FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 2 ATMA 202
OF THE PHILIPPINES ) “[ M

Second Regular Session

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
House Bill No.. 6192

Introduced by: Atty. MA. THERESA B. BONOAN-DAVID
Representative, District 4, City of Manila

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Heart disease and hypertension are among the leading causes of death and
morbidity among Filipinos. In the prevention of illness due to hypertension and heart
disease, strict compliance with dietary restrictions is crucial. Hence, many consumers are
gradually becoming more conscious about nutrition and the nutritional contents of the food
they purchase and eat. In this regard, better informed consumers are better able to make
choices.

Trans-fatty acids or Trans fats are types of unsaturated fats found when oils are
hardened by partially hydrogenating them to make them more solid. Partially hydrogenated
oil is is actually more stable and does not go rancid easily like liquid vegetable oil and
remains solid at room temperature. Baked goods and products enjoy longer shelf life and
give cooking oils longer fry-life

Republic Act No. 7394 or the "Consumer Act of the Philippines" provides for the
minimum labeling requirements for consumer products and additional labeling requirements
for food. 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.

Article 11, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution provides that "State shall protect
and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness
among them." In accordance with this constitutional mandate, this bill proposes the
mandatory mandatory labeling of food products indicating distinctly in their packages the
‘Transfatty acids or Trans fat contents in food products,

In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly requested

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ATTY. MA. THERESA B. BONOAN-DAVID
Representative, 4" District Manila


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC}
OF THE PHILIPPINES )
2"° Regular Session )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

House BillNo._@4 92

Introduced by : Atty. MA. THERESA B. BONOAN-DAVID
Representative, 4” District, City of Manila

AN ACT PRESCRIBING THE MANDATORY LABELING REQUIREMENTS FOR FOOD
PRODUCTS AND FOOD STUFF CONTAINING INDUSTRIALLY PRODUCED TRANS-
FATTY ACIDS (IC-TFA), PROVDING PRENALTIES FOR VIOLATION THEREOF AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the House of Representatives and Senate of the Philippine Congress assembled :

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Trans-Fatty Acid
Labeling Act of 2012".

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect the interests
of the consumer, promote his/her general welfare and to establish quality standards in food
products to protect the health and general welfare of the general public. . As such, the State
shall implement measures to achieve the protection against hazards to health and safety
and provide programs on Information, Education and Communication Campaign (IEC) to
educate the general public

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms - For purposes of this Act, the following terms shall be
defined as follows:

(a) Trans-fatly acids or “trans fats - is defined as a type of unsaturated fat found
when oils are hardened by partially hydrogenating it to make it more solid. Partially
hydrogenated oil is found to be more stable and do not go rancid easily like the usual liquid
vegetable oil and it remains solid at room temperature and is found in foods from animal
meats and skin, dairy products and some vegetables;

(b) "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 identify ,components, ingredients,
attributes, directions for use, specifications and such other information as may be required
by law or regulations

SEC. 4. Mandatory Labeling Requirements. - Within ninety (90) days from the
date of effectivity of this Act, the Department of Health (DOH) shalll issue the necessary
guidelines and requirements for the mandatory labeling requirement for all consumer
products, food products and foodstuff that contain industrially produced transfatty
acids (IP-TFA) / trans-fats.

SEC. 5. Information, Education and Communication (IEC) Campaign. — The
Department of Health (DOH), in cooperation with the Philippine Information (PIA), is
hereby mandated to conduct a comprehensive and nationwide information, education
and communication (IEC) campaign in order to inform the general public of the purpose
and objectives envisioned under this Act

SEC. 6. Prohibited Acts on Labeling. - tt 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 se io be displayed or distributed in commerce,
any food consumer preduct witose ‘abel does not conform to the provisions of this Act.



SEC. 7. Penalties. - Any person who shall violate the provisions of this Act shall
be subject to a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000) but not more
than Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 200,000) or imprisonment of not less than six
(6) months but not more than four (4) years or both, at the discretion of the court.

SEC.S. 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

SEC. 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.

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

Approved,