Lawmakers urged to pass food warning label policy before 19th Congress ends

Health advocates on Wednesday called on Congress to urgently pass the Healthy Food Marketing Environment Act, which seeks to mandate food warning labels and regulate child-directed food marketing that would help protect the public from heart diseases and childhood obesity. 

Samar Representative Reynolds Michael Tan, principal author of House Bill No. 9819, explained that the bill would help Filipinos make informed food purchases and also prevent them, especially the children, from consuming food that has too much fat, salt, and sugar. 

“Very complicated ‘yung mga labels, so that's the reason why we want to simplify it para magkaroon ng informed choices ‘yung mga parents kung bibili sila ng pagkain para sa mga anak nila,” he said at a press conference.

(The food labels are very complicated, that's why we want to simplify it so that parents can make informed choices when they buy food for their children.) 

“While ‘yung mga children naman, although if they cannot make the decisions for themselves yet kasi masyado ba silang bata, hindi rin sila ma-entice na bumili because lang sa magandang patalastas or magandang advertisement,” he added. 

(As for the children, even though they cannot make the decisions for themselves yet because they are still young, they will not be enticed to buy unhealthy food just because of a good commercial or advertisement.)

Under House Bill No. 9819, front-of-pack warning labels will be introduced to help Filipinos avoid food that exceed prescribed thresholds for energy, fat, sodium, and sugar. Food marketing for the same will also be regulated on various media channels and in locations frequented by children. 

The Philippine Heart Association (PHA) backed the call for the passage of the bill, stressing that obesity, as well as eating processed food, can lead to cardiovascular disease—the number one killer of Filipinos. 

PHA director Dr. Louella Santos said that children who eat unhealthy food, such as those that have high salt, sugar, or saturated fat, can suffer from coronary heart disease or stroke in the long run.

“Importanteng importante talaga itong law na ‘to lalo na coming out of the pandemic. Nakita po natin dahil kumportableng kumportable ang ating mga bata ngayon na mag-order online ng pagkain nila at dine-deliver na lang kahit na isang drink lang ‘yan, importante na alam nila kung anong pumapasok sa kanila,” Santos explained. 

(This bill is really important, especially coming out of the pandemic. We have seen that since our children are now very comfortable ordering their food online and having it delivered, even if it's just a drink, it's important that they know what they are consuming.)

“Otherwise, we are building a nation of children who will eventually develop obesity, diabetes and heart disease,” she continued.

Tan said that the bill has been pending with the House Committee on Health since 2024. Given that the 19th Congress is set to end by June this year, he admitted that there might be too little time to enact the measure.

“However, sa next Congress, we will be refiling the same bill kung hindi talaga tayo mapasali sa 19th Congress. And ‘yung commitment ko of course is to have this hopefully approved sa 20th Congress,” he said.

(We will be refiling the same bill if we can’t pass this in the 19th Congress. And my commitment of course is to have this hopefully approved in the 20th Congress.)

During the same event, the Responsible Food Marketing Coalition was launched, composed of nutrition organizations, medical societies, academe, and youth groups. This multi-sectoral network would push for stronger food marketing regulations to protect children’s health. — RF, GMA Integrated News