THIRTEENTI-I CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
Kj 
g;r 
1; 
,
!
 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 13, Section 12 provides that: 
The State shall establish and maintain an effective food and drug 
regulatory system and undertake appropriate health manpower development and 
research, responsive to the country's health needs and problems. 
Aspartame is one of the most dangerous food additives in the market today. Aspartame, 
an additive to artificial sweeteners, is made up of three chemicals: aspartic acid, phenylalanine, 
and methanol. 
According lo the US Food and Drug Administration, aspartame accounts for over 75 
percent of the reported adverse reactions to food additives. 
A few of the 90 different 
documented symptoms listed in the report as being caused by aspartame include headaches or 
migraines, dizziness, seizures, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, weight gain, rashes, 
depression, fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, insomnia, vision problems, hearing loss, heart 
palpitations, breathing difficulties, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, loss of taste, tinnitus, vertigo, 
memory loss, and joint pain. 
According to researchers and physicians studying the adverse effects of aspartame, the 
following chronic illness can be trigged or worsened by ingesting of aspartame: brain tumor, 
multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, 
mental retardation, lymphoma, birth defect, fibromyalgia, and diabetes. 
This bill seeks to ban and prohibit the use of aspartame on food, beverages and drugs. 


, -: r 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
5 0r:T 2 3 
*
/
 
Second Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
PROHIBITING THE USE OF ASPARTAME ON FOOD. BEVERAGES AND DRUGS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assem bled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Aspartame Ban Act of 
200.5”. 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to establish and 
maintain an effective food and drug regulatory system and undertake appropriate health 
manpower development and research, responsive to the country’s health needs and problems. 
SECTION 3. Prohibition on the Use of Aspartame. - It is hereby declared prohibited to 
use aspartame on food, beverages and dnigs such as, but not limited to, instant breakfast, cereals, 
Frozen desert, gelatin dessert, yogurt, juice beverages, milk drinks, shake mixes, cocoa mixes, 
coffee beverage, soft drinlcs, tea beverages, instant teas and coffees, tabletop sweeteners, topping 
mixes, wine coolers, breath mints, sugar-free chewing gum, multivitamins, and pharmaceuticals 
and supplements. 
SECTION 4. Regulatory Power. - The Bureau of Food and Drugs is hereby mandated to 
monitor the use of aspartame on selected food, beverages, and drugs and to implemeiit the 
provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 5 .  Penalties. - The penalty of a fine ranging from five hundred thousand 
pesos (P500,OOO.OO) to five million pesos (PS,OOO,OOO.OO) shall be imposed upon any individual 
or officers of a manufacturing or distributing corporation or company who shall violate any of 
the provisions of this Act. 


SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is invalid or 
uiiconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, nile or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 8. E’ectivity 
Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. The publication shall not be 
later than seven (7) days after approval hereof. 
Approved,