The regulation of food in the Republic of the Philippines is enshrined in the 1987 Philippine Constitution. Statutory laws are also in place providing legal basis for the creation of a regulatory agency, the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD), mandated to ensure the safety, efficacy and good quality of all food products being made available to the general public - "it is the policy of the state to ensure safe and good quality food, drug and cosmetics and regulate the production, sale and traffic of the same to protect the health of the consumer". The most important of these laws is the Republic Act (RA) 3720 "Foods, Drugs, Medical Devices and Cosmetics Act". Regulation is achieved through inspection and licensing of food establishments, registration and market monitoring of products, approval of product label prior to marketing, and approval and monitoring of promotions and advertisements.

International standards and guidelines such as those recommended by the WHO, USP or BP, FAO and Codex Alimentarius are used as a basis in the formulation and implementation of rules and regulations governing the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, or sale of food. In 2009 a new law was signed strengthening the regulatory capacity of the BFAD to ensure the safety, quality and efficacy of medicines and other health products in the Philippines. Republic Act No. 9711, otherwise known as the Food & Drug Administration Act of 2009, also renames the BFAD as the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) with improved administrative and technical capacity in the regulation of food, drugs, cosmetics and device establishments and products.