",'; , 
,,~,~_ Hl<,' f\~'l 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
10 JUl22 A9 :21 
SEN,;\U\ 
S. N~. u.s61 
/) 
1'1 "":"" Wf 0 IW' • ,"/ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
According to ARTICLE XIII Section 12 of the 1987 Constitution: 
"The State shall establish and maintain an effective food and drug regulatory 
system and undertake appropriate health, manpower development, and research, 
respqnsive to the country's health needs and problems." 
Dietary supplements and weight-loss aids are not subject to the same rigorous standards 
by the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) as are prescription drugs or medications sold over-
the-counter. These weight-loss supplements do not have to disclose a full list of ingredients, and 
often trigger a host of harmful side effects, including nausea, high blood pressure, diarrhea, 
indigestion, heart rate irregularities, insomnia, vomiting, or worse. This "buyer beware" policy is 
troublesome enough regarding adult consumers, but it is particularly alarming with regard to 
teenagers and children. Warning labels on many of these products alert that they are "for adult 
use only," or are "not for use by individuals under 18 years of age," but yet there are no 
regulations which restrict a retailer from selling these products to children. We must protect our 
children from unfettered access to untested weight-loss supplements that could wreak potentially 
permanent damage on their bodies. 
This legislation would address this problem by not only making prohibiting the sale of 
over-the-counter w~ight loss supplements to persons younger than 18, but also by requiring 
retailers selling these supplements to post in a conspicuous location a sign stating that selling 
over-the-counter weight loss supplements to persons younger than 18 is a violation of the law. 
, This bill was originally filed in the Fourteenth Congress; Second Regular Session 


l' -~- .' 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
H) 
J!JL22 
11 ') :21 
SENh-T,j: 
S. No. 
1~61 
, \ 
'" 
. .," 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
1 
AN ACT 
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PROHIBITING THE SALE OF OVER-THE-COUNTER WEIGHT LOSS SUPPLEMENTS TO 
3 
MINORS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Definition. - For the purposes of this Act, "Over-the-counter weight loss 
5 
supplements" means any product intended for the purpose of weight loss that are sold without 
6 
the need of a prescription. 
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SECTION 2. Prohibition. - Any person operating a place of business where over-the-
8 
counter weight loss supplements are sold or offered for sale is prohibited from selling such 
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products to individuals under eighteen years of age. 
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SECTION 3. Sign. - Any person operating a place of business where over-the-counter 
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weight loss supplements are sold or offered for sale shall post in a conspicuous place a sign upon 
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which there shall be imprinted the following statement, "Sale of over-the-counter weight loss 
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supplements to persons under eighteen years of age is prohibited by law." Such sign shall be 
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printed on a white card in red letters at least one-half inch in height. 
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SECTION 4. Penalty. - Any person who violates section 2 and 3 of this Act shall 
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be penalized with a fine of not less than Fifty Thousand Pesos (P 50,000.00) but not more than 
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Two Hundred thousand Pesos (P 200,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than six (6) months but 
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not more that five (5) years, or both such fine and imprisonment at the discretion of the court. 
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SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or 
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parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or 
3 
modified accordingly. 
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SECTION 6. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any provision of this Act is 
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declared to be unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not 
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affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
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SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (IS) days 
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following its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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