Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS.
First Regular Session

Introduced by: Rep. Iris Marie D. Montes and Rep. Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan

(AN ACT
MANDATING THE DISCLOSURE OF NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION IN MENUS OF FOOD
SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

A study reveals that “In the Philippines, the rising prevalence of obesity and
related chronic diseases alongside persistent undernutrition presents a complex public
health challenge.”

During this year’s World Obesity Day, the National Nutrition Council (NNC),
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO)
called for stronger policies to prevent childhood overweight and obesity and ensure
children grow up in healthier food environments.”

Accordingly, “Obesity—now recognised as a chronic and relapsing disease linked
to diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic illnesses—has tripled in recent decades.
Nearly 1 in 10 children and almost 4 in 10 adults in the Philippines are now classified
as overweight and obese, a level considered high by global standards."

In the past decade, cardiovascular diseases have been one of the leading causes
of mortality among Filipinos, which is largely attributed to an unhealthy lifestyle.

In order to encourage people to have a healthier lifestyle and to provide a
mechanism to inform them of the calorie content and nutritional information of the
food they take, this bill requires the disclosure of calorie content in menus of food
service establishments.

Through this measure, covered food establishments will be required to
prominently display nutritional information so that customers will be able to make a
more informed decision towards a proper and healthier lifestyle.

1 Gaupholm J, Dodd W, Papadopoulos A, Little M. Exploring the double burden of mainutrition at
the household level in the Philippines: Analysis of National Nutrition Survey data. PLoS One.
2023 Jul 17;18(7):e0288402. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288402. PMID: 37459316; PMCID:
PMC10351706. (https://pmc.ncbi.nim.nih.gov/articles/PMC10351706/) Accessed on 02 July
2025

2 Stronger food policies needed to combat obesity in the Philippines, 4 March 2025, Joint News
Release ( Ww: 4
needed-to-combat-obesity-in-the-philippines) ‘Accessed ‘on 02 July 2025

3 Ibid.



In view thereof, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

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“ATTY. MIKE” D.L. TAN ws habe oes

th District, Quezon Kababaihan Kabalikatan para sa Kapakanan
at Kaunlaran ng Bayan (4K) Party-list



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House anno. 3946

Introduced by: Rep. Iris Marie D. Montes and Rep. Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan

AN ACT
MANDATING THE DISCLOSURE OF NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION IN MENUS OF FOOD
SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS

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 “Food Nutritional
Information Disclosure Act”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall protect and promote the right of
health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. As such, it
recognizes the need to disclose nutritional facts for food and beverages made available
to the public in order to sufficiently instill a sense of health consciousness among the
populace.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:

(a) Calorie content information refers to the total number of calories per
standard menu item, as that item is usually prepared and offered for sale;

(b) Covered food service establishment refers to one of a group of fifteen (15) or
more food service establishments doing business nationally or through online food
delivery applications, offering for sale substantially the same menu items, in servings
that are standardized for portion size and content, that operate under common
ownership or control, or as franchised outlets of a parent business, or do business
under the same name;

(c) Drive-thru refers to an area where a customer may provide an order for and
receive standard menu items while occupying a motor vehicle;

(d) Food refers to a unit serving of ready-to-eat food or beverage for sale in a
restaurant or food service establishment;

(e) Food-on-display refers to food offered for sale that is visible to a customer
before making selection, and needs no further preparation before consumption;

(f) Menu refers to a printed list or pictorial display of a food item or items, and
their price(s), that are available for sale from a covered food service establishment and
shall include menus distributed or provided outside of the establishment;


(g) Menu board refers to any list or pictorial display of a food item or items and
their price(s) posted in and visible within a covered food service establishment or
outside of a covered food service establishment for the purpose of ordering from a
drive-through window;

(h) Nutritional information refers to, but is not limited to, all of the following, per
menu item:

1. Total number of calories;

2. Total number of grams of carbohydrates;
3. Total number of grams of saturated fat
4. Total number of grams of protein; and
5. Total number of milligrams of sodium

(i) Reasonable basis refers to any reasonable means recognized by the National
Nutrition Council (NNC) in determining nutritional information, as well as calorie
content information, for a menu item, as usually prepared and offered for sale,
including, but not limited to, nutrient databases, professional and laboratory analyses;
and

(j) Standard menu item refers to any individual food item, or combination of
food items, listed or displayed on a menu board or menu that is offered for sale or sold
by a covered food service establishment through a menu, menu board, or display tag
at least 180 days per calendar year

SEC. 4. Menu Labeling. - Covered food service establishments shall disclose, in a
clear and conspicuous manner, on their menus and menu boards the calorie content
information, which shall be displayed adjacent to the name of the standard menu item,
so as to be clearly associated with such item. In the case of display tags, the calorie
content information of the standard menu item identified on the display tag shall be
stated thereon.

