FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
1 
S 
S. No. 
3 
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 labelling 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 
labelling of food, meat, and poultry products that contains genetically engineered 
material. 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
.
,
 
e-, 
. , I 
. . 
FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
( C  
\I;.? . ” 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
I~ 
Fifst Regular Session 
1 
SE 
S. No. 
, 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO ESTABLISH A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM TO ENSURE COMPULSORY 
LABELLING AND FAIR PACKAGING OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED FOOD 
Be it enacted by the Senate und the House of Repvaentutives ofthe Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Genetically 
Engineered Food Right to Know Act of2008.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - The State shall enforce compulsory 
labelling and fair packaging to enable the consumer to obtain accurate information as to 
the nature, quality, and quantity of the contents of the consumer products and to facilitate 
his comparison of the value of such products. 
SECTION 3. Depnition of Terms. -As used in this Act: 
(A) “Genetically Engineered Material” means material derived from any part or a 
genetically engineered organism, without regard to whether the altered molecular or 
cellular characteristics of the organism are detectable in the material. 
(B) “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 hut 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. 
1 


4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
27 
28 
(C) “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. Labelling of Genetically Engineered Material. - 
(A) In General - This labelling requirement shall apply to food, poultry, and meat 
products; 
(B) 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: 
(1) A notice as follows: “GENETICALLY ENGINEERED.” 
(2) A notice as follows: “THIS PRODUCT CONTAINS GENETICALLY 
ENGINEERED MATERIAL, OR WAS PRODUCED WITH A GENETICALLY 
ENGINEERED MATERIAL.” 
(3) The notice required in clause (1) immediately precedes the notice 
required in clause (2) and is not less than twice the size of the notice required in 
clause (2). 
SECTION 5. Genetically Engineered Food. - 
(A) In General - Food shall be considered to have been produced with a 
genetically engineered material if - 
(1) the organism from which the food is derived has been injected or 
otherwise treated with a genetically engineered material (except that the 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); 
(2) the animal 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 clause (1) or (2) 
applies. 
2 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7' 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 0 
26 
27 
28 
(B) Exceptions - This paragraph does not apply to food that - 
(1)is served in restaurants or other establishments in which food is served 
for immediate human consumption; 
(2) 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 
(3) is a medical food. 
SECTION 6. Genetically Engineered Meat. - 
(A) In General - A meat food shall be considered to have been produced with a 
genetically engineered material if - 
(1) the organism from which the food is derived has been injected or 
otherwise treated with a genetically engineered material; 
(2) the animal 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 
,
.
 
(1) or (2) applies. 
(B) Exceptions - This paragraph does not apply to any meat food that - 
(1) is served in restaurants or other establishments in which food is served 
for immediate human consumption; or 
(2) is processed and prepared primarily in a retail establishment, is ready 
for human consumption in such establishment, and is not offered for sale outside 
such establishment. 
SECTION 7. Genetically Engineered Poultry Product. - 
(A) In General - A poultry product shall be considered to have been produced 
with a genetically engineered material if - 
(1) the poultry from which the food is derived has been injected or 
otherwise treated with a genetically engineered material; 
3 


1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 
21 
22 
23 
24 
25 
26 
(2) the poultry from which the food is' derived has been fed genetically 
engineered material; or 
(3) the food contains ai ingredient that is a food to which subparagraph 
(1) or (2) applies. 
(B) Exceptions - This paragraph does not apply to any poultry product that - 
(1) i s  served in restaurants or other establishments in which food is served 
for immediate human consumption; or 
(2) 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: 
(A) the Department of Health with respect to food; and 
(B) 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 (P1,000.00) but not more 
than Twenty Thousand Pesos (P20,OOO.OO) or imprisonment of 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, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended 
accordingly. 
4 


1 
2 
SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
3 '  
Approved, 
5