SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 
405 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 16 provides: 
The State shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced 
and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature. 
Despite a slowdown in the rate of global population growth, the world's population is 
still growing and is expected to peak at nine billion people in 2050, up from 6.6 billion in 2006. 
These shifts are placing greater pressure on resources and are contributing directly and indirectly 
to the rising emissions linked to climate change and the resulting consequences for the 
environment. Recent studies indicate that climate change is occurring faster than expected. 
Without resolute action we could face in·eversible changes to the climate. l If emissions continue 
to rise at the rate of the past 30 years, atmospheric concentrations will increase to 700 ppm or 
more, corresponding to global average temperatures of +6°C or more by 2050.2 Even if we 
stopped emitting greenhouse gases altogether, the effects of global warming are now 
unavoidable. For these reasons, societies will need to adapt to the unavoidable consequences of 
climate change. 
Importantly, developing nations face the worst consequences because they are more 
vulnerable to the physical efTects of climate change than developed nations. Weather-related 
disasters disproportionately affect the agricultural sector in least developed countries where most 
Global Risks 2009, Global Risk Network, World Economic Forum, 2009. 
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2007 4th report; World Energy Outlook, International 
Energy Agency 2008. 
1 


farmers have only limited access to financial means such as microcredit and insurance solutions.3 
The Philippines is considered a climate change hot spot vulnerable to sea-level rise, cyclones, 
and storm surges which threaten social and economic stability, particularly in densely populated 
urban centers such as Metro Manila.4 This high vulnerability is due to its location, high 
population density, high ecological sensitivity, and low adaptive capacity. The twin typhoons 
and accompanying floods that wreaked havoc in the Philippines recently are clear manifestations 
of the high vulnerability of the country to climate change.5 
Households exert an important influence on total greenhouse gas emissions. Their 
consumption behavior is of interest in evaluations of climate policy options and projections of 
future emission paths.6 It has been estimated that household consumption of consumer goods 
accounts for emissions of about one-third of total household emissions. Responding to the 
climate change challenge therefore necessitates that existing environmental laws (e.g. Ecological 
Solid Waste Management Act, Clean Air Act, etc), urban planning regulations, and other 
relevant laws be fully implemented to complement the Climate Change Act of2009. The United 
Nations itself recognizes the need to promote innovation, clean energy, energy efficiency, and 
conservation and to accelerate the deployment of cleaner technologies.7 
This bill requires the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to develop and 
implement a program for the voluntary assessment, verification, and standardized labeling of the 
carbon footprint of cons.umer products. Consumer choice can playa key role in helping reduce 
the greenhouse gas emissions on a national scale, but only if consumers have usable' and reliable 
information about the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from their product choices. The 
Department should identify the best approach to standardizing product labeling to help 
businesses and to provide accurate information to consumers. The methodological and technical 
challenges of measuring greenhouse gas emissions are already being addressed by researchers 
4 
, 
6 
7 
Id. 
Climate Change and Migration in Asia and the Pacific, University of Adelaide, et ai, Asian Development Bank, 
2009 
Francisco, Going Beyond the Map: What is next in the Climate Change Challenge for the Philippines?, 
Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia, International Development Research Centre, 
Singapore, 2009. 
Girod and de Haan, More or Better? A Model for Changes in Household Greenhouse Gas Emissions due to 
Higher income, Journal ofIndustrial Ecology, Volume 14, Issue I, Yale University, 2010. 
2005 World Summit Outcome of the United Nathms Gt'lneral Assembly. 
2 


across the world. Converting these measurement methods into a viable, practical greenhouse gas 
emission label involves crafting a compromise solution that is accurate and precise, as well as 
feasible for producers to implement. The development of a voluntary carbon or greenhouse gas 
emissions labeling program for consumer products can harness the power of the marketplace to 
create incentives for manufacturers to innovate and compete to reduce the carbon footprint of 
their products.8 
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IRIAM D~~SOR S NT..:fJ;t 
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8 This bill was originally filed during the Fifteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 
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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'13 
JUL -3 ''7 ::, p, 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
1 
AN ACT 
2 
REQUIRING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO 
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DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM FOR THE VOLUNTARY ASSESSMENT, 
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VERIFICATION, AND STANDARDIZED LABELING OF THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF 
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CONSUMER PRODUCTS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Shari Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Carbon Footprint Information 
7 
Act." 
