FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
. : 
,: i! 
K i r  'C 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
8 I,'., 
i I , ' 
Second Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. B. No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 11, Section 15 provides: 
The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the 
people aid instill health consciousness among them. 
There are four kinds of fats: monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, saturated 
fat, and trans fat. Monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat are the "good" fats. It is 
generally accepted that consumption of saturated fat should be kept low, especially for 
adults. Trans fat (which means trans fatty acids) is the worst kind of fat, far worse than 
saturated fat. Partial hydrogenation is an industrial process used to make cooking oil 
more solid, provide longer shelf-life in baked products, provide longer fry-life for 
cooking oils and provide a certain kind of texture or "mouthfeel." The big problem is that 
partially hydrogenated oil is laden with lethal trans fat. 
Partially hydrogenated oils are commonly found in processed foods like 
coininercial baked products such as cookies, cakes and crackers, and even in bread. They 
are also used as cooking oils for frying in restaurants. Top nutritionists at Harvard have 
concluded that lrans fat could be responsible for an many as 30,000 premature coronary 
deaths per year. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of mortality in the 
Philippines. Trans fats cause significant and serious lowering of HDL (good) cholesterol 
and a significant and serious increase in LDL (bad) cholesterol. They have been shown to 
make the arteries more rigid, cause major clogging of arteries, insulin resistance, cause or 
contribute to type 2 diabetes and cause or contribute to other serious health problems. 
There is considerable evidence linking an increased risk of heart disease and stroke more 
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strongly to low HDL levels than to high LDL levels. In addition to enabling the body to 
get rid of unwanted cholesterol, HDL also acts in several other protective ways. It is an 
antioxidant deterring the harmful oxidation of LDL, and as an anti-inflammatory agent, 
helping to repair what is now considered a major player in blood vessel disease. It also has 
anti-clotting properties, which can help keep blood clots from blocking arteries. 
In a study conducted in Australia, scientists acquired dietary information as well 
as fat biopsy samples from 79 people. Each had just had a first heart attack. The 
researchers obtained similar information and biopsy samples from 167 people without 
heart problems. The researchers inquired specifically about the participants' type and 
amount of fat intake. The heart patients and healthy individuals were also matched lor 
age, gender, and socioeconomic background. Analysis revealed that trans fats from both 
animal and vegetable sources were significantly more abundant in the fat tissues of heart 
attack patients than in the healthy volunteers. The relationship of abundant trans fats with 
heart risk remained even after the scientists statistically accounted for the effect of 
saturated fats in the participants' diets. 
This bill seeks to address the problems caused by the consumption of trans fats by 
banning its use. There are several healthier alternatives to trans fats. This will give 
consumers healthier choices when they eat in food service establishments. 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
8 Q:i 
\‘i 
,A 
Second Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
PROHIBITING THE USE OF TRANS FATTY ACIDS 
IN FOOD FACILITIES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Trans Fat Prohibition Act of 
2008.” 
SECTION 2. Definition ofterms. - 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 
tluough 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 the Department. 
SECTION 3. Requirements for food facilities. - Every food facility shall maintain on 
the premises the manufacturer’s 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 may be maintained in lieu of the label. The manufacturer’s documentation 
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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; 
SECTION 4. Prohibition on the use of trans fats. -The following deadlines on the use 
of trans fats shal1,be observed- 
(A) On and after 1 July 2009, 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) On and after 1 July 2010, no food containing artificial trans fat, including oil and 
shortening that contains artificial trans fat for 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 trans fat if the food contains 
vegetable shortening, margarine, or any kind of partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, 
unless the manufacturer's documentation or the label required on the food, lists the 
trans fat content as less than 0.5 grams per serving. 
SECTION 5. Penalties. - The Department is empowered to establish and assess penalties 
or fines against violators of this Act or regulations adopted by the Secretary under this Act. In no 
circumstance will any penalty or fine exceed P10,OOO.OO per day for each day of violation of any 
provision 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. 
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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 provisioiis of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 8. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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