Duterte wants sweetened beverages to carry health warning

June 20, 2018

President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered concerned government agencies to ensure that sweetened beverages would carry a health warning, similar to cigarettes.

In a press briefing in Malacanang on Wednesday, Department of Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez said the Food and Drug Administration under the Department of Health will execute the order of the president.

"The president has a directive that there is a need to put a warning in the sugar-sweetened beverages - if it's high sugar, put on the front 'containing high sugar.' It's like 'it can be dangerous to your health'," he said.

"So, we'll issue the necessary order in that regard, but we'll have to talk to the stakeholders as we implement that directive from the president," Lopez added.

He said Duterte made the directive after learning most powdered juice drinks were mainly made of sugar.

He said Duterte became "worried" since powdered juice drinks are usually being given to sick persons.

"So, he said there should be truth in advertising. He is referring to the truth in labeling. So in the label, we were explaining, it's on the back. But I think what he wants to say now is, the warning should be like the cigarettes, there's warning 'this can be dangerous to your health'," Lopez explained. Celerina Monte/DMS