FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 131 2 . 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 16, $ection 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 to their tap water. 
Unfortunately, bottled water sold in the country is left unregulated. This, certainly, 
is a cause of concern, as there exists a possibility that the bottled water sold in the 
market is not superior quality as claimed. 
The purpose of this bill i;> to establish quality standards for mineral and 
carbonated water. 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
: [) 
JUl 12 
0 {1 :13 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No.1312 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING QUALITY STANDARDS FOR MINERAL WATER AND 
CARBONATED WATER 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short title- This Act shall be known as the "Safe Bottled Water Act." 
SECTION 2. Oefinitions- For the purposes of this Act: 
(1) The term 'Director' means the Director of the Bureau of Food and Drugs. 
(2) The term 'Secretary' means the Secretary of the Department of Health. 
SECTION 3. National primary drinking water regulations for bottled Water. 
(a)(1) When the Director promulgates interim or revised national primary drinking 
water regulations concerning maximum contaminant levels, such regulations shall be 
applicable to all bottled drinking waters, including mineral, spring, natural sparkling 
water and vended water. 
(2) Not later that twelve months after the date of enactment of this section, the 
Secretary shall establish quality standards and definitions for mineral water and 
carbonated water which include--
(A) limits for total dissolved solids, sodium, and trihalomethane content; 
(B) the Secretary shall insure that standards for mineral water and carbonated 
beverages meet all established health-based drinking water standards. 
(b) SOURCE PROTECTION - Not later than twelve months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Director shall--
(1) define 'approved sources' of bottled water; 
(2) establish criteria to determine the adequacy as well as the protection of 
'approved sources' of bottled water including but not limited to--
(A) minimum well construction standards. 
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(B) minimum distance separation from upstream wastewater discharges; 
(C) minimum distance separations from abandoned wells, septic tanks, waste 
impoundments, and landfills. 
(c) MONITORING, REPORTING AND INSPECTION - Not later than twelve 
months after the date of enactment of this section, the Director shall--
(1) establish a bottled water monitoring program which at a minimum--
(A) is as stringent as that used for public water supplies and provide for yearly 
testing and monitoring for unregulated contaminants for which public water utilities must 
test, and 
(B) requires that any analyses or testing be performed in an approved and 
certified laboratory. 
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(2) establish a bottled water reporting program that includes--
(A) time tables and procedures for timely reporting 
(B) provide public notification. procedures should a bottled water be found to be 
in excess of health based standards, 
(C) establish a national registry of bottled water facilities and their most current 
reporting information, and 
(D) require that records of sampling and analysis be maintained at the plant for 
not less than two years and shall be available for official review upon request. 
(3) establish a bottled water facility inspection program which includes at a 
minimum two scheduled inspection's a year and one unscheduled inspection a year. 
(d) RECALL REGULATIONS - Not later than six months after the date of 
enactment of this section, the Director shall--
(1) establish procedures and public notification guidelines for recall of a bottled 
water product if in excess of any health based standards occurs. 
(2) require each bottled to develop and submit individual recall notification and 
recall procedures. 
(e) PROHIBITION ON DUAL USE OF BOTTLED WATER EQUIPMENT - Not 
later that two months after the date of enactment of this section the Director shall 
prohibit the processing and bottling of non-carbonated water with equipment used to 
process milk, fruit juice or other food products likely to contribute nutrients for 
microbiological growth. 
(f) BOTTLING, PACKAGING, AND STORAGE STUDY -
The Director shall 
conduct a comprehensive study of contaminants and the extent to which they contribute 
to the degradation of bottled water from the unique processing and storage of bottled 
water. The Director shall pay particular attention to contamination problems which may 
arise from the bottling, packaging or storage of bottled water products. 
SECTION 4. Labeling - Note later that six months after the date of enactment of 
this section the Secretary shall--
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(1) establish and enforce clear, concise, and un-coded uniform source labeling 
requirements for all bottled water products which at a minimum includes--
(A) the original source of the water; 
(B) type of water 
(C) type of treatment, if any; 
(D) the date of bottling; 
(E) the address of the bottler; and 
(F) provide numerical specification of sodium content. 
(2) define mineral water, spring water, naturally carbonated, naturally sparkling, 
well water, natural well water, artesian water, natural artesian water, purified water, 
distilled water, drinking water, and require that the definition for the appropriate product 
be placed on the bottle. 
SECTION 5. Authorization of funding - There are hereby authorized to be 
appropriated to the Department of Health and Bureau of Food and Drugs, such sums 
as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. 
SECTION 6. Separability C/ause- If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, 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, rule or regulation contrary to 
or inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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