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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

7083

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 15, Article II of the 1987 Constitution provides that “liJt is the policy of
the State to protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill
health consciousness among them.”

According to the Asia Roundtable on Food Innovation for Improved Nutrition’s
{AROFIIN) study published in 2017, the World Health Organization (WHO) found
that 23.6% of Filipino adults above age 18 are overweight, with greater
prevalence in women (26.3%) than in men (21%). It was likewise reported that
Filipinos living in urban areas consume fewer fruits and vegetables, and eat more
energy-dense foods and foods that are high in saturated fats.

It was also found that obesity has an effect in the economy since the condition
would entail direct costs (cost of healthcare) albeit relatively low, and indirect
costs (productivity losses from absenteeism and losses from early deaths).

Several solutions have been offered including population-level policies, but the
study also suggests that obesity may be addressed through psychology and
behavioral change. They found that obesity, while commonly a result of genetic
factors, is more commonly caused by the consumption of unhealthy foods and
doing little to no physical activities. It is said that these behaviors probably
stemmed from lack of information among other factors.

A quick examination of the available food establishments show that there is no
effective attempt at instilling health consciousness and encouraging healthy food
options in the Philippines. Filipinos purchase meals from food service
establishments without knowing its nutritional value. We are unaware of what
we are putting in our bodies, and continuing this lack of information and
consciousness might prove fatal to our drive towards a healthier and more
productive population. Thus, to address the lack of information among


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consumers, this bill seeks to mandate the inclusion of nutritional information in
food service establishments’ menus, display boards, and display tags in order to
allow Filipinos to make informed choices on their food and beverage intake. It is
hoped that through this legislation, health consciousness will slowly be instilled
among us and will eventually lead not only to a decline in obesity but also other

medical conditions brought about by an unhealthy lifestyle.

ALFRED C. DELOS SANTOS
Representative, Ang Probinsyano Partylist


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

7083
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos

AN ACT MANDATING THE INCLUSION OF NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION OF
MEALS SERVED BY FOOD RETAIL BUSINESSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Healthy Food
Choices Act of 2020.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. ~ It is the policy of the State to protect
and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness
among them. The State shall endeavor to give the people better nutritional and
health information in order for them to make more informed choices on meals
that they consume.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:

a) “Food service establishment” means all establishments doing
business of serving meals to its customers, including salad bars,
buffet lines, cafeteria line, and other self-service formats. It shall
include company-owned establishments as well as franchised
outlets of a parent company doing food service as its primary
business, except carinderias, micro and small businesses, food carts
and food stalls in markets, ambulant food or beverage cart vendors,
and other similar businesses;

b) “Menu” shall mean a printed list or a display of pictures of food items
and prices, including those displayed outside or on windows of
establishments and drive-thru lanes, being served by a food service
establishment;


c) “Menu item” pertains to each food item or meal, and beverage
included in the menu and being served in the food service
establishment

d) “Nutritional information” shall include the total number of calories
for each menu item.

SECTION 4. Mandatory Inclusion of Nutritional Information on Menus ~ All
food service establishments shall include the nutritional information for each
menu item in their respective menus, display boards and display tags.

For food service establishments with food bars, buffet line, cafeteria line,
self-service beverages or food, and all other self-service format, each dish shall
have a label indicating the name of the dish, amount of recommended serving
size for one (1) person, and the nutritional information for the said recommended
service size.

For food service establishments which use display boards as menu such
as fast food restaurants and similar establishments, the nutritional information
shall be likewise be included in their display boards.

For food service establishments offering a combination of meals or
packages, and other similar promotional schemes, the nutritional information
for each menu item included in the combination, package or promotional offer
shall be indicated.

For food service establishments offering meals served in platters or in
quantities meant to be shared, the menu shall include the number of individuals
that may share per platter and the nutritional information per individual serving.

For food service establishments offering a drive-thru service, the display
boards installed in their drive-thru lanes shall include the following statement:
“NUTRITION INFORMATION AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.”

SECTION 5. Exemptions from Section 4. - Exempted from the provisions of
Section 4 of this Act on the mandatory inclusion of nutritional information on
menus are carinderias, backyard food stalls, ambulant food vendors, food kiosks,
and other similar businesses. However, they are not precluded from including
the nutritional information for their meals and food products should they
voluntarily do so.

SECTION 6. Sanctions for non-compliance — Any food service establishment
found to have failed to comply with the inclusion of mandatory nutritional
information in their menu, display boards, and display tags shall, after notice
and hearing, be subject to the following sanctions:


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a) Written warning and a fine of one hundred thousand pesos (PhP
100,000) for the first offense;

b) Suspension of business operations until compliance with the law
and a fine of two hundred fifty thousand pesos (PhP 250,000) for the
second offense, with an additional fifty thousand pesos (PhP 50,000)
for every non-compliant branch for the second offense; and

©) Cancellation of business permit without prejudice to re-application
upon proof of full compliance and a fine of five hundred thousand
pesos (PhP 500,000), with an additional fifty thousand pesos (PhP
50,000) for every non-compliant branch for the third offense.

SECTION 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations - The Department of
Health, in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry, and in
consultation with other concerned agencies, non-governmental organizations,
food service business organizations, private sector and consumer groups, shall
promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations within six (6)
months from effectivity of this Act.

SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part of this Act is
held invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions or parts unaffected
shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, presidential
decrees or issuances, letters of instruction, administrative orders, rules, and
regulations contrary to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general
circulation.

Approved,