Health advocates on Monday celebrated the start of the effectivity of the ban on industrially-produced trans fatty acids or iTFA in pre-packaged and processed foods in the country.

Public interest law group ImagineLaw urged solons anew to pass the Trans Fat Free Philippines Bill into law, a measure that will ban the use of industrially-produced trans fatty acids or iTFAs in processed and pre-packaged food products manufactured and sold in the country.

Public interest law group ImagineLaw on Monday urged national government agencies (NGAs) and local government units (LGUs) to opt for healthier alternatives in their food gifts and Christmas banquets for office parties and public gatherings this holiday season.

A group of doctors, lawyers and a lawmaker on Thursday expressed alarm over the rising incidence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) among younger Filipinos. In a press conference to commemorate World Heart Day, the Philippine Heart Association (PHA) said that Filipinos who suffer from stroke and other heart conditions are getting younger.

“Time’s up for trans fat.”

The Department of Health (DOH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday reminded food companies to reformulate and remove industrially-produced trans fatty acids (iTFA) from their products by June 18, 2023, in compliance with DOH Administrative Order 2021-0039 and FDA Circular 2021-028.

“One year left. The food industry must ensure that the food they produce and offer for sale to the public is safe and trans fat-free.”

This is the statement of the law group ImagineLaw today, a year before the deadline for the food industry to remove their processed food products with trans fatty acids (TFA) from the market, as set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) through Circular No. 2021-028 which mandates food manufacturers, producers, and distributors to reformulate their products and shift towards a TFA-free food production by June 18, 2023.

“We need to protect our children and their hearts from the dangers of trans fat.”

“We urge the incoming government of presumptive president Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. to be united in protecting the heart health of Filipinos by enacting the Trans Fat Free Philippines Bill.”

“The Filipino people, for the sake of their heart health, deserve a trans fat-free Philippines by 2023. We laud the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its commitment to this vision and urge the food industry to observe the strictest compliance.”