Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No._729

Introduced by HON. EDCEL “GREX” B. LAGMAN

Explanatory Note

It is indisputable that the country’s economic productivity is considerably affected by
the health status of its labor force. In the same vein, the learning capacities of students
including their acquisition of knowledge and skills that are essential in the production of
goods and services are likewise greatly influenced by the health condition of the learners.

Thus, the Constitution under Section 15 of Article II mandates the State “... to protect
and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them.”
The injunction aims to develop an integrated, responsive and efficacious health care system
that can enhance national development.

It is urgent that health consciousness be instilled among Filipinos. Needless to stress,
the school plays a vital role in making the people aware of the importance of health care.

Toward this end, government commits to ™... fully integrate our health care system
with the school system, with preventive health care, personal hygiene, and nutrition
education being pursued as active programs in basic education.”

The School Health and Nutrition Program (SHNP) of the Department of Education,
Culture and Sports (DECS), which is designed to promote, protect and maintain the health
and nutritional well-being of the various sectors of elementary and secondary educational
institutions, needs to be modernized and upgraded to maximize its contribution to quality
basic education.

This proposed legislation that seeks to modernize the SHNP prioritizes the following
concerns:

a. Recruitment of school health and nutrition personne! to attain the ratio of one

personnel to 2,000 pupils/teachers over a five-year period;

b. Upgrading of the salary of health and nutrition personnel to be at par with
counterparts in other Departments and full implementation of the benefits of the
Magna Carta for Public Health Workers;

. Provision of equipment, medical and dental supplies and medicines;

|. Health examination of all Grade 1 entrants and provision of supplementary feeding
(breakfast and/or milk) to the Grade 1 pupils and nutritionally deprived school
children.

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Accordingly, to actualize these priority concerns toward the effective promotion of the
health and nutritional well-being of the school population, approval of this measure is

earnestly sought.
EDCELJGREX” B. LA\


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 729

Introduced by HON. EDCEL “GREX” B. LAGMAN

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE MODERNIZATION OF THE SCHOOL HEALTH
AND NUTRITION PROGRAM (SHNP) OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
EDUCATION, AUTHORIZING THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS THEREFOR, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Title. — This Act shall be known as the “School Health and Nutrition
Modernization Act.”

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
promote, maintain and protect the health and nutritional well-being of the school population
through the delivery of preventive health care to the students, teachers and school
administrators in the elementary and high school levels and to the non-teaching personnel.
Toward this end, the School Health and Nutrition Program of the Department of Education,
Culture and Sports shall be modernized and upgraded to ensure the attainment of a health
status that can enhance the active learning capacities of the children and for the teachers
and other personnel to function more effectively, thus, enabling the achievement of the
goals of quality basic education.

It is likewise declared the policy of the State to pursue the modernization program
under this Act through: a.) the development of an efficient and effective health care delivery
system in the schools; b.) the development, evaluation and application of appropriate
methods and procedures in preventive health care; c.) the development of reforms in the
management of human and material resources; and d.)the acquisition and upgrading of
appropriate equipment and technology.

Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. The following terms shall be understood in this Act to
mean:

a. Department — means the Department of Education, Culture and Sports.

b. School Health and Nutrition Program — is a comprehensive education and
service package, delivered to the schools, eventually to the homes and
communities, in order to improve the health and nutritional status of the total
school population, with the elementary grades children as its priority group.

c. Public Health — the science and the art of preventing disease, prolonging life,
and promoting physical and mental health and efficiency through organized
community efforts.

d. Preventive Health Care — the systematic organization of all the personal
services necessary to prevent disease and attain the highest level of health.


. Health and Nutrition Center — refers to the agency that takes charge of the

over-all management of the integrated School Health and Nutrition Program
(SHNP).

Basic Education — consists of six years elementary and four years secondary
education. Basic education is that which brings the child to a point where he
can be an autonomous learner, one who is self-reliant and creative.

. Health Education — refers to the teaching and counseling on healthy living,

including hygiene, nutrition, sex education, alcohol and drug abuse, smoking
and other threats to health.

. Quality Education - refers to the appropriateness, relevance and excellence

of the education given to the individual in meeting his/her needs and
aspirations and those of society.

Sec. 4. Objectives of the SHNP. The SHNP modernization shall be implemented in
accordance with the following objectives:

a.

To provide a comprehensive preventive health care to school children and
teachers in the elementary and secondary levels of education and to the non-
teaching personnel of the Department;

. To inculcate health and nutrition values and behavior and encourage healthy

lifestyles among the school populace;

. To encourage parents to provide their children with proper health care and to

perform effective parenting to prevent drug abuse;

|. To develop effective linkages between the school and community for better

school health;

. To strengthen the Health and Nutrition Center in the management of the

Program; and

To establish and maintain adequate health and sanitation facilities like school
clinics, canteens, water supply, sanitary toilets and garbage disposal in the
schools.

Sec. 5. Components of the SHNP Modernization. The modernization program
shall consist of the following components:

a.

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT - To carry out effectively their
functions, it is necessary to restructure, expand and upgrade the staff and
personnel of the Regional Health and Nutrition Units and the Division Health
and Nutrition Sections including the creation of nurse supervisor positions to
oversee nursing care of the school children; Provided, That in the upgrading of
plantilla positions, the compensation and benefits shall be at par with those of
health and nutrition personnel in other government agencies in accordance
with existing laws, rules and regulations.

. HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT - This component pertains to

programs and educational activities of health and nutrition personnel to
enhance their skills and competencies through workshops, conferences and in-
service trainings relative to the delivery of health care, and on mobilization as
well as administrative responsibilities. A continuing health resource
development program shall be implemented.

. INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT - This component consists of the

construction of physical plants and facilities such as sanitary toilets, facilities for
washing hands, water system, school clinics and feeding centers/canteens in
the public elementary schools to ensure health and nutritional needs in public
elementary schools including suitable sites for the Alay-Tanim/Tree Planting
program.

. INFORMATION AND SYSTEMS ORGANIZATION - This component

consists of the acquisition and development of an extensive computer network
2

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for health and nutrition care; the upgrading of methods and procedures in
preventive health care; monitoring and evaluation; and research in support of
the total program.

The Department Secretary in coordination with the Secretary of Health
shall formulate guidelines to implement this section in accordance with the
objectives of the modernization program enumerated in the preceding section.

Sec. 6. Priority Programs for SHNP Modernization. — For a more effective
implementation of the objectives of the SHNP and consistent with the mandate of the
Constitution relative to health care, the following program/activities shall be given priority
consideration:

a. Recruitment of school health and nutrition personnel to attain the ratio of one

personnel to 2,000 pupils/teachers over a five year period;

b. Upgrading of the salary of health and nutrition personnel to be at par with
counterparts in other Departments and full implementation of the benefits of the
Magna Carta for Public Health Workers;

. Provision of equipment, medical and dental supplies and medicines;

|. Health examination of all Grade 1 entrants and provision of supplementary feeding
(breakfast and/or milk) to Grade 1 pupils and nutritionally deprived school children;

ao

Sec. 7. Period of Implementation. The Modernization Program under this Act shall
be implemented over a period of five (5) years from 2013 to 2018.

Sec. 8. Appropriations. To effectively carry out the objectives of this Act, the initial
amount of TWO HUNDRED MILLION PESOS (P200,000,000.00) is hereby authorized to be
appropriated out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and from
the funds of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority. Thereafter, such funds as
are necessary shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Sec. 9. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act shall be declared
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not otherwise affected shall remain in full
force and effect.

Sec. 10. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts
thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended
accordingly.

Sec. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Department, in consultation
with the Department of Health, shall formulate the implementing rules and regulations within
60 days upon effectivity of this Act.

Sec. 12. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect upon its publication in at
least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,