The Healthy Philippines Alliance (HPA) praised the provisional approval of the Philippine Nutrient Profile Model. The model was approved by the Department of Health and the National Nutrition Council.
The PNPM sets limits for sugar, sodium and saturated fat in packaged and ultra‑processed foods. It was drafted after several rounds of review that began in 2019.
“We congratulate the NNC and DOH for establishing this game‑changing nutrition policy tool,” said Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, former health secretary and HPA convener. “While but one step, this will make a transformative impact on improving the nutrition standards and food environment in the Philippines. We look forward to the immediate application of the tool to regulatory policies such as front‑of‑pack warning labels, healthy food procurement of government agencies, and unhealthy food taxes. Hopefully, this leads Filipinos, especially children, to better food choices and diets that help them avoid NCDs like hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes.”
Dialysis‑PH Support Group, a HPA member, also backed the model. “The PNPM, when applied in nutrition policies like front‑of‑pack food warning labels, takes the guesswork out of the grocery aisle,” said Reynaldo Abacan Jr., founder of Dialysis‑PH. “We believe this can be life‑saving for Filipinos, especially young people, who need access to healthier and nutritious food products. This has the potential to reshape our food environment, driving manufacturers to reformulate products to meet critical sugar, sodium, and fat thresholds. Dietary intervention is our first line of defense against CKD so individuals can precisely manage their nutrient intake before permanent kidney damage occurs.”
The alliance urged the NNC and DOH to give the tool final approval and to update it in real time as it rolls out.
Dr. Galvez Tan added, “The most ideal PNPM we have always advocated is one designed to unilaterally apply to all processed and ultra‑processed food, similar to the WHO‑PAHO model. It is the easiest to implement and detects the widest range of unhealthy products. Nonetheless, we are equally satisfied that the current PNPM is strict in itself, while more complex by dividing food into several categories such as milk products, pastries, cereals, and so on.”
Field testing by the University of the Philippines Manila College of Public Health examined about 5,000 locally sold packaged items. Several nutrient‑profile models, including the WHO‑PAHO standard and the PNPM, were applied.
“Our findings show that the WHO‑PAHO model is still the best at profiling and capturing the most packaged products that exceed the levels of sugar, sodium, and fats,” said Dr. Kim Leonard Dela Luna, chair of UP‑CPH’s Department of Nutrition. “But the current PNPM works almost at par while designed to be food‑category specific. We highly recommend our government agencies be transparent, free from conflicts of interest, and ensure all products are accurately and clearly categorized.”
The PNPM will serve as a reference for front‑of‑pack warning labels, marketing restrictions, unhealthy‑food taxes and government food procurement for schools, workplaces and disaster relief.
Health Group Praises New Philippine Nutrient Profile Model
