization of Funding. - There are hereby authorized to be appropriated 
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to the Department of Health and Bureau of Fc,Jod and Drugs, such sums as may be necessary to 
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carry out the purposes of this Act. 
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SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the reminder of the law of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 7. 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 8. EffectiVity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (\5) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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