8 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. -- It is the policy of the State to afford full protection 
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and the advancement of the right of the people to a healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm 
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and harmony of nature. In this light, the State has adopted the Philippine Agenda 21 framework 
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which espouses sustainable development to fulfill human needs while maintaining the quality of 
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the natural environment for current and future generations. 
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As a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the State 
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adopts the ultimate objective of the Convention which is the stabilization of greenhouse gas 
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concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic 
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interference with the climale system which should be achieved within a time frame sufficient to 
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allow ecosystems to adapt naturally to climate change, to ensure that food production is not 
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threatened, and to enable economic development to proceed in a sustainable manner. 
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. -- As used in this Act, the term-
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1 
(a) 
"consumer products" means goods which are primarily for personal, family, 
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household, or agricultural purposes, which shall include but are not limited to food, drugs, 
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cosmetics, and devices; 
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(b) 
"carbon footprint" means the total amount of emissions of greenhouse gas, which 
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occurs as a result of a pr?duct's life cycle, or as determined by the Department to best implement 
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this Act; 
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(c) 
"greenhouse gases" refers to those gases that can potentially or can reasonably be 
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expected to induce global warming, which include carbon dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, 
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chloroflourocarbons, and the like; and 
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(d) "Department" means the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 
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SECTION 4. Carbon Footprint Information Program. -
(a) The Department shall 
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develop and implement a program for the voluntary assessment, verification, and labeling of the 
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carbon footprint of consumer products. In order to create this program, the Department shall 
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establish standard methodologies for assessing, verifying, and labeling the carbon footprint of a 
15 
consumer product. The Department shall only include a product category in a standard if it 
16 
determines that it is feasible and practical to do so. It may choose to adopt a methodology for a 
17 
single product category before expanding the scope of the adopted standard to other product 
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categories. 
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(b) 
The program shall do both of the following: 
(1) 
Allow a consumer product manufacturer, on a voluntary basis, to determine the 
carbon footprint of the product by applying the criteria and standards developed by 
the Department, and to include that inf(m11ation on the product, product packaging, 
and product advertising, consistent with the labeling standards developed by the 
Department; 
(2) 
Develop a standardized, easily understandable label that communicates to 
consumers relevant information about the carbon footprint of a consumer product. 
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The label may be issued to a company that meets all of the obligations of the 
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adopted standard for measuring a product's carbon footprint. 
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(c) 
The Department may use data from outside sources to develop the standards 
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required to be created by this Act, including the use of existing models and labels. The 
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Department may consult with representatives of consumer product manufacturers, consumer 
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groups, and environmental groups, and conduct public hearings and workshops, to inform the 
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development of the standards required to be established pursuant to this Act; 
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(d) 
The Department may develop a hybrid life cycle analysis methodology standard 
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by relying on company measurements of energy use, other greenhouse gas emission sources, and 
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national averages, or other available information for determining the carbon footprint. 
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(e) 
The Department shall determine the appropriate boundaries in determining and 
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assessing the carbon footprint of a consumer product, which may include raw material 
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extraction, production processing or manufacturing, transportation, distribution, consumer use, 
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and disposal. The Department may vary these boundaries by product category. 
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(f) 
If the Department determines that feasible measurement methodologies are not 
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sufficiently accurate to allow for direct comparisons of the carbon footprint of two like products 
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within a product category, it may elect to develop standards for communicating all of the 
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following: 
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(I) 
(2) 
(3) 
The average greenhouse gas emissions in a product category in order to allow 
consumers to compare across categories; 
Whether a product has a lower carbon footprint than the average comparable 
product available in that category; 
A specific carbon footprint score that delineates the range of error produced by 
the methodology. 
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SECTION 5. Third-Party Verification. - The Department may adopt standardized criteria 
26 
for third-party verification of the carbon footprint of a consumer product, if it determines that 
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1 
this kind of verification is necessary, or the Department may develop an alternative means of 
2 
ensuring compliance with the labeling standards created pursuant to this Act. 
3 
SECTION 6. Costs of Review and Validation. ~- Consumer product manufacturers that 
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label their products in accordance with this chapter shall be responsible for all costs related to the 
5 
review and validation of carbon label information required by the department. The Department 
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may charge an application fee to participating consumer product manufacturers to pay the costs 
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ofthe program established pursuant to this Act. 
8 
SECTION 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
9 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
10 
valid and subsisting. 
11 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. 
~. Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
12 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to, or inconsistent 
13 
with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
14 
SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
15 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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