SHAPE Asia Policy Lab sparks multi-sector push for healthier food retail and marketing in the Philippines

Government agencies, researchers, civil society leaders, and global partners met last Oct. 14, 2025, at Seda Manila Bay for the SHAPE Asia Policy Lab, a landmark gathering focused on transforming how food is sold and marketed in the Philippines.

Hosted by SHAPE Asia (Shaping Healthy Asian Food Systems and Policy Environments), the high-level policy dialogue, entitled “Shaping Food Environments: Policy Dialogues on Food Retail and Marketing in the Philippines,” brought together key actors to chart a path toward healthier food environments, especially in the face of rising obesity, undernutrition, and diet-related diseases in the country.

Moving Beyond Talk to Targeted Action

“This is a rare opportunity for a direct, solutions-focused dialogue between researchers, government agencies, and advocates,” said Dr. Elaine Borazon, SHAPE Asia project lead. “We want to shift the conversation toward meaningful policy change.”

Dr. Borazon emphasized that SHAPE Asia’s mission is to amplify and support the ongoing work of Philippine agencies, especially in food retail and marketing policy. “Our focus for the first two years is to collaborate with the local government and stakeholders on evidence-based solutions that can be scaled nationally,” she added.

The Policy Lab featured representatives from the Department of Health (DoH), National Nutrition Council (NNC), FNRI-DoST, UNICEF, Philippine Commission on Women (PCW), Pasay and Quezon City Local Government Units, the Nutritionist-Dietitian Association of the Philippines, PhilRice, UN-World Food Programme, and other stakeholders.

Dr. Elaine Borazon in discussion with key participants

Shared Vision Across Agencies

The participants rallied around a shared goal: creating a healthy, well-nourished nation. The DoH highlighted its work on improving health outcomes through enabling environments and technical assistance to local government units. FNRI-DoST shared updates on tools like the Philippine Dietary Guidelines, which are aligned with SHAPE Asia’s vision.

One key takeaway from Quezon City’s presentation was their openness to policy expansion: “We are integrating nutrition standards with local farmer support. We are open to more regulation of food retail,” said Jai Sideco from the Quezon City Health Department. “We need research on how food marketing affects consumption, especially among children.”

Gender and Equity in the Food Environment

The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) raised concerns about the gendered impact of healthy food policies. “The impact of making food healthier affects women. In the retail industry, most vendors are women. Based on the Philippine Statistics Authority, 60% of new business name registrations are in women’s names,” a PCW representative stated. They urged policymakers to ensure that reforms support women-led small businesses.

Lessons from Across the Region

International insights were provided by Madiha Ahmed, Senior Program Specialist at Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC). “The challenges you’re discussing today echo what we’re hearing across Southeast Asia, South Asia, even Africa and Latin America,” she noted. “It’s both a little worrying and a little reassuring that we’re facing many of the same obstacles, but at the same time, we know from our experience in other regions, change is possible when we come together.”

Ms. Ahmed commended the diversity of voices in the room from barangay nutrition scholars and city councils to researchers and development partners, saying this range of perspectives is crucial for meaningful and lasting policy change.

Concrete Commitments and Next Steps

Participants also discussed ongoing and planned initiatives: direct procurement agreements with farmers, nutrition education in schools, and embedding dietitians in LGU programs.

One proposal that drew support was the harmonization of existing policies across departments to make them more accessible to implementers on the ground. “We don’t necessarily need to create new policies,” one participant said. “We need to disseminate, consolidate, and monitor the ones we already have.”

SHAPE Asia is committed to following up with partner agencies and local government units for pilot projects in 2026, including collaborative research, technical support, and advocacy campaigns.

A Platform for Shared Progress

SHAPE Asia, led by Dr. Elaine Borazon, a faculty member of the National Sun Yat-sen University in Taiwan, is active in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines. It promotes double-duty actions, policies that address both undernutrition and non-communicable diseases through better food systems and smarter governance.

“Our role is to be a platform and amplifier,” said Dr. Borazon in closing. “We want to harmonize and support what each of you is already doing. We can build food environments that are equitable, sustainable, and healthy for all Filipinos together.”