FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
8 
X ? 1 i '  
Second Regular Session 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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Introduced by Senator Manuel "Lito" M. Lapid 
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 wise 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 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 frylife. 
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 requiremen. 
ts 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 labeling of food products indicating distinctly in their packages the Trans- 
fatty acids or Trans fat contents in food products. 
In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly requested 
MAMEL 
=LITOH M. LAPIB 
Senator 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
1 
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S.No. 2626 
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introduced by §enator Manuel “Lito” M. Lapid 
AN ACT 
PRESCRIBING THE MANDATORY LABELING REQUIREMENTS FOR 
FOOD PRODUCTS AND FOODSTUFF CONTAINING INDUSTRIALLY 
PENALTIES FOR ITS VIOLATION THEREOF AND 
FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
PRODUCED TRANS-FATTY ACIDS (IP-TFA) I TRANS-FATS, PROVIDING 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. 
Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Trans-Fatty 
Acid Labeling Act of 2008”. 
SEC. 2. 
Deckwetion of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect the 
interests of the consumer, promote hidher 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 
Trans-fatty 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; 
“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. 
shall be defined as follows: 
(a) 
(b) 
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SEC. 4. 
Mandatoty Labeling Requirements. - Within ninety (90) days 
from the date of effectivity of this Act, the Department of Health (DOH) shall issue the 
necessary guidelines and requirements for the mandatory labeling requirement for all 
consumer products, food products and foodstuff that contain industrially produced trans- 
fatty acids (IP-TFA) / trans-fats. 
SEC. 5. 
Information, Education and Communication (l€C) Campaign. - 
The Department of Health (DOH), in cooperation with the Philippine Information 
Agency (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. - 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. 
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. 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. 
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. IO. 
Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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