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TEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
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1 
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1 
1 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
egular Session 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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, a.1c.a. the “Consumer Act o f t he Philippines,” was enacted to 
protect the interests of the consumer, promote the 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 
one species and inserting it into another. Given the huge complexity of the genetic code, no one 
can possibly predict the effects of adding new genes into any organism or plant. It has been 
reported that one genetically 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 Earth, http://www.foe.co.uMcamDs/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. 


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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO REQUIRE THAT FOOD, MEAT AND POULTRY PRODUCTS THAT CONTAIN A 
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED MATERIAL, BE LABELED ACCORDINGLY 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Repvesentatives of the Philippines in 
Congmss assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Genetically Engineered Food 
Right to Know Act.” 
SECTION 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, 
andquantityofthecontents oftheconsumerproducts andto facilitatehis comparison of the 
value of such products. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. -As used in this Act: 
(1) “Genetically Engineered Material” means inaterial derived from 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. 
(2) “Genetically Engineered Organism” means - (A) 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 fusion, 
microencapsulation, macroencapsulation, gene deletion and 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 


(B) 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. 
(3) “Meat Food” means a carcass, part of a carcass, meat, or meat food product 
that is derived from cattle, sheep, swine, goats, horses, mules, or other equines and is capable of 
use as human food. 
SECTION 4. Labeling of Geneticnlly Engineered Material. - 
(1) In General - This labeling requirement shall apply to food, poultry, and meat 
products 
(2) 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: 
(A) A notice as follows: “GENETICALLY ENGINEERED.” 
(B)A notice 
as 
follows: 
“THIS 
PRODUCT 
CONTAINS 
A 
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED MATERIAL, OR WAS PRODUCED WITH A 
GENETICALLY ENGINEERED MATERIAL.” 
(C) The notice required in clause (A) immediately precedes the notice 
required in clause (B) and is not less than twice the size of the notice required in 
clause (B). 
SECTION 5. Genetically Engineered Food. - (1) In General - Food shall be considered 
to have been produced with a genetically engineered material if - 
(A) the organism from which the food is derived has been injected or otherwise 
treated with a genetically engineered material (except that the sne 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); 


(B) the animal from which the food is derived has been fed genetically engineered 
material; or 
(C) the food contains an ingredient that is a food to which clause (A) or (B) 
applies. 
(2) Exceptions -This paragraph does not apply to food that ~ 
(A)is served in restaurants or other establishments in which food is served 
for immediate human consumption; 
(B) 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 
(C) is a medical food. 
SECTION 6. Genetically Engineered Meat. - (1) In General 
~ 
A meat food shall be 
considered to have been produced with a genetically engineered material if - 
(A)the organism from which the food is derived has been injected or 
otherwise treated with a genetically engineered material; 
(B) the animal from which the food is derived has been fed genetically 
engineered material; or 
(C) the food contains an ingredient that is a food to which subparagraph 
(A) or (B) applies. 
(2) Exceptions - This paragraph does not apply to any meat food that - 
(A)is served in restaurants or other establishments in which food is served 
for immediate human consumption; or 
(B) is processed and prepared primarily in a retail establishment, is ready 
for hLnnan consumption in such establishment, and is not offered for sale outside 
such establishment. 


SECTION I. Genetically Engineered Poultry Product. - (1) In General - A poultry 
product shall be considered to have been produced with a genetically engineered material if ~ 
(A) the poultry from which the food is derived has been injected or 
otherwise treated with a genetically engineered material; 
(B) the poultry 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 subparagraph 
(A) or (B) applies. 
(2) Exceptions - This paragraph does not apply to any poultry product that - 
(A) is served in restaurants or other establishments in which food is served 
for immediate human consumption; or 
(B) 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. 
SECTION 8. Implementing Agencies. - The provisions of this Act and its implementing 
rules and regulations shall be enforced by: 
(1) the Department of Health with respect to food; and 
(2) the Department of Agriculture with respect to products related to agriculture. 
SECTION 9. Penalties. - Any person who shall violate the provisions of this Act shall be 
subject to a fine of not less than One Thousand Pesos (P1,OOO.OO) but not more than Twenty 
Thousand Pesos (P20,OOO.OO) o r  imprisonment o f  not less than three(3) months but not more 
than two (2) years, or both, at the discretion of the court. 
SECTION 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. 


SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with, tlie provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
/I883 CMN