Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
1st Regular Session

House BillNo.__4243

Introduced by Hon. Francis Gerald Aguinaldo Abaya

EXPLANATORY NOTE

At present, food insecurity is undeniably one of the major issues faced by our
government and countrymen. It is unfortunate that a country rich in natural resources
cannot provide for the basic needs of its inhabitants. In 2018, the Philippines’ Global
Hunger Index (GHI) is 20.2, ranking the country 69 out of 119 and placing it under the
“Serious” category in the GHI. The data for GHI scores also shows that hunger poses
dangerous health consequences for the country, with 20.6% of people being underweight
and 32.2% being stunted. Having low weight and being stunted can hinder an individual
from developing fully which can greatly affect his livelihood and overall performance of
daily activities. These are very alarming numbers that speaks about the situation of our
fellow Filipinos. If we are to truly achieve economic development, we should prioritize this
issue on hunger.

Moreover, the Philippines is a signatory and one of the first nations to ratify the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is notable that Article 25, Section 1 of the said
declaration states that “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the
health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food.” Article Il, Section 15 of
the 1987 Constitution also provides that the State shall protect and promote the right to
health of the people ans instill health consciousness among them. Consequently, the
State needs to commit to provide every Filipino access to adequate food and nutrition
and to ensure that every family has a way to raise their income above the poverty
threshold.

This proposed measure creates a system for the State to combat hunger and
poverty through the institutionalization of a National Feeding Program. At the core of this
program is the a targeting system which establishes a nationwide database that identifies
individuals that have the least access to proper nutrition. Coupled by the streamlining of
the food distribution system is an effective food procurement system wherein the supplies
needed by the National Feeding Program will come from small-scale producers. This
would provide a steady market for the small-scale producers who are incapable of


competing with large industry producers. Through this, we are also creating jobs for our
citizens and boosting the agricultural sector of the country.

Our country’s most important resource is its citizens and therefore, we should
strive to end hunger.

For the foregoing reasons, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

FRANCIS GERALD AGUI) ABAYA
Representative, District Cavite



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 4243

Introduced by Hon. Francis Gerald Aguinaldo Abaya

AN ACT CREATING A SYSTEM OF FOOD DISTRIBUTION FOR ADDRESSING
THE NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE PROVIDING FOR ITS
PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

1 SECTION 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the "National Food Security Act
of 2019".

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy - It is, hereby, declared a policy of the State to
develop, create, and implement a nationwide feeding program to alleviate poverty and
hunger in the country. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ratified by the
Philippines, states everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health
and well-being of himself and of his family, including food. Furthermore, the
Constitution states "The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the
people and instill health consciousness among them."

Cmrunuarun

io Chapter |
12 National Feeding Program

14 SECTION 3. National Feeding program - There is, hereby, established a National
15 Feeding Program which shall aim to alleviate hunger and malnutrition for children ages
16 0-13 years old.

17 SECTION 4. Creation of a National Hunger Targeting System - The Philippine
18 Statistics Authority (PSA) in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and
19 Development (DSWD) and Department of Health (DOH) shall establish a nationwide

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database that identifies groups and/or individuals that have the least access to proper
nutrition. The database shall identify the most vulnerable groups and/or individuals to
be listed as beneficiaries.
SECTION 5. Infant feeding program - The DOH, in consultation with DSWD, shall
create a system of distribution through the Barangay Health Workers of food packets
for those targeted by the system created in this Act. The said food packets shall
supplement the nutritional and dietary needs of children ages 0 - 1 year olds.
SECTION 6. Supplementary Feeding Program - The DSWD shall ensure that
children ages 2 - 5 receive the proper nutrients and diet while under their care.
Beneficiaries shall be given meals that will meet their nutritional needs. The DSWD
may consult with the National Nutrition Council (NNC) to meet the proper nutritional
and dietary needs of the children. The following shall be the beneficiaries:

a) Children 2 - 4 years old in the Supervised Neighborhood Play (SNP) Area;

b) Children 3 - 4 years old enrolled in Day Care Centers (DDC): and

c) Children 5 years old not enrolled in the Department of Education (DepEd)

preschool system but enrolled in DDCs.
SECTION 7. Elementary Feeding School Program - The Department of Education
(DepEd) shall ensure that students from Kindergarten to Grade 4 are given the proper
meals during school hours. Such meals should contain the proper nutritional and
dietary needs of students. The DepEd shall consult the NNC nutritional and dietary
‘specifics.

Chapter Il
Procurement

SECTION 8. Procurement of Produce - The Government is, hereby, mandated to
ensure that 30% or more of the supplies needed to implement the National Feeding
Program are procured from Small-Scale Producers.

