Francisco Duque III, secretary of the Department of Health, said in a news conference that the ban will take effect next month. Violators will face imprisonment of up to 20 years and a fine as much as $48,000 or both.
Foreigners who are related to Filipinos by blood are, however, spared from this law.
Duque noted an increase of over 60 percent of kidney transplants involving foreign recipients between 2002 and 2006.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development said that there had been 500 kidney transplants last year.
According to Philippine law, foreigners will only get at least 10 percent of organ donations and organ sale is strictly prohibited. However, there have been reports of illegal organ sales in the black market.
Because of poverty in the Philippines, many poor Filipinos have been selling one of their kidneys for $2,000 to $10,000 just to be able to sustain their needs.
But while the money may be attractive, it imposes health risks and may even cause the death of the donors.
Duque said that the prohibition was intended to guard the poor Filipinos from exploitation. "The poor always end up as the ones being abused," he said. "The sale of one's body parts is condemnable and ethically improper. We have to stop it."
