Samar Representative Reynolds Michael Tan, alongside health advocates, urged the House Committees on Health and Trade to prioritize the Healthy Food Marketing Environment Bill through a hearing before the end of the 19th Congress. The proposed law seeks to mandate food warning labels and regulate child-directed food marketing to protect Filipinos from heart disease and childhood obesity.
In a press conference organized by public interest law group ImagineLaw, Rep. Tan emphasized the urgency of passing the bill, coinciding with the culmination of the Philippine Heart Month and World Obesity Day.
“Sa batas na ito, may kapangyarihan ang Pilipino na protektahan ang kanilang pamilya at mga anak laban sa sakit (With this bill, we ensure that Filipinos are empowered to protect their families and children from diseases),” Rep. Tan, principal author of House Bill No. 9819, said in his keynote speech. “I urge my fellow lawmakers to support this health measure and secure better health for all Filipinos.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), high intake of unhealthy food significantly increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer.
HB 9819 seeks to mandate front-of-pack warning labeling (FOPWL) on pre-packaged food products to help consumers quickly identify food high in fats, salt, and sugar. This will guide them to easily avoid products that may be harmful to their health.
The policy also aims to promote responsible food marketing by introducing regulations on child-targeted advertisements that promote food with warning labels.
“The policy ensures a heart-healthy food environment for children. Dahil kung heart healthy ang food environment sa bata, heart healthy din ito sa lahat (If the food environment is heart-healthy for a child, it is heart-healthy for all),” Rep. Tan said.
The Philippine Heart Association (PHA) also emphasized the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country, particularly cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of death among Filipinos. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that one in every five Filipino deaths in the first half of 2024 alone are caused by heart disease.
“We need to give Filipinos a fighting chance to protect their heart health and that of their loved ones from this deadly yet preventable disease,” said Dr. Louella Santos, PHA Director.
Meanwhile, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), one in every seven school-aged children in the Philippines is overweight or obese, partly due to exposure to food marketing that promotes unhealthy eating habits. Obesity exposes them to higher risk of heart disease and other NCDs later in life.
Responsible Food Marketing Coalition Launched
In the same press conference, ImagineLaw introduced the Responsible Food Marketing Coalition, a multi-sectoral network advocating for stronger food marketing regulations to protect children’s health. Composed of nutrition organizations, medical societies, academe, and youth groups, the Coalition aims to promote responsible food marketing practices through policy change.
Key members including the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development, Philippine Society of Public Health Physicians, Nutrition Foundation of the Philippines, Nutrition Center of the Philippines, Kalusugan ng Mag-ina, World Vision, University of the Philippines (UP) National Institute of Health and UP College of Public Health, and GoodGov Philippines expressed strong support for the proposed bill and jointly called for urgent legislative action to ensure its passage.
“Children’s health is a shared responsibility. The Coalition is committed to creating a healthy food environment that protects the health of Pinoy children,” said Atty. Mikhail Laurence Millan, Project Manager of ImagineLaw.
