Solon pushes Healthy Food Environment Act passage

A lawmaker has filed House Bill No. 2660, a proposed measure seeking to protect Filipinos, particularly children, from the harmful effects of food high in fat, sugar, and sodium.

The 1Tahanan Party-list Representative Nathaniel Oducado, author of the measure, said the "Healthy Food Environment Act" aims to mandate front-of-package warning labels on products that exceed safe levels of these unhealthy ingredients.

The bill also seeks to regulate the marketing of such food to children, especially in schools, playgrounds, and other child-centered spaces to safeguard children's right to proper nutrition.

Oducado stressed that it is the state's duty to promote the health rights of every Filipino. By mandating clear warnings, the measure aims to help consumers, particularly parents, make informed choices and reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases like obesity, hypertension, and diabetes among both children and adults.

"This is about empowering parents and their respective families to make healthier choices and protect our children from aggressive marketing and misleading advertisement of junk food," Oducado said.

If passed, the law would set stricter standards on food labeling and advertising, aligning the Philippines with global health initiatives to fight lifestyle-related diseases, he added.