Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

5323

HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by Representative GERALDINE B. ROMAN

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘The safety and health of our citizens should be the prime consideration of every
government.National development goals must be approached from a holistic perspective. Every
government must aim for the complete transformation of its citizens into a people that has both

the mindset and physical condition necessary for achieving national progress.

To this end, it is in the interest of the Government to ensure that the food that its citizens
eat is found well-within the standards set by reputable agencies worldwide. In this respect, we
must recognize that both the United States Food and Drug Administration and the European Food
Safety Authority are high-standard authorities in the field of food safety. As such, in the interest
of guarding the safety of our food as it journeys from farm to table, it is only logical for
Government to try to adopt the same high standards that these international food safety
institutions have set. In the name of modernization and alignment with global standards, our own
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will find that adopting globally-accepted standards will
serve the interests of the Filipino people.

This will also serve to benefit the country’s export industry as the observance of stringent
standards will allow our producers and exporters to easily compete on the global arena.Keeping
our food safety standards topnotch will ensure proper nourishment of our people and will enable

our products to compete toe-to-toe with other food products from across the world

For these reasons, passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

AML Pew
Jw


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

E BILL No. 5823

HOUS

Introduced by Representative GERALDINE B. ROMAN

AN ACT
DIRECTING THE FOOD AND DRUG AUTHORITY (FDA) TO ALIGN THE
NATIONAL FOOD SAFETY STANDARDS OF THE PHILIPPINES
WITH INTERNATIONALLY-ACCEPTED PRACTICES AND ENSURE NATIONWIDE
MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE THERETO, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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 “FDA International Standards Act of
2017."

Section 2. Declaration of Policy — \t shall be the policy of the State tosecure the health of its
citizens by ensuring that the food safety standards they observe are acceptable globally and meet
even the most stringent qualifications. To this end, the State shall adopt the best practices
exercised internationally.

Section 3. Alignment with Internationally-Accepted Food Safety Standards~ The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) shall align its food safety standards with the standards set by the United
States Food and Drug Administration and the European Food Safety Authority.

Seeti

n 4. Resolution of Cases of Discrepancies in Food Safety Standards~ In
are discrepancies between the standards followed by either of the two, the
Administration shall adopt and apply the more stringent standards as identified by the Department
of Health,

Section 5. Implementation of Food Safety Standards~The Food and Drug Administration shall
promulgate its food safety standards, especially to the agriculture sector and to businesses that
engage in food services. The promulgation shall include a list which specifically identifies
substances or its ingredients that are prohibited and shall never be used for the production of food.



Section 6. Monitoring in the Agricultural Sector ~ The Food and Drug Administration, in
coordination with the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Science and Technology, and
the Local Government Unit concerned, shall monitor and ensure that farmers and other workers in
the agricultural sector shall comply with the standards promulgated by the Food and Drug
‘Administration in relation to their production of food. This shall include, but shall not be limited
to, the approval of fertilizers, pesticides, & other chemicalsused in the agricultural sector.

Section 7. Local Unavailability of Fertilizers or Pesticides Approved by New Food Safety
Standards~ In cases where approved fertilizers or pesticides manufactured internationally are are
locally unavailable, the Department of Science and Technology and the Department of
Agriculture shall work towards developing new and compliant locally-manufactured fertilizers
and pesticides for use in the agricultural sector.

Section 8. Monitoring in the Food Services Sector ~ The Food and Drug Administration, in
coordination with the Department of Health and the Department of Trade and Industry, shall
monitor and ensure the compliance of businesses engaged in food service, with the standards
promulgated by the Food and Drug Administration. This shall include, but shall not be limited to,
the prohibition of hazardous substances used as ingredients in the manufacturing of food items.

Section 9. Compliance of Business Establishments in the Food Services Sector — All business
establishments engaged in food service shall be furnished with a list of substances which are
prohibited to be used as ingredients in the manufacture of food items. Further, Local Government
Units shall be empowered to monitor and enforce compliance to the food safety standards
promulgated by the Food and Drug Administration.

Section 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations — The Food and Drug Administration and the
Department of Health shall have joint responsibility over the formulation of the Implementing
Rules and Regulations necessary for the effective execution and enforcement of this Act. They
shall do so in close coordination with the Department of Science and Technology, Department of
Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, as well as other stakeholders.

‘The Implementing Rules and Regulations shall be released within ninety (90) days from the
approval of this Act.

Section 11. Repealing Clause — All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules and
regulations, and parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
repealed or modified accordingly.

Section 12.Separability Clause ~ If, for any reason, any section or provision of this Act, or any
portion thereof, or the application of such section, provision, or portion to any person, group, or
circumstance is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or the application of
such section, provision, or portion thereof to other persons, groups, or circumstances shall not be
affected by such declaration.

Section 13. Effectivity ~ This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in
three (3) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,