THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
1 
'04 !lli 27 P 5 :Q i 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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 
labeling requirements for food, respectively. However, these 
requirements do not expressly require information on the fat 
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. 


’04 .IUL -7 1’5 :r! 1 
? 
THIKTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO PRESCRIBE LABELING REQUIREMENTS 
FOR FOODS WHICH CONTAIN SATURATED FAT AND CHOLESTEROL 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House ofRepresentatives 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: 
- - 
- -  
(1) protection against hazards to health and safety; and 
(2) 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 pac aging 
to enable the consumer to obtain accurate information as to the nature, qual ty and 
quantity of the contents of consumer products and to facilitate his/ her com arison 
of the value of such products. 
I 
SECTION 3. Dejhition of Terms. - 
For purposes of this Act, the terms: 
(1) “Saturated Fat” refers to one of the basic groups of fats separated 
chemically (the other being the unsaturated fat). Intake of the saturated type of fat 
has been shown to raise the level of cholesterol in the blood; 


(2) “Cholesterol” refers to a sterol found in animal tissue in combination 
with triglycerides and protein-bound phospholipids. It is a precursor to 
formation of the Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), high levels o f  which in 
blood, leads to coronary heart disease. 
the 
the 
Cholesterol can be found primarily in fats and particularly in animal fats, e gs and 
dairy products. 
e 
(3) “Label, labeling” refers to 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 
(4) “Standards” refers to a set of conditions to be fulfilled to ensure the 
qulity 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 Secretaty of Health shall establish and publish the following: 
(1) Bandards 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 
- 
- -  
(2) 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 ad 
labeling requirement for food which specifically shows: 
(1) saturated fat content; and 
(2) cholesterol content. 


SECTION 6. ProhibitedActs on Labeling. - 
It shall be unlawful for any person, 
either asTrincipa1 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 who shall violate the provisions of this 
Act shall be subject to a fine of not less than One Thousand Pesos (P1,OOO.OO) ut not 
more than Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,OOO.OO) or imprisonment of not less than six (6) 
months but not more than four (4) years or both, at the discretion of the court. I 
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 
accordingly. 
SECTION 10. Eflectivity Clause. - 
This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its pxblication in-at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved. 
FN: 1131