A coalition of health advocates, lawmakers and patient groups is urging Congress to pass a measure that would require warning labels on unhealthy food products and restrict their marketing to children.
The Healthy Food Environment coalition, led by ImagineLaw, launched a petition over the weekend calling for the approval of the Healthy Food Environment Bill, which seeks to regulate nutrition standards and the marketing of processed and packaged food products.
Under the proposal, food products deemed unhealthy would be required to carry warning labels to help consumers make informed choices. The bill would also prohibit advertising and marketing of unhealthy food directed at children.
Former 1Tahanan partylist representative Nathaniel Oducado said unhealthy food consumption has contributed to rising rates of non-communicable diseases.
“This health crisis is not something created by nature. It is something that has been marketed to us,” Oducado said. The coalition said 83 lawmakers support the measure.
Advocates argued that better labeling would help consumers manage conditions such as hypertension and diabetes. The proposal is also linked to the pending “Iwas Alat Iwas Sakit” bill, which seeks to reduce sodium consumption through healthier food production.
