REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. __________ 
Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative 
HON. MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN III 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution affirms that the State shall protect and 
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among 
them. 
From January to June 2021, the top three causes of death in the country were 
ischemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular disease, and neoplasms.1 During the first 
half of 2021, ischemic heart disease alone was the leading cause of death with 56.76 
thousand cases or 18.7% of the total deaths in the country.2 Its causes are high 
blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity, which are mainly contributed by the 
lack of a balanced diet and physical exercise. Among these, adult obesity is also 
alarmingly increasing among Filipinos. The rate of increase exhibited between 1995 
and 2015 is at 5.4% for men and 3.7% for women.3 
One of the main contributors for obesity is fast food which contains large quantities 
of sugars, fats, and carbohydrates and has less vitamins and minerals. Most of the 
fast food served to customers exceeds the normal levels of sugar and fats which are 
directly associated with unhealthy weight increase.4 The prolonged state of a 
person’s obesity also greatly increases the risk of non-communicable disease such as 
1 PSA. Causes of Deaths in the Philippines (Preliminary): January to June 2021. Data retrieved from 
https://psa.gov.ph/content/causes-deaths-philippines-preliminary-january-june-2021. Dated August 20, 2021 
2 Ibid. 
3 Business World. The Philippines is getting fat: Obesity rates increase as poor nutrition persists. Information retrieved from 
https://www.bworldonline.com/the-philippines-is-getting-fat-obesity-rates-increase-as-poor-nutrition-persists/. Dated March 31, 
2021 
4 World Obesity Federation. COVID-19 and Obesity: The 2021 Atlas. Data retrieved from 
https://www.worldobesityday.org/assets/downloads/COVID-19-and-Obesity-The-2021-Atlas.pdf. Dated March 2021 
January 13, 2022
12:19 pm
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diabetes, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, and certain cancers. Fast food and 
other food service establishments, therefore, play a vital part in greatly reducing 
obesity. 
The greatest wealth is our health and should be prioritized not only when sickness 
comes. Hence, this measure seeks to mandate restaurants and food service 
establishments in the country to post calorie counts and nutritional facts on their 
menus and menu boards to help consumers make informed healthy food choices. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this measure is earnestly sought. 
MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN III 
Representative 
Magdalo Para Sa Pilipino Party-List 


3 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
Third Regular Session 
House Bill No. __________ 
Introduced by MAGDALO Party-List Representative 
HON. MANUEL DG. CABOCHAN III 
AN ACT 
REQUIRING THE DISCLOSURE OF NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION IN MENUS 
OF FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS 
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 "Nutritional 
1 
Information Disclosure Act"  
2 
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy.— The State shall protect and promote the right 
4 
of health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. In this light, it 
5 
shall recognize the need to disclose nutritional facts for food and beverages made 
6 
available to the public in order to sufficiently instill a sense of health consciousness 
7 
and provide informed health food choices among the populace. 
8 
9 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms.– For the purpose of this Act, the following shall 
10 
refer as: 
11 
(a) Calorie content information refers to the total number of calories per
12 
standard menu item, as that item is usually prepared and offered for sale;
13 
(b) Covered food service establishment refers to any food service
14 
establishment that is one of a group of 5 or more food service
15 
establishments doing business nationally, offering for sale substantially the
16 
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same menu items, in servings that are standardized for portion size and 
1 
content, that operate under common ownership or control, or as 
2 
franchised outlets of a parent business, or do business under the same 
3 
name; 
4 
(c) Drive-thru refers to an area where a customer may provide an order for 
5 
and receive standard menu items while occupying a motor vehicle; 
6 
(d) Menu refers to a written, printed list and/or pictorial display of a food item 
7 
or items, and their price(s), that are available for sale from a covered food 
8 
service establishment and shall include menus distributed or provided 
9 
outside of the establishment; 
10 
(e) Menu board refers to any list or pictorial display of a food item or items 
11 
and their price(s) posted in and visible within a covered food service 
12 
establishment or outside of a covered food service establishment for the 
13 
purpose of ordering from a drive-through window; 
14 
(f) Standard menu item refers to any individual food item, or combination of 
15 
food items, listed or displayed on a menu board or menu that is offered for 
16 
sale or sold by a covered food service establishment through a menu, 
17 
menu board, or display tag at least 180 days per calendar year; 
18 
(g) Nutritional information shall include, but not limited to, all of the following, 
19 
per menu item: 
20 
(i) 
Total number of calories; 
21 
(ii) 
Total number of grams of carbohydrates; 
22 
(iii) 
Total number of grams of saturated fat; 
23 
(iv) 
Total number of grams of protein; and 
24 
(v) 
Total number of milligrams of sodium. 
25 
(h) Reasonable basis refers to any reasonable means recognized by the 
26 
Department of Health (DOH) in determining nutritional information, as well 
27 
as calorie content information, for a menu item, as usually prepared and 
28 
offered for sale, including, but not limited to, nutrient databases, 
29 
professional, and laboratory analyses.  
30 
 
