SECTION 1. Title. The following shall be referred to as the “Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations of Executive Order No. 51, otherwise known as the ‘Milk Code’, Relevant International Agreements, Penalizing Violations Thereof, And For Other Purposes”.
SECTION 2. Purpose. These Revised Rules and Regulations are hereby promulgated to ensure the provision of safe and adequate nutrition for infants and young children by the promotion, protection and support of breastfeeding and by ensuring the proper use of breastmilk substitutes, breastmilk supplements and related products when these are medically indicated and only when necessary, on the basis of adequate information and through appropriate marketing and distribution.
SECTION 3. Scope and Coverage. These Revised Rules and Regulations shall apply to the marketing, and practices related thereto, of the following products: breastmilk substitutes, including infant formula; other milk products, foods and beverages, including bottle-fed complementary foods, when marketed or otherwise represented to be suitable, with or without modification, for use as a partial or total replacement of breastmilk; feeding bottles and teats. It also applies to their quality and availability, and to information concerning their use.
SECTION 4. Declaration of Principles. The following are the underlying principles from which the revised rules and regulations are premised upon:
a. Exclusive breastfeeding is for infants from 0 to six (6) months.
b. There is no substitute nor replacement for breastmilk.
c. Appropriate and safe complementary feeding should start from six months onwards m addition to breastfeeding.
d. Breastfeeding is still appropriate for young children up to two (24 months) years of age or beyond.
e. Infant or milk formula may be hazardous to a child’s health and damage child’s formative development.
f. Advertising, promotions, or sponsorships of infant formula, breastmilk substitutes and other related products are prohibited.*
g. Other related products such as, but not exclusive of, teats, feeding bottles, and artificial feeding paraphernalia are prohibited in health facilities.
h. Government and all concerned stakeholders must continuously accomplish an information, dissemination campaign/strategy, and do further research on the advantages of breastmilk and the hazards of breastmilk substitutes or replacements.
i. Milk companies, and their representatives, should not form part of any policymaking body or entity m relation to the advancement of breastfeeding.