For the other nutritional information of the standard menu items, as well as the
suggested daily caloric intake of the average Filipino as specified by the NNC through
the implementing rules and regulations to be issued pursuant to this Act, covered food
service establishments shall disclose the information in a clear and conspicuous
manner on a brochure that is made available at the point of sale prior to or during the
placement of an order. The same information shall also be made accessible in the
website of the covered food service establishment and food service delivery application,
if available.

In the case of food sold at a salad bar, buffet line, cafeteria line, or similar self-
service facility, and for self-service beverages or food that is on display and that is
visible to customers, a covered food service establishment shall place adjacent to each
food offered a sign that lists calories per displayed food item or per serving.

The disclosure of calorie content information on a menu or menu board next to a
standard menu item that is a combination of at least two standard menu items on the


menu or menu board, shall, based upon all possible combinations for that standard
menu item, include both the minimum and maximum amount of calories for the calorie
count information. If there is only one possible total amount of calories, then this total
shall be disclosed.

The disclosure of calorie content information next to a standard menu item that
is intended to serve more than one individual, shall include the number of individuals
intended to be served by the standard menu item and the calorie content information
per individual serving.

The nutritional information and calorie content information required by this
Section shall be determined on a reasonable basis. A reasonable basis determination of
nutritional information and calorie content information shall be required only once per
standard menu item, provided that portion size is reasonably consistent and the
covered food service establishment follows a standardized recipe and trains to a
consistent method of preparation.

SEC. 5. Disclosure in Drive-thru Food Service Establishments. - A covered food
service establishment that has a drive-thru area and uses a menu board to display or
list standard menu items at the point of sale shall, for purposes of the drive-thru area
only, disclose the nutritional information in a clear and conspicuous manner on a
brochure that is available upon request, and shall conspicuously display a notice at the
point of sale that reads; “NUTRITION INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST” or
other similar statement that indicates the disclosure of nutrition information is available
upon request.

SEC. 6. Non-compliance with Menu Labeling Requirement. - The following shall
be considered non-compliance with menu labeling:

(1) The sale of any food or beverage item by covered establishments without the
required calorie content information, suggested daily calorie intake, and availability of
nutritional information displayed on the menu, menu board, or display tag;

(2) The sale of any food or beverage item by covered establishments without the
availability of the required nutritional information for all standard menu items;

(3) The declaration of calorie content information and nutritional information
without reasonable basis therefor; and

(4) The misbranding or erroneous disclosure of calorie content information and
nutritional information of standard menu items.

SEC. 7. Transitory Period and Disclosure Compliance Certificate. -

Covered establishments shall have a period of one (1) year from the approval of
this Act to comply with the requirements herein provided. Thereafter, all covered
establishments must obtain a Nutritional Disclosure Compliance Certificate (NDCC)
from the NNC. The NDCC shall be valid for two (2) years from the date of issuance and
may be renewed at least thirty (30) days before its expiration. The NNC may refuse to
renew the NDCC of a covered establishment in the event of violation or non-compliance
of any provisions of this Act.


Failure of any restaurant or fast food chain establishment to secure a NDCC shall
be a ground for the suspension or revocation of its license to operate.

The NNC shall provide a standard guidelines to assist covered establishments in
making a reasonable basis in determining nutritional information, as well as calorie
content information, for a menu item.

SEC. 8. Penalties. - Any violations of this Act shall warrant the imposition of any
or all of the following penalties and liabilities.

(a) Suspension of business operations of the non-complying branch or branches
of the covered food service establishment for such period of time as determined by the
Council; and

(b) A fine of not less than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 100,000.00) for
the first violation; not more than Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (Php 500,000.00) for
the second violation; and not more than One Million Pesos (Php 1,000,000.00) for the
third violation for every non-complying branch.

SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within six (6) months from the
date of effectivity of this Act, the NNC, in consultation with concerned agencies, non-
governmental organizations, private sector and consumer groups involved in nutrition,
shall promulgate the necessary implementing rules and regulations to implement the
provisions of this Act.

SEC. 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or
unconstitutional, the provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force
and effect.

SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees,
presidential proclamations, letters of instruction, rules and regulations or parts thereof
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 12. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect within fifteen (15) days following
its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,