Philippines charts national roadmap for sodium reformulation
The Philippines has taken an important step toward reducing excessive sodium intake through the development of a national sodium reformulation roadmap, which identifies strategies under two priority areas: policy and advocacy, and evidence and research.
ImagineLaw convened the workshop, with invited stakeholders from the Department of Health–Health Promotion Bureau (DOH-HPB), Department of Health–Disease Prevention and Control Bureau (DOH-DPCB), Department of Health–Health Policy Development and Planning Bureau (DOH-HPDPB), Department of Science and Technology–Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), National Nutrition Council (NNC), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA). DOH-HPB, DOH-DPCB, DOST-FNRI participated in the event.
During the input sessions that guided the formulation of the roadmap, DOH-HPB highlighted legislative priorities, including sodium reduction under the Health Executive Agenda for Legislation and the proposed Administrative Order on the Promotion of Healthy Diets. DOST-FNRI presented global and national evidence showing that Filipinos’ sodium intake exceeds the World Health Organization’s recommended limit, as well as key dietary sources of sodium in the Filipino diet. ImagineLaw shared global best practices, highlighting mandatory reformulation and phased implementation as effective approaches to reducing sodium intake and addressing its impact on noncommunicable diseases.
The participating agencies later developed the roadmap, which outlines policy, communications, and evidence-related priorities to guide the country’s sodium reduction pathway.
The draft roadmap will be circulated to the National Nutrition Council (NNC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), (DOH-DPCB), Department of Health–Health Policy Development and Planning Bureau (DOH-HPDPB) for further input before it is finalized to guide future action.
