SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC )
OF THE PHILIPPINES

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Second Regular Session ) 18 MAY 21. PS 22

S.B. No. 18 13 RECEIVED Y

Introduced by Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay

AN ACT
PROHIBITING THE USE OF TRANS FATTY ACIDS IN FOOD FACILITIES

EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article II, Section 15 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides:

“The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the
people and instill health consciousness among them.”

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), artificial trans fats are made
when vegetable oil hardens in a process called hydrogenation. Those
hydrogenated fats are used in fried foods, snacks foods or baked goods, and in
products such as vegetable shortening, stick margarine, coffee creamer and
ready-to-use frostings. Artificial trans fats, or trans fatty acids, do not spoil as
quickly as other fats and are known to have harmful health effects such as rising
levels of bad LDL cholesterol and increasing risk of heart disease, stroke and
type 2 diabetes.

Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes are among the top leading causes of death
in the Philippines. The Department of Health (DOH) defined these diseases as
Lifestyle Related Non-communicable diseases in the National Objective for health
since these diseases share common risk factors attributed largely to unhealthly
lifestyles. The DOH also identified that these Lifestyle Related Non-communicable
diseases cause more than half of all deaths annually. Furthermore, hypertension
and diseases of the heart have also been identified as among the ten leading
cause of illnesses each year.

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This bill seeks to prohibit the use of artificial trans fats for the purpose of
reducing lifestyle related diseases through the promotion of a healthy lifestyle
and to provide consumers healthier alternatives in food service facilities,

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

MARIA LOURDES IANCY S. BINAY
Senator



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SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC )
OF THE PHILIPPINES
Second Regular Session )

‘18 MAY 21. PS 22

SENATE
S.B.NO._ 1813

Introduced by Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay

AN ACT
PROHIBITING THE USE OF TRANS FATTY ACIDS IN FOOD FACILITIES

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

Section 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Trans Fat
Prohibition Act.”

Sec. 2. Definitions of Terms. — As used in this Act, the term:

(A) “Food facility” means an operation that stores, prepares,
Packages, serves, vends, or otherwise provides food for human
consumption at the retail level;

(B) “Trans fat” refers to a type of unsaturated fat, also known as trans
fatty acid, made through the chemical process of hydrogenation of
oils. Hydrogenation solidifies liquid oils and increases the shelf life
and the flavor stability of oils and foods that contain them. Trans
fat is found in vegetable shortenings and in some margarines,
crackers, cookies, snack foods and other foods:

(C) “Department” refers to the Department of Health;

(D) “Secretary” refers to the Secretary of Health.

Sec. 3. Requirements for Food Facilities. - Every food facility shall
maintain on the premises the manufacturers’ documentation or label for any food
or food additive that is or includes any fat, oil, or shortening, for as long as this
food or food additive is stored, distributed, or served by, or used in the
Preparation of food within, the food facility. The manufacturer’s documentation

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may be maintained in lieu of the label. The manufacturer's documentation
described in this section shall be authorized by the department and disclose one
or both of the following —

(A) The trans fat content of the food or food additive;

(B) Whether a food or food additive is or includes margarine, vegetable

shortening, or any kind of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil;

Sec. 4. Restriction on the Use of Trans Fats. - The following deadlines on
the use of trans fats shall be observed —

(A) One (1) year after the enactment of this Act, no oil, shortening, or
margarine containing artificial trans fat for use in spreads or frying,
except for the deep frying of yeast dough or cake batter, may be
stored, distributed, or served by, or used in the preparation of any
food within a food facility;

(B) Two (2) years after the enactment of this Act, no food containing
artificial trans fat, including oil and shortening that contains artificial
trans fat for the use in the deep frying of yeast dough or cake batter,
may be stored, distributed, or served by, or used in the preparation
of any food within a food facility;

(C) For purposes of this section, food contains artificial fats if the food
contains vegetable shortening, margarine, or any kind of partially
hydrogenated vegetable oil, unless the manufacturers
documentation or the label required on the food, lists the trans fat
content as less than 0.5 grams per serving.

Sec. 5. Penalties. - The Department is empowered to establish and assess
penalties or fines against violators of this Act pursuant to regulations
promulgated by the Secretary under this Act. In no circumstance will any penalty
or fine exceed P10,000.00 per day for each day of violation of any provision of
this Act.



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Sec. 6. 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. 7. 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. 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,