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SEC. 4. Menu Labeling.— Covered food service establishments shall disclose, 
1 
in a clear and conspicuous manner, on their menus and menu boards the calorie 
2 
content information, which shall be displayed adjacent to the name of the standard 
3 
menu item, so as to be clearly associated with such item. In the case of display tags, 
4 
the calorie content information of the standard menu item identified on the display 
5 
tag shall be stated thereon. 
6 
 
7 
For the other nutritional information of the standard menu items, as well as 
8 
the suggested daily caloric intake of the average Filipino as specified by the 
9 
Secretary of Health through the implementing rules and regulations to be issued 
10 
pursuant to this Act, covered food service establishments shall disclose the 
11 
information in a clear and conspicuous manner on a brochure that is made available 
12 
at the point of sale prior to or during the placement of an order. The same 
13 
information shall also be made accessible in the website of the covered food service 
14 
establishment, if available. 
15 
 
16 
In the case of food sold at a salad bar, buffet line, cafeteria line, or similar 
17 
self-service facility, and for self-service beverages or food that is on display and that 
18 
is visible to customers, a covered food service establishment shall place adjacent to 
19 
each food offered a sign that lists calories per displayed food item or per serving. 
20 
The disclosure of calorie content information on a menu or menu board next to a 
21 
standard menu item that is a combination of at least two standard menu items on 
22 
the menu or menu board, shall, based upon all possible combinations for that 
23 
standard menu item, include both the minimum and maximum amount of calories for 
24 
the calorie count information. If there is only one possible total amount of calories, 
25 
then this total shall be disclosed. 
26 
 
27 
The disclosure of calorie content information next to a standard menu item 
28 
that is intended to serve more than one individual, shall include the number of 
29 
individuals intended to be served by the standard menu item and the calorie content 
30 
information per individual sewing. 
31 
 
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The nutritional information and calorie content information required by this 
1 
section shall be determined on a reasonable basis. A reasonable basis determination 
2 
of nutritional information and calorie content information shall be required only once 
3 
per standard menu item, provided that portion size is reasonably consistent and the 
4 
covered food service establishment follows a standardized recipe and trains to a 
5 
consistent method of preparation. 
6 
 
7 
Sec. 5. Disclosure in Drive-thru Food Service Establishments.– Any covered 
8 
food service establishment that has a drive-thru area and uses a menu board to 
9 
display or list standard menu items at the point of sale shall, for purposes of the 
10 
drive-thru area only, shall disclose the nutritional information in a clear and 
11 
conspicuous manner on a brochure that is available upon request, and shall 
12 
conspicuously display a notice at the point of sale that reads: "NUTRITION 
13 
INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST" or other similar statement that 
14 
indicates the disclosure of nutrition information is available upon request. 
15 
 
16 
Sec. 6. Non-compliance with Menu Labeling Requirement.— The following 
17 
shall be considered non-compliance with menu labeling: 
18 
(a) The sale of any food or beverage item by covered establishments without 
19 
the required calorie content information, suggested daily calorie intake, 
20 
and availability of nutritional information displayed on the menu, menu 
21 
board, or display tag; 
22 
(b) The sale of any food or beverage item by covered establishments without 
23 
the availability of the required nutritional information for all standard menu 
24 
items; 
25 
(c) The declaration of calorie content information and nutritional information 
26 
without reasonable basis therefor; and 
27 
(d) The misbranding or erroneous disclosure of calorie content information and 
28 
nutritional information of standard menu items. 
29 
 
30 
Sec. 7. Penalties.– The DOH, after notice and hearing, shall impose any or all 
31 
of the following administrative sanctions in cases of noncompliance: 
32 


 
(a) Suspension of business operations of the non-complying branch or 
1 
branches of the covered food service establishment for such period of time 
2 
as determined by the DOH; and 
3 
(b) A fine of not less than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 100,000.00) for 
4 
the first violation; not more than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 
5 
500,000.00) for the second violation; and not more than One Million Pesos 
6 
(Php 1,000,000.00) for the third violation for every non-complying branch. 
7 
 
8 
Sec. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations.– The DOH, in consultation with 
9 
other concerned agencies, non-governmental organizations, private sector and 
10 
consumer groups involved in nutrition, shall within ninety (90) days from the 
11 
effectivity of this Act, promulgate the rules and regulations to effectively implement 
12 
the provisions of this Act. 
13 
 
14 
Sec. 9. Separability Clause.– If any portion or provision of this Act is 
15 
subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are 
16 
not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect. 
17 
 
18 
Sec. 10. Repealing Clause.– All other laws, acts, presidential decrees, 
19 
executive orders, presidential proclamations, issuances, rules and regulations, or 
20 
parts thereof which are contrary to or inconsistent with any of the provisions of this 
21 
Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
22 
 
23 
Sec. 11. Effectivity.– This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
24 
publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation. 
25 
 
Approved,