FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 974 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2 provides: 
Section 15. The State shall protect and promote the right to 
health of the people and instill health consciousness among them. 
Meat and meat food products are an important source of the nation's total supply 
of food. It is essential in the public interest that the health and welfare of consumers be 
protected by assuring that imported meat and imported meat food products offered for 
retail sale bear a label that identifies its country of origin. 
This bill requires the labeling of imported meat and meat food products, in order 
to protect the public against deceptive, unfair and unconscionable sales of imported 
meat and meat food products in the country. 
MANNY V LLAR 
i 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
Senate Bill No. 974 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
AN ACT TO REQUIRE THE LABELING OF IMPORTED MEAT AND MEAT FOOD 
PRODUCTS 
Be if enacfed by the Senafe and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as "Meat Labeling Act." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect the 
interests of the consumer against deceptive; -unfair, and unconscionable sales acts and 
practices, and to adopt measures to insure pure and safe supply of imported meat and 
meat food products in the country. 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the term: 
(1) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture. 
(2) "Country of origin" means the country or countries in which an animal is raised 
before slaughter. 
(3) "Label" means display of written, printed or graphic matter affixed to any imported 
meat or meat food products, its immediate container, or other suitable material affixed 
for the purpose of giving information as to identify its country of origin: 
(4) "Beef' means meat produced from cattle (including veal). 


(5) "Pork" means meat produced from hogs. 
(6) "Lamb" means meat, other than mutton, produced from sheep. 
(7) "Imported beef" means beef that is not Philippine beef, whether or not the beef is 
graded with a quality grade issued by the Secretary. 
(8) "Imported pork" means pork that is not Philippine pork. 
(9) "Imported lamb means lamb that is not Philippine lamb, whether or not the lamb is 
graded with a quality grade issued by .the Secretary. 
(IO) "Philippine Beef means beef produced from cattle slaughtered in the Philippines. 
Exclusion - The tern "Philippine beef' does not include beef produced from cattle 
imported into the Philippines in sealed trucks for slaughter, 
(1 1) "Philippine Pork" means pork produced from hogs slaughtered in the Philippines. 
Exclusion. - The term "Philippine pork" does not include pork produced from hogs 
imported into the Philippines in sealed trucks for slaughter. 
(12) "Philippine lamb" means lamb produce from ship slaughtered in the Philippines. 
Exclusion. - The term "Philippine lamb" does not elude iamb produced from sheep 
imported into the Philippines in sealed trucks for slaughter. 
SECTION 4: Labeling of imported meat and meat food products. - 
(A) Labeling Required- 
(1) Imported meat and meat food product imported into the Philippines shall bear or are 
accompanied by labeling that identifies the country of origin of the animal that is the 
source of the imported carcass, part. thereof, or meat or is part of the contents of the 
imported meat food product. 


(2) Imported meat food product prepared in the Philippines using any carcass, part 
thereof, or meat imported into the Philippines shall bear or is accompanied by labeling 
that identifies the country origin of the animal that is the source of the imported carcass, 
part thereof, or meat 
(B) Mandatory Labeling- The Secretary shall provide by regulation that the following 
offered for retail sale bear a label that identifies its country of origin: 
(1) Muscle cuts of Philippine beef, Philippine pork, Philippine lamb, imported beef, 
imported lamb, and imported pork. 
(2) Ground beef, ground lamb, and ground pork. 
(C) Audit Verification System for Philippine and Imported Muscle Cuts of Beef, Lamb, 
and Pork and Ground Beef, Lamb, and Pork- The Secretary may require by regulation 
that any person that prepares, stores, handles, or distributes muscle cuts of Philippine 
beef, imported beef, Philippine lamb, imported lamb, Philippine pork, imported pork, 
ground beef, ground lamb, or ground pork for retail sale maintain a verifiable record 
keeping audit trail that will permit the Secretary to ensure compliance with the 
regulations promulgated under subsection (A). 
SECTION 5. Regulations. - Not later than one (1) year after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall promulgate final regulations to carry out the 
provisions of this Act. 
SECTION 6. 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 (PlO,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 fine without further deportation proceedings. 


SECTION 7. Separability Clause. - If any-provision, or part hereof, is held invalid 
or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision shall remain valid and 
subsisting. 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to 
or inconsistent with, the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly. 
SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,