Resources

Impact Study

Law, Trade, and Nutrition Labeling: Reflections and Experiences from Latin America

Effectiveness Study

Understanding the factors affecting front-of-package label feasibility in the Philippines

Effectiveness Study

Front-of-Package Labels on Unhealthy Packaged Foods in India: Evidence from a Randomized Field Experiment

Effectiveness Study

Reformulation of top-selling processed and ultra-processed foods and beverages in the Peruvian Food Supply after FOPWL policy

Effectiveness Study

Front of Package Labeling Literature Review

Effectiveness Study

Restricting child‐directed ads is effective, but adding a time‐based ban is better: evaluating a multi‐phase regulation to protect children from unhealthy food marketing on television

Frequently Asked Questions

🤔 Tungkol saan ang Healthy Food Environment (HFE) Act?

Ang HFE Act ay isang panukalang batas na layuning magkaron ng:

Mandatory warning labels sa harap ng mga pagkain at inuming mataas sa asin, asukal, at unhealthy fats;
Regulations sa marketing and advertisement ng mga unhealthy food and beverage; at
Restrictions sa sale and promotion ng mga unhealthy products sa child-centered spaces tulad ng mga paaralan.

🛒 Beneficial ba ito para sa consumers?

Oo, beneficial ito para sa ating mga mamimili! With the HFE Act, we empower consumers to make healthier food choices. Iilan sa benefits nito ay:

Nutrition info na madaling maintindihan;
Mas mababang risk sa noncommunicable diseases;
Proteksiyon mula sa misleading food ads; at
Mas malawak na health and nutrition literacy.

🔍 May scientific basis ba ito? ⬇

Oo! Suportado ito ng mga pag-aaral at rekomendasyon ng Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and other global studies. Proven effective din ito sa Chile, Mexico, Uruguay, at iba pang mga bansa.

Ang HFE Act ay evidence-based, scientifically sound, at kayang kaya ring maipatupad sa Pilipinas.

📋 Paano ang implementation nito?

Una, kailangan munang maipasa ito sa Kongreso. Once approved, for signing ito ng presidente, o kaya ay mag-la-lapse into law after 30 days kung hindi mapirmahan.

Para sa next steps:

Maglalabas ang DOH ng Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) within 6 months after the law’s publication. Ngunit kahit hindi pa nailalabas ang IRR within this period, fully implementable na ang batas.
Bibigyan ang food establishments ng six-month transition period to fully comply with the regulation. During this period, p’wede pa ring magbenta ng mga produktong walang warning label. Pero matapos ang anim na buwan, prohibited na ang pagbebenta ng non-compliant products.
DOH at FDA ang mangunguna sa monitoring at reporting para masiguradong maayos ang implementasyon ng batas.
Kasabay nito, tuloy-tuloy rin ang information, education, and communication (IEC) campaign para sa health and nutrition literacy.

🛝 Hindi ba “too much” ang pagtanggal ng cartoons and other child-directed marketing, lalo na sa mga creative industry?

Ipinagbabawal lamang ang child-directed marketing kung ginagamit ito para sa unhealthy products. Ang goal natin ay protektahan ang mga bata mula sa food marketing that puts them at higher risk for unhealthy eating habits.

Hindi rin natin binabawasan ang creativity. Naglalagay lang tayo ng limitations dahil priority natin ang children’s health over commercial interests. Ad campaigns can still flourish, but not at the expense of the children’s well-being.

📉 Dagdag-gastos ba ito para sa mga food establishment?

Minimal lang! Regular naman ang packaging updates sa industriya, at ang warning label ay one-time investment lang. Kung ikukumpara sa gastos ng bansa sa NCDs tulad ng diabetes, hypertension, at chronic kidney disease, napakaliit lamang ng gastusing ito.

💚 May epekto ba ito sa negosyo o ekonomiya?

According to global studies, wala itong negatibong epekto sa ekonomya. In fact, hinihikayat nito ang mga kumpanya to reformulate their products para mas maging healthy ito. Wala ring evidence to support the claim na nagkakaroon ng economic collapse because of the policy.

🍽️ May ganito na ba sa Pilipinas?

Yes! May mga food marketing restriction na sa bansa through local ordinances of Pasig City, Valenzuela City, at Taytay, Rizal. Sa usaping warning labels, wala pa man tayong naipapatupad, pero marami nang mambabatas ang nag-file ng similar bills sa House of Representatives at Senate. Let’s scale it nationwide!

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ImagineLaw is a public interest law group working for people’s health and welfare. We are a group of lawyers and advocates working with governments, civil society, and communities for evidence-based policy solutions to enable all people to live healthy and meaningful lives.

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