MANILA, Philippines- Naghain ng panukalang batas ang isang mambabatas na magbabawal sa baby food producers at manufacturers laban sa paghahalo ng asukal sa kanilang produkto.
Sinabi Senador Imee Marcos na base ito sa pag-aaral ng Department of Science and Technology (DOST) at University of the Philippines (UP) na panganib sa obesity ang Filipino.
Dahil dito, aniya, inihain ang Senate Bill (SB) No. 2581 o ang No-Added Sugar on Baby Foods Act.
“In a 2022 survey of the DOST’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute, around 27 million Filipinos are overweight and obese. For the past two decades, overweight and obesity among adults have almost doubled from 20.2 percent in 1998 to 36.6 percent in 2019,” ayon sa explanatory note ng panukala.
Natuklasan din sa pag-aaral ng DOST na tumaas ang insidente ng overweight at obesity sa adolescents na nadoble ng 4.9 porsiento noong 2003 tungo sa 11.6 porsyento sa 2018.
Kinumpirma rin ng nakaraang pag-aaral ng UP na nasa panganib ang kabataang Filipino sa obesity sanhi ng pagkunsumo ng pagkain na pawang energy-dense at nutrient-poor, na pinatindi pa ng urbanization at pagtaas ng kita.
Binanggit din sa panukala ang kautusan ng World Health Organization na ipagbawal ang dagdag na asukal sa baby food para sa mga paslit hanggang 36 buwan sanhi ng nakakabahalang epekto nito sa oral health ng sanggol.
Inilalagay nito sa panganib ang bata na lumalaki na nagugustuhan ang matatamis na pagkain na nagiging sanhi ng overweight at obesity-related diseases sa adulthood.
“The proposed bill seeks to ensure good nutrition, optimal child growth and development, and better health outcomes for children. To this end, the government, and agencies concerned shall implement a ban on added sugar in baby food. The producers/manufacturers shall take responsibility to remove added sugar and look for healthier alternatives in their baby food products,” paliwanag ni Marcos sa panukala.
Inaatasan ng SB 2581 ang Department of Health na bawiin, ipagbawal at kumpiskahin sa pagbebenta at distribusyon ng anumang baby food na may asukal.
“The producer or manufacturer of baby food that will be proven to contain added sugar will also be fined not less than PHP300,000 but not more PHP500,000 or will be imprisoned for not less than one year but not more than five years or both, upon the discretion of the court,” saad sa panukala.
“In case the offender is a juridical person, the president, secretary, treasurer, and such other officers or persons responsible for the offense, shall be liable for the penalty of imprisonment,” anito pa.
Ipapatapon naman ang sinumang dayuhan na magbebenta, distributor o manufacturer ng baby food na may asukal, matapos pagsilbihin ang sentensya at pagbabayad ng multa. Ernie Reyes
