Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

Second Regi Si

HOUSE BILL NO. 8537

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

AN ACT
PRESCRIBING LABELING REQUIREMENTS
FOR FOODS WHICH CONTAIN SATURATED FAT AND CHOLESTEROL

International and local medical researches have shown that a high dietary intake of
saturated fat can lead to increased serum cholesterol levels which, in turn, can lead to
Coronary Heart Disease (CHD). CHD is a Killer disease in the Philippines and the
number one killer disease in America.

To decrease the risk of acquiring the disease, private and public studies by experts in the
fields of medicine and nutrition unanimously support the conclusion that the people
should know how much fat, particularly saturated fat, they consume and should guard
against too much consumption of fat in general and saturated fat in particular.

Republic Act No. 7394 or the “Consumer Act of the Philippines,” Articles 77 and 84
provides for the minimum labeling requirements for consumer products and additional
labeling requirements for food, respectively. However, these provisions on labeling
requirements do not expressly require information on the fat and cholesterol content of
foods. Thus, not all consumer food products contain such information.

This bill therefore seeks to provide consumers with more information on the fat and
cholesterol content of foods through improved labeling.

A

LUIS IND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS

Second Reguiar Session

HousE BILL No. 2937

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

AN ACT
PRESCRIBING LABELING REQUIREMENTS
FOR FOODS WHICH CONTAIN SATURATED FAT AND CHOLESTEROL

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 “Low Cholesterol Consumer
Education Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to protect the interests of
the consumer, promote his general welfare and to establish standards of conduct for
business and industry. Towards this end, the State shall implement measures to achieve
the following objectives:

(A) Protection against hazards to health and safety; and

(B) Provision of information and education to facilitate sound choice and the proper
exercise of rights by the consumer;

The State shall therefore, enforce compulsory labeling and fair packaging to enable the
consumer to obtain accurate information as to the nature, quality and quantity of the
contents of consumer products and to facilitate his/ her comparison of the value of such
products.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Act, the term:
(A) “Saturated Fat" refers to that pe of fat with single covalent bonds between the

carbons of its fatty acids, wi sle's available bonding sites are entirely filled with
hydrogen atoms. Itis solid at room temperature and is found in foods from animal meats



and skin, dairy products and some vegetables.

(B) “Cholesterol” means the sterol found in animal tissue in combination with triglycerides
and protein-bound phospholipids. It is a precursor to the formation of the Low Density
Lipoprotein (LDL), high levels of which in the blood, leads to coronary heart disease.

(C) ‘Label’ or “labeling” means the display of written, printed or graphic matter on any
consumer product or its immediate container, tag, literature or other suitable material
affixed thereto for the purpose of giving information as to identity, components,
ingredients, attributes, directions for use, specifications and such other information as
may be required by law or regulations; and

(D) “Standards” means to a set of conditions to be fulfilled to ensure the quality and
safety of a product.

SECTION 4. Standards. — Not later than one hundred eighty (180) days after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health shall establish and publish the
following:

(A) Standards for the recommended maximum daily levels of total fat, total saturated fat,
and cholesterol in total dietary intake, expressed as a percentage of calories from fat and
total grams of fat, and

(B) Relevant and appropriate standards for determining service sizes of foods for
purposes of enabling consumers to make comparisons of fat content contained in similar
or like products.

SECTION 5. Labeling. - The Department of Health shall impose an additional labeling
requirement for food which specifically shows:

(A) Saturated fat content; and
(8) Cholesterol content.

SECTION 6. Prohibited Acts on Labeling. — It shall be unlawful for any person, either as
principal or agent, engaged in the labeling or packaging of any food consumer product,

to display or distribute or to cause to be displayed or distributed in commerce, any food
consumer product whose label does not conform to the provisions of this Act.

SECTION 7. Penalties. - Any person late the provisions
subject to a fine of not less than One Thousand Pesos (P1,000.00) but not more than
Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than six (6) months
but not more than four (4) years or both, at the discretion of the court.

SECTION 8. Separability Clause. — 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 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or
inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended

acc

SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,