30 P I :  
THILTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THEPHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. 
NO. i z  
Ir; 
Introduced bv Senator LUISA “LOI” P. EERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 15 provides: 
“The State shall protect and promote the right to 
health of the people and instill health consciousness among 
them.” 
Republic Act No. 7394, otherwise known as the “Consumer Act of the 
Philippines,“ was enacted to protect the interests of the consumer, promote his general 
welfare, and to establish standards of conduct for business and industry. Article 77 of this 
Act provides for the minimum labeling requirements for consumer products. 
Genetically engineering food is a new way of producing foods -- by taking DNA 
from ohe species and inserting it into another. Given the huge complexity of the genetic 
code, do one can possibly predict the effects of adding new genes into any organism or 
plant. It has been reported that one geneticalfy engineered food supplement (tryptophan) 
has killed 37 North Americans and permanently disabled 1500. Many scientists feel that 
these foods have not been properly tested and pose serious health risks (“Genetically 
Engineered 
Food 
-- 
A 
Serious Health 
Risk,“ Friends 
of 
the 
barth, 
http://www. foe. co.uk/camps/Foodbio). 
Consumers have a right to know whether the food they purchase contains or was 
produced with genetically engineered material. Thus, the bill seeks to require the labeling 
of food, meat, and poultry products that contains genetically engineered material, 
In view of the foregoing, immediate enactment of this proposed measbre is 
earnestly recommended. 
d,!- +< 
LUISA “LOI” P EJERCITO ESTRADA 
‘senator 


30 
THIRmENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator LUISA "LOP,' P. EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
TO REQUIRE TEIAT FOOD, MEAT AND POULTRY PRODUCTS THAT 
CONTAIN A GENETICALLY ENGINEERED MATERIAL, BE LABELED 
ACCORDINGLY 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives ofthe Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. -- This Act shall be known as the "Genetically 
Engineered Food Right to Know Act". 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - The state shall enforce compulsory labeling and 
fair packaging to enable the consumer to obtain accurate information as to the nature, 
quality, and quantity of the contents of consumer products and to facilitate his 
comparison of the value of such products. 
a
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SEC. 3. Definition of Tenrts. - As used in this Act: 
(a) "Genetically Engineered Material' means material derived fiom any part of a 
genetically engineered organism, without regard to whether the altered 
molecular or cellular characteristics of the organism are detectable in the 
material. 
(b) "Genetically Engineered Organism" means- 
(1) an organism that has been altered at the molecular or cellular level by 
means that are not possible under natural conditions or processes 
(including but not limited to recombinant DNA and RNA techniques cell 
hion, microencapsulation, macroencapsulation, gene deletioh and 
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doubling, introducing a foreign gene, and changing the positions of 
genes), other than a means consisting exclusively of breeding, 
conjugation, fermentation, hybridization, in vitro fertilization, or tissue 
'. 
* 
. 
culture, and 
(2) an organism made through sexual or asexual reproduction (or both) 
involving an organism described in sub-clause (l), if possessing any of the 
altered molecular or cellular characteristics of the organism so described. 
(e) "Meat Food" means a carcass, part of a carcass, meat, or meat food product 
that is derived from cattle, sheep, swine, goats, hearses, mules, or other 
equines and is capable of use as human food. 
SEC. 4. Labeling of Genetical& EngineeredMaterial. - 
(a) In General - This labeling requirement shall apply to food, poultry, and meat 
products. 
(b) All products enumerated in the preceding paragraph, domestically sold, 
whether manufactured locally or imported, if it contains a genetically 
engineered material, or was produced with a genetically engineered material, 
shall provide notices in accordance with the following: 
(1) A notice as follows: "GENETICAT-,LY ENGINEERED." 
(2) A notice as follows: "THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS A GENETICALLY 
ENGINEEWD MATERIAL, OR WAS PRODUCED WITH A 
GENETICALLY ENGINEERElD MATERIAL,." 
(3) The notice required in clause (1) immediately precedes the notice required 
in clause (2) and is not less than twice the size of the notice required in 
clause (2). 
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SEC. 5. Genetically Engineered Food - 
(a) In General -- A food shall be considered to have been produced with a 
genetically engineered material if - 
(1) the organism from which the food is derived has been injected 
I
.
 
or 
otherwise treated with a genetically engineered material (except that the 
use of manure as a fertilizer for raw agricultural commodities may not be 
construed to mean that such commodities are produced with a genetically 
engineered material); 
(2) the animal from which the food is derived has been fed genetically 
engineered material, or 
(3) the food contains an ingredient that is a food to which clause (A) or (B) 
applies. 
(b) Exceptions -- This paragraph does not apply to food that-- 
(1) is served in restaurants or other establishments in which food is served for 
immediate human consumption; 
(2) is processed and prepared primarily in a retail establishment, is ready for 
human consumption, which is of the type described in clause (A), and is 
offered for sale to consumers but not for immediate human consumption 
in such establishment and is not offered for sale outside such 
establishment, or 
(3) is a medical food. 
.
.
 
SEC. 6. Genetically EngineeredMeat.-- 
(a) In General -- A meat food shall be considered to have been produced with a 
genetically engineered material if- 
(1) the organism from which the food is derived has been injected or 
otherwise treated with a genetically engineered material; 
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I 
.
.
 
(2) the animal fiom which the food is derived has been fed genetically 
engineered material; or 
(3) the food contains an ingredient that is a food to which subparagraph (a) or 
(b) applies. 
(b) Exceptiuns - This paragraph does not apply to any meat food that- 
(1) is served in restaurants or other establishments in which food is served for . 
immediate human consumption; or 
(2) is processed and prepared primarily in a retail establishment, is ready for 
human consumption, is offered for sale to consumers but not for 
immediate human consumption in such establishment, and is not offered 
for sale outside such establishment. 
SEC. 7. Genetically Engineered Poultry Product.- 
(a) In General -- A poultry product shall be considered to have been produced 
with a genetically engineered material if - 
(1) the poultry from which the food is derived has been injected or otherwise 
treated with a genetically engineered material; 
(2) the poultry fiom which the food is derived has been fed genetically 
engineered material; or 
(3) the food contains an ingredient that is a food to which subparagraph (a) or 
(b) applies. 
(b) Exceptions -- This paragraph does not apply to any poultry product that- 
(1) is served in restaurants or other establishments'in which food is served for 
immediate human consumption; or 
1
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(2) is processed and prepared primarily in a retail establishment, is ready for 
human consumption, is offered for sale to consumers but not for 
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immediate human consumption in such establishment, and is not offered 
for sale outside such establishment. 
SEC. 8. Implementing Agencies. -- The provisions of this Act and its 
implementing rules and regulations shall be enforced by: 
(a) the Department of Health with respect to food; and 
(b) the Department of Agriculture with respect to products related to agriculture. 
SEC. 9. Penalties. -- Any person who shall violate the provisions of this Act shall 
be subject to a fine of not less than Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,OOO.OO) but not more 
than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,OOO.OO) 
or imprisonment of not less than Six 
(6) months but not more than (2) two years or both, at the discretion of the court. 
SEC. 10. 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. 11. 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. 
SEC. 12. Effectivity Clause.- This Act shall take effect fifteen (1 5) days &er its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
G Wpink disk3/meat and poultry products 
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