SECTION 9. Registry of Small-Scale Producers - The Department of Agriculture
(DA) shall keep and regularly update a list of Small-Scale Producers. It shall use
Registry for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA), Regional Field Office (RFO) list of
beneficiaries, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ National Program for
Municipal Fisher folk Registration (BFAR FishR) for fisherfolk, and any other list it may
deem necessary to keep the registry up to date. Furthermore, the DA is required to

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coordinate with the DSWD to cross-match and compare the registry with the DSWD's
National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) to avoid
duplication and redundancy.
SECTION 10. Procurement process for Small-Scale Producers - For the purposes
of this act, procurement from Small Scale producers shall be exempted from the
procurement process as stated in Republic Act No.9184, otherwise known as the
Procurement Law. Provided, small scale producers shall undergo Negotiated
Procurement Participation under the guidelines of the Government Procurement
Policy Board (GPPB) and specified under this Act.
SECTION 11. Negotiated Procurement Participation - Small Scale Producers shall
enter a Negotiated Procurement with the government under the guidelines of the
GPPB when the following conditions are met:
a) DA Validation - certification from the DA and/or any of its tasked agency that
the individual or family is indeed included in the Registry of Small scale farmers.
b) Produce/Product Sustainability - when participants have the ability to
continue to meet the demand for their produce or product for prolonged periods
of time, with or without government intervention.
c) Community Enrichment - when there is a viable means of improving the well-
being of the community where the small scale farmers are situated. This seeks
to extend the benefits that may arise from the contract between the small scale
farmers and the government. The goal is to achieve positive outcomes such as
like poverty reduction, access to education, equitable distribution and
management of natural resources, climate change adaptation/mitigation,
disaster risk reduction, gender equality, disease reduction, and job generation,
among others.
SECTION 12. Support Services for Small-Scale Producers under the Department
of Agriculture - The DA shall institute the following benefits for Small-Scale Producers
as contained in their registry:
a) Training on Production, Harvesting, Procurement Process of this Act, and
any other topic the DA sees fit;
b) Subsidized Farm Equipment
c) Facilities for storage and harvesting
d) Capacity Building for Small-Scale Farmer
) Access to Crop Insurance


f) Access to credit/low interest rates
SECTION 13. Support Services for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries who are Small-
Scale Producers - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) shall institute the
following benefits for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries who are Small-Scale Producers.
as contained in their list of beneficiaries:

a) Training on Production, Harvesting, Procurement Process of this Act, and

any other topic the DAR sees fit;

b) Subsidized Farm Equipment:

c) Facilities for storage and harvesting;

d) Capacity Building for Small-Scale Farmer;

e) Access to Crop Insurance;

f) Access to credit/low interest rates.

Chapter Ill
Food Council

SECTION 14. National Food Security Council - A National Food Security Council,
hereafter referred to as Council, is hereby created as an attached and independent
agency to the Office of the President.
SECTION 15. Mandate of the Council - The Council is mandated to act as the check
and balance organization for the food security system. It shall oversee the effective
distribution, procurement, and targeting of beneficiaries as mandated in this Act. It
shall also serve as a coordinating body for the different departments involved in the
implementation of this Act.
SECTION 16. Chairperson of the Council - The Chairperson of the Council shall be
appointed to a six year term by the President of the Philippines. No person may be
Chairperson if he has not met the following criteria:

a) Ten (10) years of work experience in a CSO involved in Food Security;

b) Has no relatives, to the second degree of consanguinity, in the government;

c) Has good moral character;

d) No pending cases
SECTION 17. Membership of the Council - The Council shall consist of the following
members:

a) Representative from the Department of Agriculture;

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b) Representative from the Department of Agrarian Reform

c) Representative from the Department of Social Welfare and Development

d) Representative from the Department of Interior and Local Government

e) Representative from the Department of Education

f) Representative from the Department of Health

g) Representative from the National Nutritional Council

h) Representative from the Department of Science and Technology - Food and

Nutrition Research Institute

i) Four (4) Representatives from Civil Society involved in Food Security or

Hunger alleviation

j) Four (4) Representatives from Small-Scale Producers group
SECTION 18. Representatives from Civil Society involved in Food Security or
Hunger Alleviation - The Representatives for Civil Society shall be appointed by the
President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the National Anti-Poverty
Commission. No Representative may be appointed or recommended if he has not met
the following criteria:

a) Five (5) years of service under a Civil Society Organization involved in Food

Security or Hunger Alleviation;

b) Has no position in any government agency or office;

c) Has no relatives, to the second degree of consanguinity, in the government;

d) Has good moral character;

e) No pending cases.
SECTION 19. Representatives from Small-Scale Producers group - The
Representatives for Small-Scale Producers shall be appointed by the President of the
Philippines upon the recommendation of the Department of Agriculture. No
Representative may be appointed or recommended if he has not met the following
criteria:

a) Five (5) years as a practicing Small-Scale Producer;

b) Has no position in any government agency or office;

c) Has no relatives, to the second degree of consanguinity, in the government;

d) Has good moral character; and

e) No pending cases
SECTION 20. Appropriations - The funds needed to implement this Act shall be
included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

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SECTION 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (50) days from
the appointment its members, the Council shall promulgate such rules and regulations
necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 22. Separability Clause. - \f any provision of this Act is subsequently
declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not affected
thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 23. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved.