FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
7 $1. 
Ti :',! . ., 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
SEN 
S.B. No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 15, provides: 
The States shall protect and promote the right to health of the 
people and instill health consciousness among them. 
Consumers have the right to know the country of origin of the purchase. 
However, there is no law requiring that imported agricultural commodities offered for 
retail sale bear a label identify their country of origin. 
The label that identifies the perishable agricultural commodity's country of origin 
would enable the consumers to make decisions about food safety concerns, or if they 
have concerns about pesticide, or environmental practices in specific countries. 
This bill' seeks to require country-of-origin labeling of perishable agricultural 
commodities imported into the Philippines and to establish penalties for violations of the 
labeling requirements. 
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DEF 
SORSfYbTTI 
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I This bill was originally tiled by the Senator during the 13" Congress 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
SE 
S.B. No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES IMPORTED INTO THE PHILIPPINES 
AND TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS 
OF THE LABELING REQUIREMENTS 
TO REQUIRE COUNTRY-OF-ORIGIN LABELING OF PERISHABLE 
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 “Imported Produce 
Labeling Act.” 
SECTION 2. Definitions. -For purposes of this Act, the term: 
(1) “Perishable Agricultural Commodity” means, whether or not frozen or 
packed in ice, fresh fruits and fresh vegetables of every kind and character. 
(2) “Retailer” means person engaged in the business of selling consumer 
products directly to consumers. 
SECTION 3. Indication of Country of Origin of Imported Perishable Agricultural 
Commodities.- 
(1) NOTICE OF COUNTRY OF ORIGIN REQUIRED - A retailer of a 
perishable agricultural commodity into the Philippines shall inform consumers, at 
the final point of sale of the perishable agricultural commodity to consumers, of 
the country of origin of the perishable agricultural commodity. 
(2) METHOD OF NOTIFICATION- 
(A) IN GENERAL - The information required by subsection (1) may be 
provided to consumers by means of a label, stamp, mark, placard, or other 
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clear and visible sign on the imported perishable agricultural commodity or on 
the package, display, holding unit, or bin containing the commodity at the 
final point of sale to consumers. 
(B) LABELED COMMODITIES - If the imported perishable agricultural 
commodity is already individually labeled regarding country of origin by the 
packer, importer, or another person, the retailer shall not be required to 
provide any additional information to comply with this Section. 
(3) APPLICATION OF SECTION - This Act shall apply with respect to a 
perishable agricultural commodity imported into the Philippines after the end of 
the 6-month period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
SECTION 4. Regulations. - Not later than one (1) year after the enactment of this 
Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the 
provisions on this Act. 
SECTION 5. Penalties. - Any person who shall violate any provision of this Act 
shall upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not less than One Thousand Pesos 
(P1,OOO.OO) but not more than Ten Thousand Pesos (Pl0,OOO.OO) or imprisonment of not 
less than two (2) months but not more than one (1) year, or both upon the discretion of 
the court. If the offender is an alien, he shall be deported after service of sentence and 
payment of line without further deportation proceedings. 
SECTION 6. Separabilily Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law of the provision not otherwise a€fected shall 
remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to 
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accordingly. 
or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
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SECTION 8. ESfectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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