Philippines

Minimum standards and guidelines on actions to protect children from the harmful impact of marketing of food and non-alcoholic beverages in the ASEAN region

This report outlines the minimum standards and guidelines for ASEAN Member States to protect children from the harmful impacts of food and non-alcoholic beverage marketing. It also includes a rationale for strengthening legislation, guidelines for developing, implementing, enforcing, and monitoring legislation, and an overview of existing unhealthy food marketing regulations in the region.

Mandatory national ban on PHOs and limit of trans fatty acids

In the 2021 National Policy on the Elimination of Industrially-Produced Trans-Fatty Acids for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases, it was specified that there would be a mandatory national ban on PHOs and a 2% TFA limit in oils and fats only. This came into place in 2023.

Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2023-2028

The Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2023-2028 is the 11th plan released by the National Nutrition Council (NNC) since 1974. The plan seeks to reduce, with the aim of eventually eliminating, all forms of malnutrition across all life stages through strategies such as healthier diets, better nutrition practices, improved access to quality nutrition services, and enabling mechanisms. It sets specific targets, based on the 2025 World Health Assembly targets, to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity among infants, children, adolescents, and adults each year.

Local Health System Health Promotion Playbook: Active Transport

As part of the 'Healthy Pilipinas' campaign, this playbook outlines a programme to establish protected active transport lanes and walking paths to promote cycling, walking, and other forms of active transport. It outlines the evidence that physical inactivity increases the risk of non-communicable disease, and how active transport can help increase physical activity levels. The programme would involve local governments institutionalising active transport through governance, infrastructure development, and social behaviour change initiatives to educate all road users and promote safety.

Quezon City Healthy Public Food Procurement Policy

In 2021, Quezon City (QC) became the first local government unit (LGU) in the Philippines to establish a healthy food procurement policy. The policy sets nutrition standards based on national and global dietary guidelines, and requires all food procured by the QC Government and served at government-run institutions and events to comply. Food sold by canteens on government premises, or third-party vendors in and around government property, is not covered by the policy.

Karinderya Para sa Healthy Pilipinas

This document outlines a health promotion programme which aims to mitigate malnutrition among children under 5 years old, and promote health among pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. This is done by engaging local karinderyas or small eateries to prepare nutritious meals as part of a dietary supplementation program, in order to improve nutrition outcomes, and providing nutrition counselling and education to promote exclusive breastfeeding and proper complementary feeding practices.

Guidelines on the Proper Use and Promotion of Active Transport

Guidance for the promotion and safe use of active transport during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, including the construction of bike lane networks, walking paths, and safe streets and intersections.

Soft drink tax in Philippines

6 pesos per litre on products using purely caloric and purely non-caloric sweeteners or a mix of both 12 pesos per litre on products using high fructose corn syrup with or without a caloric or non-caloric sweetener

Philippine Plan of Action For Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022

The Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022 is an integral part of the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022. It factors in and considers country commitments to the global community as embodied in the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the 2025 Global Targets for Maternal, Infant and Young Child Nutrition, and the 2014 International Conference on Nutrition.

Policy and Guidelines on Healthy Food and Beverage Choices in Schools and in DepEd Offices

The policy and guidelines aim to promote healthy eating habits among children and Department of Education (DepEd) employees by making healthy, nutritious, and affordable menu options available, setting nutrition standards, and restricting the types of foods that can be sold and marketed in schools and DepEd offices in line with these standards.

Action Plan to Reduce the Double Burden of Malnutrition in the Western Pacific Region (2015–2020)

The WHO action plan to reduce the double burden of malnutrition in the Western Pacific Region. It calls for accelerated efforts to improve nutrition. The plan includes targets to halt the increase in childhood overweight and adult and adolescent diabetes and obesity by 2025.

Nutrition Month

Nutrition Month is held every July to create greater awareness on the importance of nutrition among Filipinos (Presidential Decree 491 (1974) or the Nutrition Act of the Philippines. The 2015 (41st) Nutrition Month theme was Timbang iwasto, sa tamang nutrisyon at ehersisyo (Achieve normal weight through proper nutrition and physical activity) and focused on the problem of overweight and obesity.

Philippine Dietary Reference Intakes (PDRI) 2015

The PDRI 2015 sets nutrient reference values for the population, including recommended energy intake and macronutrient ranges. There are specific values for different age groups and pregnant and lactating mothers. The PDRI is used to plan and assess diets of healthy groups and individuals.

2012 Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos (Filipino: Mga Gabay sa Wastong Nutrisyon Para sa Pilipino)

Dietary guidelines

Front of package labelling

Voluntary front of package labelling

"Responsible Advertising to Children" Initiative (The Philippine Pledge)

Voluntary self-regulatory marketing pledge

Article: Obesity Treatment Recommendations in the Philippines:Perspective on their Utility and Implementation in Clinical Practice

The article briefly reviews the obesity practice recommendations of the Philippine Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity (PASOO) and the obesity guidelines of the Family Medicine Research Group (FMRG) of the UP-Philippine General Hospital. The two treatment recommendations showed their focus on the primary care setting and several limitations in the development process

National Policy on Strengthening the Prevention and Control of Chronic Lifestyle Related Non Communicable Diseases

The national policy aims to address the underlying causes of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) through an integrated, comprehensive and community-based preventive approach.

Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2011-2016

This PPAN addresses the following key issues: 1)Hunger 2)Child undernutrition 3)Maternal undernutrition, 4) Deficiencies in iron, iodine and vitamin A, and 5)Obesity and overweight.

National nutrition council

Convening nutrition partners

FDA voluntary front of pack label

On 13 December 2012, the Philippines Food and Drug Administration issued FDA Circular No. 2012-015 which set out guidelines for a voluntary front of pack label that applies to FDA-CFRR regulated products (processed and prepackaged food products). The label must appear on the lower right hand portion of the principal display panel and must outline the amount of energy per serving of the food, and the percentage of the calorie value based on the Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes (RENI) for energy. Producers need to submit their labels to the FDA for approval before they can be displayed.

GNPR 2016-17 (q7) Breastfeeding promotion and/or counselling

WHO Global Nutrition Policy Review 2016-2017 reported the evidence of breastfeeding promotion and/or counselling (q7)

Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes: National Implementation of the International Code Status Report 2016 (Promotion of Breastfeeding)

The 2016 report provides information on the status of implementing the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and subsequent relevant World Health Assembly resolutions (“the Code”) in and by countries. The report also identifies in which countries they actively promote the benefits of breastfeeding.

Nutrient content lists

In the Philippines, producers and retailers are required by law to provide a list of the nutrient content of pre-packaged food products (with limited exceptions), even in the absence of a nutrition or health claim. The rules define which nutrients must be listed and on what basis (eg per 100g/per serving).

PASOO White Paper on Lifestyle Approaches for the Prevention of Obesity

Physical activity guidelines

The Philippines have a set of physical activity guidelines tailored towards a multitude of age groups.

Pinggang Pinoy (Healthy Food Plate)

A food plate model to show the right food group proportions in each meal to help Filipinos eat healthily and meet their energy and nutrient needs.