Quezon City restaurants are one step closer to displaying calorie counts in their menus as Mayor Joy Belmonte officially signed the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the city’s calorie labeling ordinance.
This means that starting December 2025, food establishments with five or more branches in Quezon City will display calorie counts in their menus as part of the first phase of implementation.
In a media briefing held at Quezon City Hall, Mayor Belmonte shared that calorie labeling will help QCitizens make informed food choices by gaining insight into the number of calories they are consuming.
“Sa pamamagitan ng hakbang na ito, mas magiging empowered na ang ating mga residente dahil kapag may calorie count labels na sa mga menu ng mga restaurant, may kapangyarihan ang QCitizen na pumili ng masustansyang pagkain. Dahil sa tamang impormasyon, maisusulong din natin ang isang lungsod na prayoridad ang pangangalaga sa kalusugan. (With this step, our residents will be more empowered. When calorie labels are available on restaurant menus, QCitizens will have the power to choose healthier food options. With the right information, we can also promote a city that prioritizes health and nutrition),” said Mayor Belmonte.
Quezon City Health Department Head Dr. Ramona Asuncion DG Abarquez explained that covered food businesses must disclose the calorie content of their standard menu items in both printed and electronic menu boards.
“There will be three phases of implementation. In the first year, the ordinance will cover restaurants with five or more branches in Quezon City. In the second year, it will cover restaurants with two or more branches. Then in the third year, it will cover all food businesses in QC,” explained Dr. Abarquez.
As authors of the landmark ordinance, QC Councilors Bernard Herrera, Irene Belmonte, Aly Medalla, Banjo Pilar, and Ram Medalla ensure that the local government will support food businesses by providing adequate training and guidance on calorie and nutrient calculation tools, as well as in the design of calorie labels on menu boards.
Barangay micro businesses and micro, small, and medium enterprises like ambulant vendors, hawkers, and carinderia owners are exempted from the ordinance.
Food business representatives and civil society organizations such as ImagineLaw were present at the media briefing, expressing support for the initiative. The effort is part of Quezon City’s work with the Partnership for Healthy Cities, a global network of 74 cities committed to saving lives by preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)—such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer—and injuries.
“Quezon City has proven time and again that through innovative strategies and collaborative efforts, it is possible to tackle the problem of non-communicable diseases,” said Farhad Ali, Senior Manager for the Partnership for Healthy Cities at Vital Strategies.
On March 21, 2024, the Quezon City Council enacted the ordinance that will require restaurants, fast food chains, and other food establishments operating within the city to publish the amount of calories per serving of the food items on their menu. With the recent signing of its IRR, restaurants now have a clear timeline and guidelines to comply with this landmark policy.
