FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 2331 
(2 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article II 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 
ongm. 
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.l 
1 This bill was originally filed during the Thirteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 
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:; , 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 
2331 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
1 
AN ACT 
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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: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Meat Labeling Act." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby the policy of the State to protect the 
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interests of the consumer against deceptive, unfair, and unconscionable sales acts and practices, 
, 
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and no to adopt measures to insure pure and safe supply of imported meat food products in the 
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country.' 
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SECTION 3. Definition afTerms. - For purposes of this Act, the term: 
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(A) "Secretary" means the Secretary of Agriculture. 
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(B) "Country of origin" means the country' or countries in which an animal is raised 
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before slaughter. 
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(e) "Label" means display of written, printed or graphic matter affixed to any imported 
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meat or meat food products, its immediate container, or other suitable material affixed for the 
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purpose of giving information as to identify its country of origin. 
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(D) "Beef means meat produced from cattle, including veal. 
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(E) "Pork" means meat produced from hogs. 
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(F) "Lamb" means meat, other than mutton, produced from sheep. 
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(G) "Imported beef means beef that is not Philippine beef, whether or not the beef is 
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graded with a quality grade issued b¥ the Secretary. 
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(H) "Imported pork" means pork that is not Philippine pork. 
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(I) "ImpOlied lamb" means lamb that is not Philippine lamb, whether or not the lamb 
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is graded with a quality grade issued by the Secretary. 
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(J). "Philippine Beef' means beef produced from cattle slaughtered in the Philippine 
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Exclusion, excluding beef produced from cattle imported into the Philippine in sealed trucks for 
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slaughter. 
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(K) "Philippine Pork" means pork produced from hogs slaughtered in the Philippines. 
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Exclusion - excluding pork produced from hogs imported into the Philippines in sealed trucks for 
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slaughter. 
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(L) "Philippine Lamb" means lamb produced from sheep slaughtered in the Philippines. 
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Exclusion. - The term "Philippine lamb" does not include lamb produced from sheep imported 
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into the Philippines in sealed trucks for slaughter. 
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SECTION 4. Labeling of Imported Meat and Meat Food Products. 
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(A) Labeling Required. -
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Imported meat and meat food products imported into the Philippines shall bear or are 
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accompanied by labeling that identifies the country of origin of the animal that is the source of 
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the imported carcass, part thereof, or meat or is part of the contents of the imported meat food 
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product. 
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Imported meat food product prepared in the Philippines using any carcass, part thereof, or meat 
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imported into the Philippines shall bear or is accompanied by labeling that identifies the country 
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of origin of the animal that is the source of the imported carcass, part thereof, or meat. 
, 
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(B) Mandatory Labeling. - The Secretary shall provide by regulation that the following 
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offered for retail sale bear a label that identifies its country of origin: 
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(1) Muscle cuts of Philippine beef, Philippine pork, Philippine lamb, imported 
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beef, imported lamb, and imported pork. 
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(2) Ground beef, ground lamb, and ground pork. 
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(3) Audit Verification System for Philippine and Imported Muscle Cuts of Beef, 
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The Secretary may require any person that prepares, stores, handles, or distributes 
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muscle cuts of Philippine beef, imported beef, Philippine Ianib, imported lamb, 
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Philippine pork, imported pork, ground beef, ground lamb, ground pork for retail 
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sale maintain a verifiable recordkeeping audit trail that will permit the Secretary 
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to ensure compliance with the regulations promulgated under this Section. 
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SECTION 5. Regulations. -Not later than one (I) year after the date of enactment of this 
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Act, the Secretary shall promulgate final regulations to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
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SECTION 6. Penalties. - Any person who shall violate any provision of this Act shaH 
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upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not less than One Thousand Pesos (PI,OOO.OO) but not 
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more than T.en Thousand Pesos (PlO,OOO.OO) or imprisonment of not less than two (2) months 
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but not more than one (I), or both upon the discretion of the court. If the offender is an alien, he 
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shaH be deported after service of sentence and payment of fine without further deportation 
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proceedings. 
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SECTION 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or provision not otherwise affected shaH remain valid 
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and SUbsisting. 
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SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
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with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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