PHA: Healthy options to curb obesity, heart disease
Panelists from left: Dr. Juhani Capeding, Dr. Louella Santos, Councilor John Tobit Cruz, Rep. Reynolds Michael Tan, Atty. Mikhail Laurence Millan, Dr. Avenilo Aventura Jr.
QUEZON CITY, March 5, 2025 -- The Philippine Heart Association (PHA) and fellow health advocates urged Congress anew to pass House Bill No. 9819, otherwise known as the “Healthy Food Marketing Environment Bill” before the 19th Congress adjourns in June 2025, at a press conference held at Novotel, Cubao.
Led by ImagineLaw, the lobby group which was composed of health experts, lawmakers, lawyers and lay advocates, stressed that having a clear food warning label law will regulate child-directed food marketing that would result in the formulation of healthier options; and greater consumer awareness.
Drs. Louella Santos and Avenilo Aventura Jr. PHA director II and director III, respectively, also called on Filipino families to take an active role in making healthier food choices, a habit that should begin at the home front; and influence other communities to be untiring advocates of healthier pre-packed, convenience foods to curb the growing prevalence of obesity in children.
A major provision of the bill is the implementation of Front-of-Pack Warning Labels (FOPWL) on pre-packaged food products that exceed safe levels of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats.
Many pre-packaged goods are designed to be highly palatable and addictive due to flavor enhancers. The group urged food manufacturers to recalibrate their ingredients, reducing their sugar, sodium, and fat contents. Adding more salt, sugar and trans fats (bad fats) extend the food’s shelf life.
According to Santos, many Filipino families unknowingly purchase unhealthy products due to misleading marketing and complex nutrition labels.
She added “we cannot let profit-driven marketing dictate what goes on our tables. If we want a healthier future, we need to start with education— teaching parents and children how to read labels, recognize harmful ingredients, and choose better alternatives.”
Dr. Louella Santos
Protecting the next generation means paving a heathy environment for them. It is a cause that entails a global village.
Aventura said that “it is about calling on the food industry to walk the talk and making the erring manufacturers accountable,” he said, adding “may I remind all the parents, like me, that smart eating begins with smart grocery or market shopping and begins at home. It pays to read the labels. It is a habit that you have to pass on to your children.”
Dr. Avenilo Aventura Jr.
Samar Rep. Reynolds Michael Tan emphasized that the passing of the bill is in the best interest of the children and the youth, which makes him “100 percent committed in helping the bill to be pushed into law, and that the enactment and implementation will be done in no time.”
Meanwhile, on the occasion of National Children’s Month in November 2024, Sen. Risa Hontiveros called on the public to support Senate Bill No. 2700, the “Healthy Food Marketing Environment Act.”
A public law group, ImagineLaw initiated the FOPWL Bill.
Educating, empowering Filipino families
Studies show that children and adults alike who regularly consume processed and high-fat foods have a greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVDs refer to diseases of the heart and the blood vessels which include hypertension and stroke. CVD remains the leading cause of death in the country, with the Philippine Statistics Authority reporting that 1 in 5 Filipino deaths in early 2024 were due to heart-related conditions. Obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia (high cholesterol levels) are precursors to CVD.
“True heart disease remains the number one cause of death in the Philippines, and behind these statistics are real people—parents, children, loved ones—who suffer the consequences of an industry, an environment that prioritizes profit over public health,” Aventura said.
Panelists with the members of the Responsible Food Marketing Coalition
A shared responsibility
Santos said that making a change should not be one-sided, as when the people learn to choose the right food wisely manufacturers should also adjust on the ingredients to be used in their products.
“Okay lang na may lasa pa rin ang pagkain, pero soon dapat ay may recommendations nang sinusunod, like on how much fat is allowed, dapat bawal lumagpas sa naka-set na threshold,” she added. She also advised the parents to look for brands with less product warnings or to look for better alternatives.
The move is aligned with global efforts where many countries have already set limits on harmful ingredients and encouraged manufacturers to reduce unhealthy additives. Countries with strict food labeling laws have seen significant improvements in consumer awareness and healthier product formulations.
Atty. Mikhail Laurence Millan, ImagineLaw project manager said that there is a relation between the dietary changes and the non-communicable diseases (NCDs). CVD is under the cluster of NCDs.
“Most of the families who have members with NCD, have no idea sometimes that the food that they are buying are bad for them, but with FOPWL, they will be able to know.”
Dr. Shawn Aquino from the Department of Health said “the bill plays a crucial role in our advocacy, as it ensures that Filipinos are protected from excess fats, sugar, and sodium.”
Dr. Juhani Capeding of the Philippine Society of Public Health Physicians also said that better changes in buying and eating food cannot happen overnight. “It is due to the series of choices, iyong mga good small decisions—once they accumulate, you will see the impact.”
Meanwhile, Taytay Councilor John Tobit Cruz said that their municipality has imposed restrictions like “pwedeng itinda ang mga softdrinks, chichirya, and such, pero bawal itong i-advertise lalo na sa malalapit sa mga eskwelahan.”
Panelists holding signs with the calls to action, with Dr. Vico Cesar Ubaldo (middle)