MANILA – Lawmakers and public health experts are pushing for the urgent passage of measures that will require warning labels and restrict the marketing of unhealthy food to children, amid projections that obesity among Filipino youth will continue to rise.
During a joint hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Health and Committee on the Welfare of Children on Wednesday, experts warned that by 2030, one in three Filipino children may become overweight or obese if preventive measures are not implemented.
The hearing focused on the proposed Healthy Food Environment Bill, which aims to address obesity and other noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) by requiring front-of-pack warning labels on food products high in fats, sugar, and sodium.
The bill also seeks to restrict the marketing of unhealthy food and beverages targeting children, including advertisements that use cartoons, mascots, games, prizes, and other promotional tactics.
Lawmakers said the measure is designed to help families make informed food choices and reduce children’s exposure to advertisements promoting unhealthy products.
Reynolds Michael Tan, principal author of House Bill 819, said strong legislative backing for the measure reflects growing concern over the rising burden of preventable diseases.
“Nearly a hundred legislators are now standing behind these measures because we see the same reality: Filipino families are being overwhelmed by preventable diseases,” Tan said. “Every billboard, every cartoon character selling unhealthy food chips away at their future.”
He added that aggressive marketing of unhealthy food has contributed to normalizing unhealthy dietary habits among children.
Manila 4th District Rep. Giselle Mary Maceda, vice chairperson of both committees and principal author of House Bill 6166, cited the importance of protecting Filipino children from manipulative marketing practices.
“Children deserve protection from food environments that set them up for a lifetime of disease,” Maceda said.
Health Committee Vice Chairperson Carlos Andres Loria, principal author of House Bill 6333, meanwhile, said preventive policies are needed as obesity and related diseases continue to increase in the country.
“We cannot afford to wait while obesity, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease continue to rise,” he said.
To date, lawmakers have filed 20 versions of the Healthy Food Environment Bill and four versions of a standalone front-of-pack warning label bill, with support from 77 legislators.
Public health advocates and civil society groups also expressed support for the proposed measure.
The Healthy Food Environment Coalition said the bill could help create a healthier food environment for Filipino children and families.
“This is not just a fight against unhealthy food; it’s a movement toward a future where children can live to their full potential, free from chronic diseases,” the coalition said.
The Philippine Society of Public Health Physicians, a member of the coalition, also underscored the importance of preventive measures in addressing diet-related diseases.
The group said physicians and public health professionals regularly encounter patients suffering from complications linked to unhealthy diets, including diabetes and metabolic disorders, among younger Filipinos.
Health advocates said experiences from countries, such as Chile and Peru, have shown that warning labels and marketing restrictions can reduce purchases of unhealthy food and encourage families to shift to healthier options.
They added that the swift approval of the proposed measure would be a crucial step in preventing the rise of obesity and other diet-related diseases in the Philippines. (PNA)