THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
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INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 16, Section 9 provides: 
The State shall protect consumers from trade malpractices and from 
substandard or hazardous products. 
Consumption of bottled water has increased markedly in recent years, with thousands of 
households currently consuming bottled drinking water as their source of drinking water. 
Consumers are paying premium prices for bottled water based on the assumption that it is 
of superior quality to their tap water. 
Unfortunately, bottled water sold in the country is left unregulated. This, certainly, is a 
cause of concern, as there exists a possibility that the bottled water sold in the market is not 
superior quality as claimed. 
The purpose of this bill is to establish quality standards for mineral and carbonated water. 
MANUEL B. V 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
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S. No. 
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B 
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INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILILAR JR. 
AN ACT ESTABLISHING QUALITY STANDARDS FOR MINERAL WATER AND 
CARBONATED WATER 
Be 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 "Safe Bottled Water Act." 
SECTION 2. Defznitions- For the purposes of this Act: 
(1) The term 'Director' means the Director of the Bureau of Food and Drugs. 
(2) The term 'Secretary' means the Secretary of the Department of Health. 
SECTION 3. National primary drinking water regulations for bottled Water. 
(a)(l) When the Director promulgates interim or revised national primary drinking water 
regulations concerning maximum contaminant levels, such regulations shall be applicable to all 
bottled drinking waters, including mineral, spring, natural sparkling water and vended water. 
(2) Not later that twelve months after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall 
establish quality standards and definitions for mineral water and carbonated water which include- 
(A) limits for total dissolved solids, sodium, and trihalomethane content; 
(B) the Secretary shall insure that standards for mineral water and carbonated beverages meet all 
established health-based drinking water standards. 
(b) SOURCE PROTECTION - Not later than twelve months after the date of enactment of this 
section, the Director shall-- 
(1) define 'approved sources' of bottled water; 
(2) establish criteria to determine the adequacy as well as the protection of 'approved sources' of 
bottled water including but not limited to-- 
(A) minimum well construction standards. 
(B) minimum distance separation from upstream wastewater discharges; 


(C) minimum distance separations from abandoned wells, septic tanks, waste impoundments, and 
landfills. 
(c) MONITORING, REPORTING AND INSPECTION - Not later than twelve months after the 
date of enactment of this section, the Director shall-- 
(1) establish a bottled water monitoring program which at a minimum-- 
(A) is as stringent as that used for public water supplies and provide for yearly testing and 
monitoring for unregulated contaminants for which public water utilities must test, and 
(B) requires that any analyses or testing be performed in an approved and certified laboratory. 
(2) establish a bottled water reporting program that includes-- 
(A) time tables and procedures for timely reporting 
(B) provide public notification procedures should a bottled water be found to be in exceess of 
health based standards, 
(C) establish a national registry of bottled water facilities and their most current reporting 
information, and 
(D) require that records of sampling and analysis be maintained at the plant for not less than two 
years and shall be available for official review upon request. 
(3) establish a bottled water facility inspection program which includes at a minimum two 
scheduled inspections a year and one unscheduled inspection a year. 
(d) RECALL REGULATIONS - Not later than six months after the date of enactment of this 
section, the Director shall-- 
(1) establish procedures and public notification guidelines for recall of a bottled water product if 
in excess of any health based standards occurs. 
(2) require each bottled to develop and submit individual recall notification and recall 
procedures. 
(e) PROHIBITION ON DUAL USE OF BOTTLED WATER EQUIPMENT - Not later that two 
months after the date of enactment of this section the Director shall prohibit the processing and 
bottling of non-carbonated water with equipment used to process milk, h i t  juice or other food 
products likely to contribute nutrients for microbiological growth. 
(0 BOTTLINGy PACKAGING, AND STORAGE STUDY - The Director shalI conduct a 
comprehensive study of contaminants and the extent to which they contribute to the degradation 
of bottled water from the unique processing and storage of bottled water. The Director shall pay 
particular attention to contamination problems which may arise from the bottling, packaging or 
storage of bottled water products. 
SECTION 4. Labeling - Note later that six months afler the date of enactment of this section the 
Secretary shall-- 
(1) establish and enforce clear, concise, and un-coded uniform source labeling requirements for 
all bottled water products which at a minimum includes-- 


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(A) the original source of the water; 
(B) type of water 
(C) type of treatment, if any; 
(D) the date of bottling; 
(E) the address of the bottler; and 
(F) provide numerical specification of sodium content. 
(2) define mineral water, spring water, naturally carbonated, naturally sparkling, well water, 
natural well water, artesian water, natural artesian water, purified water, distilled water, drinking 
water, and require that the definition for the appropriate product be placed on the bottle. 
SECTION 5. Authorization of funding - There are hereby authorized to be appropriated to the 
Department of Health and Bureau of Food and Drugs, such sums as may be necessary to carry 
out the purposes of this Act. 
SECTION 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. 
SECTION 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 
provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,