Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL Nee pa

Introduced by
Honorable Cristal L. Bagatsing

AN ACT

MANDATING THE DISPLAY OF NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
ON THE MENU OF FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article XIII, Section 11 of the 1987 Constitution provides that:

“The State shall adopt an integrated and comprehensive approach to health
development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, health and other social services
available to all the people at affordable cost. x x x”

According to World Health Organization, a healthy diet could prevent premature
heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. By requiring all food chain restaurant or food
establishments to inform their customers the right information about nutrition and calories
without compromising their health.

In view thereof, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sou,

HON. CRIS’ ‘AGATSING


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL Now. $31

Introduced by
Honorable Cristal L.Bagatsing

AN ACT
MANDATING THE DISPLAY OF NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE MENU
OF FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS.

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

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Menu Nutritional
Information Act”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the
State to protect and promote the right of the people to good health. Towards this end,
the State hereby mandates the disclosure and display of the nutrition content
information of food on the menus and menu boards of restaurants and fast food chain
establishments to help Filipinos make healthier food choices.

SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms
shall mean:

a) Food establishment — any food retail establishment that is part of an
affiliation of ten (10) or more food retail establishments, doing
business under the same name, regardless of its type of ownership,
and selling substantially the same menu items in standard content
and portion servings.

db)

Food items — a unit serving of a ready-to-eat food or beverage for
sale in a restaurant or food retail establishments.

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Food-on-display — food offered for sale that is visible to a customer
before making a selection, and needs no further preparation before
consumption.


) Standard menu item — many individual food item or combination of
food items that is routinely listed on a menu or menu board, or
routinely offered for sale by a restaurant or fast food chain
establishment.

) Mem - a printed list or pictorial display of food items or
combination of food items and their prices posted in and visible
within a fast food chain as defined in this Act, including menus
distributed or provided outside of the establishment.

f) Menu Board - any list or pictorial display of food items and their
prices posted in and visible within or outside a fast food chain as
defined in this Act, including drive thru menu boards.

g) Self-service food - food and beverages that the consumers serve
themselves, including food offered for sale at a salad bar, buffet line,

cafeteria line, or similar self-service facility.

SECTION 4. Disclosure of Nutrition Information. — All food establishments,
as defined in this Act, are hereby required to disclose and display the nutrient content
information of each standard menu item on their menus and menu boards as usually
prepared and sold to the public. Food establishments offering self-service food and
food on-display, the nutrient content information per item or serving shall be posted
ona sign adjacent to such food.

‘The nutrition information shall indicate the amount of each of the following:

. Total fat;

Saturated fat;

. Cholesterol;

Sodium;

Total Carbohydrates;
Complex; carbohydrates;
Sugars;

|. Dietary fiber; and

Total protein.

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Disclosure and display of nutrition information shall not apply to custom orders
on food that is part of a customary market test or temporary menu items.

SECTION 5. Calorie Content. — The disclosure of nutrition content
information by food establishments, as required in the preceding section, shall indicate
the calories contained in a standard menu item to the nearest five-calorie increment up


to and including fifty (50) calories, to the nearest ten-calorie increment above fifty
(50) calories.

For foods that have fewer than five (5) calories, the declaration may be
expressed as zero (0).

SECTION 6. Disclosure Compliance Certificate. — As an additional
requirement for their operation within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act,
food establishments are hereby directed to apply for and secure a Nutrition Disclosure
Compliance Certificate (NDCC) from the Department of Health (DOH). The NDCC
issued by the DOH shall be valid for two (2) years from the date of issuance and may
be renewed at least thirty (30) days before its expiration. The DOH may refuse to
renew the NDCC of any restaurant or fast food chain establishment found to be in
violation of this Act.

Failure of any restaurant of fast food chain establishment to secure a NDCC
shall be a ground for the suspension or revocation of its license to operate.

SECTION 7. Penalties. — A fine of not less than twenty thousand pesos
(PHP20,000) but not more than one hundred thousand pesos (PHP100,000) shall be
imposed upon any person operating a food establishment found to have failed to
comply with the mandatory nutrition information regarding the number of calories or
nutrients contained I their standard menu items.

SECTION 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. ~ Within sixty (60) days
from the effectivity of this Act, DOH shall promulgate the necessary rules and
regulations for the effective implementation on this Act.

SECTION 9. Separability Clause. — Should any provision herein be declared
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other rules and
regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and
regulations or other issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 11. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after

publication in the Official Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of general circulation
in the Philippines.

Approved.