SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.No. 
1750 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 13, Section II states: 
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OCT -2 
A11 :20 
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. There shall be priority 
for the needs of the under-privileged, sick, elderly, disabled, women, and 
children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical care to paupers. 
Lead is a neurotoxin that is particularly hazardous to young children, causing permanent 
neurological damage. High doses of lead can damage the nervous system, kidneys, and blood' 
system and can even be lethal. Continuous low-level exposure causes lead to accumulate in the 
body and cause damage. It is particularly dangerous for babies, before and after birth, and for 
small children, because their bodies and brains are growing rapidly. Exposures to even very low 
levels of lead can cause brain function impairment. No level of lead exposure has been found to 
be safe for a developing child. 
According to a World Health Organization study, one possible source of contamination 
that has aroused concern is lead present in food containers. Depending on pH; mineralization and 
other factors, traces of lead may leach into food or drink from such containers. This is a matter 
that deserves legislative action to protect our health from a preventable health issue.' 
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MIRIAM DEF 
SOR S NTI 
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• This bill was originally filed in the 14'" Congress. 


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SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'13 
OCT -2 fl.ll :20 
SENATE 
' 
____________ 
S_,_N_O_, '_1_7_5_0 _______ 
lt_E_C_b_'!'_,_,:_Il_I_\\_ r 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO PREVENT EXCESSIVE LEAD CONTENT IN FOOD CONTAINERS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1, Prohibition, - No person or entity shall manufacture, distribute, sell, or 
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offer for sale any food container (Containers) which contains more than six hundred parts per 
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million of lead, 
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SECTION 2, Monitoring, - The Department of Trade and ,Industry (DTI) shall monitor 
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all food containers sold or distributed in the country, Monitoring shall include sampling and 
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testing to determine the lead levels in these containers, 
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SECTION 3, Excess Lead. - If the lead level that is tested by the DTI exceeds the 
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maximum allowable level, the Depattment shall: 
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(A) 
Issue health advisory notices alerting them of the danger posed by the use of such 
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containers; and 
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(B) 
Notify the manufacturer and the distributor that such containers exceed the 
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maximum allowable lead level, and that it shall not be sold or distributed until further testing 
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proves that it is in compliance with the maximum allowable lead level. 
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SECTION 4, Separability Clause, -
If any provision of this Act is declared 
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unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not affected thereby 
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shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
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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 
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modified accordingly. 
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SECTION 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following 
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its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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