Asia-Pacific
Philippines
Last updated : August 2, 2026
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The Philippines' Food Safety Act (RA 10611) and FDA Philippines require food allergen information among the mandatory label elements — 8 recognised allergens (milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, soybean), one fewer than the FDA's pre-sesame US list. Quezon City, the country's most populous city, has gone further than national law with its own calorie-labeling and single-use-plastics ordinances — a pattern other Metro Manila cities are watching closely.
Key regulatory texts
Food Safety Act (RA 10611) — allergen labelling
The Philippines' Food Safety Act requires declaration of 8 recognised allergens (milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, soybean) among the mandatory label elements for prepackaged food.
How CalcMenu helps
CalcMenu already calculates allergens per recipe; the Philippines' 8-allergen list is a subset of the 9 FDA allergens already supported, so adapting to it is a configuration change, not new architecture.
Quezon City Calorie Labeling Ordinance (SP-3254, S. 2024)
Quezon City's SP-3254 (S. 2024) requires restaurants and food establishments to display calorie counts (kcal) per serving on menus, in a font size comparable to the dish name. Phased rollout from December 2025 (chains with 5+ QC branches), extending to smaller operators over three years; daily specials, items on the menu under 60 days, custom orders, condiments and spices are exempt.
How CalcMenu helps
CalcMenu already calculates calories per serving from recipe ingredients — the underlying data this ordinance requires is ready today. The Quezon City-specific menu format (matching font size next to the dish name) is in development.
Quezon City Single-Use Plastics Ban (Ord. 2868-2019 & 2876-2019)
Quezon City Ordinance 2868-2019 bans single-use plastic bags city-wide; Ordinance 2876-2019 prohibits restaurants and hotels from giving dine-in customers disposable plastic ware — cups, plates, cutlery, straws and stirrers — in full effect since 1 July 2021. Takeout and delivery orders must use an opt-in "by-request" protocol for plastic utensils and condiment sachets. Penalties escalate with repeat offences, up to business license revocation.
How CalcMenu helps
This ordinance governs service-ware and packaging sourcing, not recipe or menu data — outside CalcMenu's product scope. Listed here for complete visibility into Quezon City's food-service compliance requirements.
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August 2, 2026
Quezon City's calorie-labeling ordinance and single-use plastics ban, explained
Quezon City has gone further than Philippine national law with two ordinances of its own: mandatory calorie counts on menus (SP-3254), and a ban on single-use plastic ware for dine-in customers. Here's who each one covers, the actual rollout dates, and what's really needed to comply.
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