Ang Probinsyano partylist Rep. Ronnie Ong wants to prohibit and penalize the manufacturing, importation, distribution, and sale of partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) and fats, as well as prepackaged food with PHOs and high trans-fatty acids (TFA) content.
He filed House Bill No. 7202, the “Trans-Fat Free Philippines Act,” which seeks to protect Filipinos from the threat of death and diseases linked to TFA consumption by progressively removing industrially-produced TFA from the food supply.
“The importance of addressing the problem of CHDs (coronary heart disease (CHD) and CVDs (cardiovascular diseases) has never been more pronounced than during this COVID-19 pandemic where patients with comorbidities, such as CHD, have a higher risk of serious illness or death. As of June 8, 2020, 49 percent of COVID-19 deaths in the Philippines had comorbidities. Now more than ever, the need for preventative health care and healthy lifestyle promotion must be realized in line with the vision of universal health care,” Ong said in his bill’s explanatory note.
He noted that CVDs, particularly CHD, account for nearly half of the world’s non-communicable diseases-related deaths and claim around 70,000 lives in the Philippines every year.
“High intake of TFA increases the risk of death from any cause by 34 percent and CHD mortality and morbidity by as much as 23 percent and 28 percent , respectively. Every year, more than half a million deaths are attributed to TFA globally,” he said.
He said the World Health Organization (WHO) published the REPLACE (Review, Promote, Legislate, Assess, Create, Enforce) action package as a roadmap for countries to implement actions towards a trans-fat free world by 2023.
According to the WHO, TFA elimination is considered as one of the simplest and most straightforward public health interventions to reduce the risk of CVDs and improve nutritional quality of diets, he said.
“As more countries regulate TFA, countries without regulations become vulnerable to dumping of TFA-rich imported food. Thus, it becomes even more urgent to join the global movement to become TFA-free by 2023 by passing this bill now. Together, let us protect all Filipinos from the harmful effects of TFA and promote healthy hearts for all,” Ong said.
Covered by HB No. 7202 are all food business operators as defined under Republic Act No. 10611, the “Food Safety Act.”
Under the bill, the Department of Health (DOH) shall ensure the full implementation of the proposed Act. It shall convene and lead the inter-agency TFA Task Force, which shall be composed of the National Nutrition Council (NNC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Finance (DOF), and other agencies identified by the DOF.
The FDA shall assist the LGUs in regulating food service establishments, upon their requests, while the DOST shall conduct continuing research to identify and develop healthy alternative oils and food products.
HB 7202 provides that the manufacturing, importation, distribution, and sale of the following are prohibited: PHOs to be consumed alone or used in preparation of food products; oils and fats made or blended with PHOs; oils and fats with TFA content of more than 2g per 100g; and processed and prepackaged food prepared with PHOs, with oils and fats made or blended with PHOs, and with TFA content of more than 2g per 100g of total fat.
For first-time violators, they shall face a fine ranging from P50,000 to P100,000 and suspension of their certificate of product registration (CPR) and/or license to operate (LTO) for one month.
A fine of not less than P100,000 but not more than P200,000 and suspension of CPR and/or LTO for three months shall be slapped for the second violation.
Third-time violators have to pay a fine ranging from P200,000 to P300,000. Suspension of CPR and/or LTO for one year or revocation of the CPR, LTO, and other relevant licenses and permits shall be meted, under Ong’s bill.
According to the bill, erring food business operators shall face a penalty of imprisonment of not less than one month, but not more than six months.