LAWMAKERS and health experts called for the swift passage of the Healthy Food Environment Bill, which mandates food companies to put front-of-package warning labels on unhealthy food products.
"Prevention begins long before a patient enters a hospital. It addresses one of the hidden drivers of hypertension, heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease: excess sodium in the food that Filipinos eat every day," Iloilo 2nd District Rep. Kathryn Joyce Gorriceta said in a press conference led by ImagineLaw in Quezon City on Friday.
Gorriceta noted that the measure aims to address the rise of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, and obesity in the country by regulating sodium levels, improving food labeling, and curbing the aggressive marketing of unhealthy food products.
According to the Philippine Heart Association, 37 percent of Filipinos suffer from hypertension, yet only half are aware of their condition.
The “silent epidemic” has been linked to high sodium consumption, with Filipinos consuming more than double the World Health Organization's recommended daily limit of 2 grams of sodium.
Gorriceta said the bill was created using a science-based approach to reducing sodium in processed foods, sauces, and condiments, while also advocating for front-of-pack warning labels and responsible food marketing.
"This is not about removing freedom of choice. It is about making the healthy choice the easy choice," she said.
Meanwhile, Akbayan Partylist Rep. Perci Cendaña underscored the importance of clear food labeling, likening it to relationships.
"If there's anything we learn from love, it's that red flags are dangerous. The same applies to food. High sodium, sugar, and fat content should come with clear warnings," he noted.
He said the bill is not anti-business but pro-family and pro-health.
"The cost of inaction is far greater than the cost of reform. We cannot wait for more strokes, heart attacks, and kidney failures. We must act now while prevention is still possible,” said Gorriceta.
The bill has since garnered support from about 87 lawmakers and is supported by members of the Healthy Food Environment Coalition, including the Philippine Society of Hypertension, Alliance for Improving Health Outcomes, Philippine Society of Public Health Physicians, Quezon City Health Department, and World Vision Philippines.
