Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. _ 641 _

Introduced by HON, JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Water is life. It is very vital for human survival. And with the population boom also
comes the proliferation of bottled water stations some owned by big multi-national
companies which they franchise to local entrepreneurs and others which are small
time and unbranded operators.

It is in this light that the undersigned has come to refile HB 6388 which was approved
by the House of Representatives in the Fifteenth Congress but failed to prosper in the
Senate. This version, however, has minor changes and some additions.

The undersigned hopes that with the filing and approval of this bill, fly-by-night and
sub-standard bottled water providers will be eliminated thereby, protecting
consumers’ health. And also, this bill ensures that quality standards are set in place
for the bottled water distributors and providers to follow.

In this light the passage of this bill is earnestly sought

‘iss


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS.
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. _ 641

Introduced by HON. JOY MYRA S. TAMBUNTING

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING QUALITY STANDARDS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF
MINERAL, CARBONATED AND OTHER BOTTLED 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 OF 2019."

SECTION 2. Statement of Policy. — It is the policy of the state to protect
and promote the health of the people by ensuring that potable, safe and affordable
drinking water is available to all the people by adopting a comprehensive policy
framework to regulate the activities of mineral, carbonated and other bottled water
business including suppliers, distributors and sellers therefor.

SECTION 3. Quality Standards for Bottled Water. -
(a) The interim or revised national primary drinking water regulations concerning
maximum contaminant levels promulgated by the director of the food and drugs
administration (FDA) shall be applicable to all kinds of bottled drinking water, including
mineral, spring, natural sparkling and vended water.

(b) Within twelve (12) months after the date of the effectivity of this act, the secretary
of the department of health (DOH) shall establish quality standards and definitions for
mineral water and carbonated water, which shall include:

(1) Limits for total dissolved solids, sulfate, sodium and trihalomethane content;
and

(2) As determined by established health-based drinking water standards.

SECTION 4. Source Protection. — Within twelve (12) months after the date
of the effectivity of this Act, the Director of the FDA shall:

(a) Identify safe sources of bottled water; and


(b) Establish criteria to determine the adequacy as well as the protection of "approved
sources" of bottled water including, but not limited to:

(1) Minimum construction standards for water wells;
(2) Minimum distance separation from upstream wastewater discharges; and

(3) Minimum distance separation from abandoned wells, septic tanks, waste
impoundment and landfills.

SECTION 5. Monitoring, Reporting and Inspection. — Within twelve (12)
months after the date of the effectivity of this Act, the Director of the FDA shall:

(a) Establish a bottled water monitoring program which, at a minimum, shall: (1) Be
as stringent as that used for public water supplies and which provides for yearly testing
and monitoring for unregulated contaminants for which public water utilities must test,
and (2) Require that any analysis or testing be performed in an approved and certified
laboratory.

(b) Establish a bottled-water reporting program that shall:
(1) Stipulate time-tables and procedures for timely reporting;

(2) Provide public notification procedures should any bottled water be found to
be excess of health-based standards;

(3) Establish a national registry of bottled water facilities and their most current
reporting information; and

(4) Require that records of sampling and analysis be maintained at the plant
for not less than two (2) years and shall be available for official review upon
request.

(c) Establish a bottled water facility inspection program which includes, at a minimum,
two (2) scheduled inspections a year and one (1) unscheduled inspection a year.

SECTION 6. Recall Regulations. - Within six (6) months after the date of
the effectivity of this Act, the Director of the FDA shall:

(a) Establish procedures and public notification guidelines for recall of a bottled water
product which fall below any health-based standard; and

(b) Require each bottle water manufacturer to develop and submit individual recall
notification and recall procedures.

SECTION 7. Prohibition of Dual Use of Bottled Water Equipment. —
Within twelve (12) months after the date of the effectivity of this Act, the Director of


the FDA shall prohibit the processing and bottling of noncarbonated water with
equipment used to process milk, fruit juice or other food products likely to contribute
nutrients for microbiological growth.

SECTION 8. Bottling, Packaging and Storage Study. - The Director I of
the FDA shall 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 9. Labeling. — Within six (6) months after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the Secretary of the DOH shall:

(a) Establish and enforce clear, concise, and uncoded uniform source labeling
requirements for all bottled water products which, at a minimum, includes:

(1)The original source of the water;

(2)Type of water;

(3)Type of treatment, if any;

(4)The date of bottling;

(5)The address of the bottler; and

(6)Provide numerical specification of sodium content.

(b) 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 all other variants of bottled water existing in the
market, and require that the definition for the appropriate product be placed on the
bottle.

SECTION 10. Appropriations. — The initial amount necessary to implement
the provisions of this Act shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of
the FDA under the DOH. Thereafter, such sums as may be necessary for the continued
implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR). —- The DOH
shall issue the IRR for this Act within ninety days (90) days from its effectivity.

SECTION 12. 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 or subsisting.

SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. — Any \aw, presidential decree or issuance,
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary
to or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or
amended accordingly.


SECTION 14. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,