By Perfecto T. Raymundo, Jr.
QUEZON CITY — Quezon City Mayor Josefina “Joy” G. Belmonte on Thursday (Jan. 30) officially launched the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) for the city’s calorie labeling ordinance.
In a press conference, Mayor Belmonte said that in 2023 the City Government passed the Calorie Labeling Ordinance, adding that, since signing the ordinance, the city government has received positive feedback from the stakeholders.
“This ordinance is not only a piece of legislative measure, but it is part of the city government’s policy of making the city a livable city and to make sure a safe and secure city,” Belmonte said.
“With the help of the Quezon City Health Department, we will conduct initiatives and undertakings as well as provide incentives for the Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) for the implementation of the Calorie Labeling Ordinance,” she added.
Mayor Belmonte stressed that the restaurants or food establishments should be “part of the solution and not of the problem” with the implementation of the Calorie Labeling Ordinance and they should practice “resilience” with the “New QC Menu” which will take effect within a period of one year.
“We are empowering our QCitizens to have their informed decisions about their health,” Belmonte said.
Because of the ordinance, the QCitizens have the correct information to choose food with proper Calorie Label.
The City Chief Executive noted that there are also international restaurants in Quezon City who can easily comply with the Calorie Labeling Ordinance.
“In the League of Cities, we do the ‘benchmarking’ on best practices which we share with other LGUs,” Belmonte said.
She noted that the PAISD and the health department are included in the information dissemination of the city government in so far as the campaign on health of the QCitizens is concerned.
“This is part of our campaign of a wholistic approach for the health of the QCitizens. We also have the Healthy Food Procurement Policy so that all the food taken is healthy,” Belmonte said.
It can be recalled that on March 21, 2024, the Quezon City Government enacted an ordinance that will require restaurants, fastfood chains, and other food establishments operating within the city to publish the amount of calories per serving of the food items on their menu.
With the signing of its IRR, restaurants now have a clear timeline and guidelines to comply with this landmark policy.
The initiative highlighted the city government’s commitment to improve the health of QCitizens by creating an environment where they can make informed food choices, as part of the Partnership for Healthy Cities, a prestigious global network of 74 cities committed to saving lives by preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)—such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer—and injuries.
Dr. Ramona Asuncion DG. Abarquez, Officer-in-Charge of Quezon City Health Department Head, said that the implementation of the Calorie Label Ordinance is set to take effect on Dec. 20, 2025.
She noted that there is a health crisis in Quezon City that demands “our immediate action” such that the level of calories is significant to consider in order to obtain sustainable health.
Belmonte stressed that a waiter would not know if asked about the food nutrient or calorie content of the food the restaurant serves.
She pointed out the staff of the Quezon City Government will be trained about the implementation of the IRR of the laws or ordinances of the city so that they will be responsive in the concerns of the QCitizens.
According to World Health Organization, the imbalance on calories should be seriously taken into consideration in the sense that such imbalance could lead health risks.
“After the test, we give free maintenance medicines to QCitizens,” Dr. Abarquez said.
Calorie labeling in food establishments requires the display of calorie of food items in the menu, nutrients of concern such as carbohydrates, among others.
Public consultations with relevant stakeholders were undertaken where the menu and calorie labeling were discussed and tackled.
The scope of the Calorie Labeling Ordinance are food businesses offering standardized menu items wherein for the first phase – first year – five or more locations.
There are exemptions and non-applicability to certain menu items wherein restaurants or food businesses that do not offer standard menu items.
The method of measurement of the calorie content is through laboratory analysis where there is an allowable limit of 20%, in excess of which, will be a violation of the Calorie Labeling Ordinance which will be subject to penalties as provided for by the ordinance itself.
The implementation of the Calorie Labeling Ordinance will be through capacity building such as training for nutritionist-dietitians employed by food businesses and social behavior change communications campaign.
It penalizes a P1,000 fine for the first offense, P2,000 for the second offense, and P3,000 for third offense and a fourth or succeeding repetition of the offense would be fined with P5,000 and the revocation of the business permit of the violator business establishment.
Also present during the press conference we’re Councilor Ramon Vicente V. Medalla, Chairperson of Committee on Transportation, and Councilor Emmanuel A. Pilar, Chairperson of Committee on Trade, Commerce and Industry,
Majority Floor Leader Dr. Dorothy A. Delarmente, Chairperson of Committee on Laws and Internal Government, said that it’s a “case-to-case basis” and not only about the body mass index (bmi), adding that “lamang ang may alam (the knowledgeable has the advantage)”.
Councilor Julienne Alyson Rae V. Medalla, Chairperson of Committee on Education, Science and Technology, said that they will coordinate with the Health Department in the implementation of the Calorie Labeling Ordinance, especially on the 15-day grace period given to the food establishments within which to comply with the requirements for violation.
Councilor Alex Bernard R. Herrera, Chairperson of Committee on Health and Sanitation, cited Section 10 of the IRR provides that the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) will be consulted by the City Health nutritionist.
Councilor Irene R. Belmonte, Chairperson of Committee on City Planning, Building and Zoning, said that with the social behavioral change, the QCitizens would demand on the calorie labeling from the food establishments.
In his message of support, Farhad Ali, Senior Manager of APAC Region of Partnership for Healthy Cities, Vital Strategies, said that in less than two years since signing the policy on food initiatives, Quezon City has gathered many information on calorie labeling policy that prevents diabetes and other food-related diseases.
With such food policy, the initiative has also mitigated the occurrence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
“What’s New on the QC Menu” was presented during the press conference and will be implemented once the Calorie Labeling Ordinance where the first phase will take effect on Dec. 20, 2025.
The second phase of the implementation of the Calorie Labeling Ordinance will take effect one year after Dec. 21, 2025 and so on and so forth for phase 2 and phase 3.
Violators will be given a period of 15 days within which to comply with the requirements of the ordinance, otherwise, more stiff penalties will be imposed upon them.
There will be a “one year grace period” upon the implementation of the Calorie Labeling Ordinance.
The fastfood chains – five restaurants — such as McDonalds, Jollibee, Chowking will be included in the Calorie Labeling Ordinance.
The five leading causes of NCDs are hypertension, diabetes, which encompass all ages.
One out of five adults are affected by NCDs, and one out of five adult Filipinos are affected by obesity.
There are now about 2,000 registered restaurants in Quezon City.
The Quezon City Government will undertake capacity building trainings to dietitians and nutritionists as well as incentivization to initiatives in compliance with the Calorie Labeling Ordinance.