Congressman pushes bill regulating sale of soft drinks in public schools

A congressman on Monday said he is pushing in Congress the passage of a law that will regulate or possibly ban the sale of soft drinks and other unhealthy beverages in public schools.

In an interview with radio dzBB, Ang Edukasyon party-list Rep. Salvador Belaro Jr. said he has filed House Bill 4039 or the "Healthy Drinks in Public School Acts,” which seeks to improve the diet of Filipino students by regulating the sale of soft drinks and energy drinks from canteens of more than 46,000 public schools in the country.

Belaro said sugar-sweetened beverages have been tagged by the World Health Organization in 2016 as major contributors to obesity and diabetes, and limiting—if not totally banning—the intake of these may benefit the health of more than 21 million Filipino students.

“It is enshrined in the 1987 Constitution that the state shall take comprehensive approach to health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods to all people at affordable cost,” Belaro said in the interview.

He added: “Now that soft drinks are sold very cheap, no wonder it becomes the drink of choice of students during recess time. Para na silang kumakain ng tasa-tasang asukal sa sobrang tamis nitong mga soft drinks na ito.”

An 8-ounce bottle of a popular carbonated cola drink costs no more than P8.00 in retail stores.

A can of sugary drink may contain an equivalent of around 10 teaspoons of table sugar on average—higher than WHO's recommended daily intake of around six teaspoons of table sugar for adults.

The Department of Education in 2007 issued Order No. 8, which prohibits the sale of carbonated drinks, sugar-based synthetic or artificially-flavored juices, junk foods and any food product that may be harmful for children's health, but to no avail.

Belaro said a research conducted by Ang Edukasyon partylist revealed that soft drinks are still being sold at most canteens in public schools within Metro Manila.

In line with the proposed bill to regulate the sale of soft drink in public schools, he said House Bill 292 have also been filed in Congress last July, seeking to impose an excise tax of P10-per-liter on sugar-sweetened beverages for the improvement of public health wellness, while also raising additional revenues for the government.

He added that in the the tax reform packages being pushed by the current administration in Congress, there is also a proposal to impose a “fatty food tax” on unhealthy food products, which is seen to generate as much as P20 billion in government revenues.

Balero said he is also contemplating on amending the proposed bill to include canteens in private schools.

Canteen owners and soft drink companies have yet to comment on the possible banning of soft drinks in public schools, according to the House Committee on Basic Education and Culture. —Bianca Rose Dabu/ALG, GMA News