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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 5 BY: &
Second Regular Session <, BF:
House BILL no. 2494

Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT
TO REQUIRE THE LABELING OF IMPORTED AND MEAT FOOD PRODUCTS

The Constitution, Article I provides:

Section 15. The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the
people and instill health consciousness among them.

Meat and meat products are an important source of the nation’s total supply of food. It
is essential in the public interest that the health and welfare of consumers be protected
by assuring that imported meat food products offered for retail sale bear a label that

identifies its country of origin.

This bill requires the labeling of imported meat and meat products, in order to protect the
public against deceptive, unfair and unconscionable sales of imported meat food
products in the country.

LUIS RAYM' a Pie JR.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS:
Second Regular Session

House Bit no. 2484

introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.

AN ACT
TO REQUIRE THE LABELING OF IMPORTED AND MEAT FOOD PRODUCTS

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 “Meat Labeling Act.”
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — it is hereby the policy of the State to protect the
interests of the consumer against deceptive, unfair, and unconscionable sales acts and
practices, and no to adopt measures to insure pure and safe supply of imported meat
food products in the country.

SECTION 3, Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the term:

(A) “Secretary” means the Secretary of Agriculture.
(B) “Country of origin” means the country or countries in which an animal is raised before
slaughter.

(C) “Label” means display of written, printed or graphic matter affixed to any imported
meat or meat food products, its immediate container, or other suitable material affixed for
the purpose of giving information as to identify its country of origin.

(D) “Beef” means meat produced from cattle, including veal.

(E) “Pork” means meat produced from hogs.

(F) “Lamb” means meat, other than mutton, produced from sheep.

iis beef that is not Philippine beef, whether or not the beef is
graded with a quality grade issued by the Secretary.

(H) “Imported pork” means pork that is not Philippine pork.

(1) “Imported lamb” means lamb that is not Philippine lamb, whether or not the lamb is
graded with a quality grade issued by the Secretary.

(J) “Philippine Beef” means beef produced from cattle slaughtered in the Philippine



Exclusion, excluding beef produced from cattle imported into the Philippine in sealed
trucks for slaughter.

(K) ‘Philippine Pork" means pork produced from hogs slaughtered in the Philippines.
Exclusion, excluding pork produced from hogs imported into the Philippines in sealed
trucks for slaughter.

(L) ‘Philippine Lamb” means lamb produced from sheep slaughtered in the Philippi
Exclusion. — The term “Philippine lamb” does not include lamb produced from sheep
imported into the Philippines in sealed trucks for slaughter.

SECTION 4. Labeling of Imported Meat and Meat Food Products. —

(A) Labeling Required. -
(1) imported meat and meat food products imported into the Philippines shall bear or
are accompanied by labeling that identifies the country of origin of the animal that is
the source of the imported carcass, part thereof, or meat or is part of the contents of
the imported meat food product.
(2) imported meat food product prepared in the Philippines using any carcass, part
thereof, or meat imported into the Philippines shall bear or is accompanied by
labeling that identifies the country of origin of the animal that is the source of the
imported carcass, part thereof, or meat.

(B) Mandatory Labeling. - The Secretary shall provide by regulation that the following
offered for retail sale bear a label that identifies its country of origin:
(1) Muscle cuts of Philippine beef, Philippine pork, Philippine lamb, imported beef,
imported lamb, and imported pork.
(2) Ground beef, ground lamb, and ground pork.
(8) Audit Verification System for Philippine and Imported Muscle Cuts of Beef

The Secretary may require any person that prepares, stores, handles, or distributes
muscle cuts of Philippine beef, imported beef, Philippine lamb, imported lamb, Philippine
pork, imported pork, ground beef, ground lamb, ground pork for retail sale maintain a
verifiable recordkeeping audit trail that will permit the Secretary to ensure compliance
with the regulations promulgated under this Section.

SECTION 5. Regulations. — Not later than one (1) year after the date of enactment of this
Act, the Secretary shall promulgate final regulations to carry out the provisions of this
Act.

SECTION 6. Penalties. - Any person who shall violate any provision of this Act shall
upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not less than One Thousand Pesos (P1,000.00)
but not more than Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than
two (2) months but not more than one (1), or both upon the discretion of the court. If the
offender is an alien, he shall be deported after service of sentence and payment of fine
without further deportation proceedings.

SECTION 7. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or


unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or provision not otherwise affected shall
remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 8. 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 ami
accordingly.

SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,