MANILA, Philippines - Selling and promoting junk food and soft drinks in schools are now banned in Quezon City.
Mayor Herbert Bautista has approved City Ordinance 2579-2017, which prohibits the sale and promotion of junk food and soft drinks within 100 meters from schools.
The ordinance, authored by Councilor Irene Belmonte, aims to promote the health and welfare of students in Quezon City. It covers all private and public preparatory, elementary and high schools.
Also not allowed are promotional materials for these products, such as tarpaulins and flyers.
“Our primary goal is to promote healthy eating habits for the youth. And by banning sugary drinks and junk food, we can help the students have a meal plan which is healthy,” Belmonte said in a statement yesterday.
Giving away junk food and sugary drinks as a mode of promotion, encouraging buying, giving samples, marketing, advertising and sponsorship of these products will no longer be allowed, the Quezon City Public Affairs Department said.
The city government will form a joint task force that will implement the ordinance and identify prohibited junk food and sugary drinks.
Establishments caught selling banned products will be fined P1,000 for the first offense and P2,000 for the second offense.
For the third offense, violators will be fined P5,000 and their barangay or business permits revoked.