I 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
s.B.No2.a4 
Introduced by Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy S. Binay 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
..... 
Under Republic Act No. (R.A.) 8976, otherwise known as the "Philippine Food 
Fortification Act of 2000", refined sugar is one of the products covered by mandatory food 
fortification. However, after a series of consultations between the Bureau of Food and 
Drugs of the Department of Health (now the Food and Drugs Administration), sugar 
refineries and refined sugar re-packers, a consensus was reached that the mandatory 
fortification-of refined sugar is not practical and cannot be effectively implemented due to 
the following constraints: 
1. 
Sugar refineries are not the owners ofthe raw sugar that will be processed into 
refined sugar and of the resulting refined sugar. Since fortification is an act of 
ownership, refineries cannot fortify the refined sugar without the conformity 
of its owners, who are not willing to sign fortification authorization letters. 
2. 
The target sector for the Vitamin A fortification program (D and E economic 
bracket) prefer to buy brown sugar over refined due to cost consideration. 
3. 
Fortification of refined sugar is not marketable. Industrial users such as Coca-
Cola, Pepsi, Nestle and San Miguel do not want fortified refined sugar as it 
will affect the formula of their products. Industrial users account for about 
80% of the market for refined sugar. 
4. 
Household consumers do not prefer to buy fortified refined sugar. This was 
proven by a test-run conducted by Victorias Milling Company. In the test run, 
99 bags of refined sugar were fortified with Vitamin A. After almost a week of 
marketing and selling the fortified refined sugar, the 99 bags remained unsold. 
5. 
Mandatory fortification will lead to an increase in the market price of refined 
sugar. The estimated increase due to fortification is P50.00/bag or about one 
peso per kilo of refined sugar. 


In view of these constraints in the implementation of the mandatory fortification of refined 
sugar, this bill seeks to amend R.A. 8976 by removing or excluding refined sugar from the 
list of products covered by mandatory food fortification. 
Mh~s.BINAY 
Senator 


,': . 
• < • 
' .. 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Sessiou 
) 
SENATE 
S. B. No.2.3 4. 
Iutroduced by Seuator Maria Lourdes Naucy S. Biuay 
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AN ACT TO REMOVE OR EXCLUDE REFINED SUGAR FROM THE LIST OF 
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PRODUCTS COVERED BY MANDATORY FOOD FORTIFICATION, 
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AMENDING FOR THIS PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8976, 
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OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE "FOOD FORTIFICATION ACT OF 2000" 
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. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representative~ of the Philippines in 
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\ Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Section 3 of Republic Act No. 8976, otherwise known as the 
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"Philippine Food Fortification Act of 2000" is hereby amended to delete refined sugar 
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from the definition of "Manufacturer". 
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SECTION 2. Section 6 of the same Act is herehy amended to delete refined sugar 
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mutatis mutandis from the enumeration. 
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SECTION 3. Section 8 of the same Act is hereby amended to delete refined sugar 
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mutatis mutandis. 
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SECTION 4. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
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remain valid and subsisting .. 
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SECTION 5. Repealing Clause. - All other laws, decrees, executive orders, 
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proclamations, and administrative regulations or parts thereof inconsistent herewith 
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are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
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SECTION 6. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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pUblication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
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circulation. 
Approved,