MANILA, Philippines — Albay 3rd District Representative Raymond Adrian Salceda is pushing for the urgent approval of a landmark legislative proposal designed to make healthy food more affordable, reachable, and prominent across local markets.
House Bill (HB) No. 10927, known as the Philippine Healthy Food Retail Act, was introduced by Salceda in his capacity as chairman of the House Special Committee on Food Security. The measure outlines a sweeping framework regulating supermarkets, educational zones, online sales platforms, and neighborhood retail outlets.
The proposed legislation aims to tackle the nation’s severe dual burden of malnutrition and the rising tide of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, heart ailments, and cancer. These chronic illnesses cause nearly 70 percent of deaths nationwide and drain the economy of approximately ₱756 billion annually—or roughly 4.8 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.
Philippines also struggles with child stunting alongside escalating adult obesity rates.
Salceda emphasized that true national food security requires moving past simple supply availability to ensuring everyday households can afford and easily obtain nutritious meals.
“Unhealthy, ultra-processed food is cheap and everywhere, while nutritious options remain expensive and out of reach. If we are serious about food security, healthy food must also be accessible and affordable to ordinary families,” said the Bicolano lawmaker.
Under the bill’s provisions, mid-sized and large retail establishments must set aside prime shelf space exclusively for fresh produce and wholesome foods—reserving at least 20 percent and 30 percent of display space, respectively.
Additionally, products heavy in fat, salt, and sugar (HFSS) would be banned from checkout lanes, entranceways, and lower shelf levels within children’s direct eye level.
Rather than imposing heavy mandates on micro and small vendors—including sari-sari stores, carinderias, and public market sellers—the bill offers assistance packages. Qualifying small businesses would gain access to monetary grants, training, shared cold-storage facilities, and direct supply lines to local farmers’ cooperatives.
To protect younger demographics, HB 10927 bans youth-targeted promotion of HFSS items using toy incentives, cartoons, or animated characters.
A 100-meter buffer zone surrounding primary and secondary schools would prohibit storefront advertising and promotions for junk food during school hours.
Digital retail channels and food delivery applications would likewise be mandated to feature dedicated health-conscious sections, display full nutrition details, and disable promotional algorithms targeting underaged users.