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uublic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Raa)
Quezon City m
NINETEENTH CONGRESS

Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 9811

Introduced by Representative CAMILLE A. VILLAR

AN ACT

EXTENDING THE NATIONAL FEEDING PROGRAM TO UNDERNOURISHED
CHILDREN IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11037,
ENTITLED, “AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING A NATIONAL FEEDING
PROGRAM FOR UNDERNOURISHED CHILDREN IN PUBLIC DAY CARE,
KINDERGARTEN AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO COMBAT HUNGER
AND UNDERNUTRITION AMONG FILIPINO) CHILDREN AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR”

Explanatory Note

The 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that the State shall defend the right
of children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and special protection
from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation, and other conditions
prejudicial to their development (Article XV, Section 3, (2)).

Republic Act No. 11037, or the “Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang
Pilipino Act” which was signed into law in 2018 also provides that the State
recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and
protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. In
recognition of the demonstrated relationship between food and nutrition, and the
capacity of students to develop and learn, the State shall establish a comprehensive
national feeding program that will address the problem of undernutrition among
Filipino children.

The objectives of the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act is
laudable. Since its approval, the concerned government agencies have made great
strides in its implementation. This proposed measure seeks to expand the coverage
of the National Feeding Program, and further improve the current law.

The proposed legislation seeks to amend Republic Act No. 11037 to include
secondary students in its coverage as malnutrition is not limited to day care,


kindergarten or elementary students. This bill likewise strengthens the coordination
of Department of Education (DepEd) with micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises
(MSMEs), farmers cooperatives or associations, and community-based and
grassroots initiatives from which DepEd shall source the meals for the program,
whenever practicable.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of the bill is earnestly sought.

i OA tier
CAMILLE A. VILLAR


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 9811

Introduced by Representative CAMILLE A. VILLAR

AN ACT

EXTENDING THE NATIONAL FEEDING PROGRAM TO
UNDERNOURISHED CHILDREN IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11037, ENTITLED, “AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING A
NATIONAL FEEDING PROGRAM FOR UNDERNOURISHED CHILDREN IN
PUBLIC DAY CARE, KINDERGARTEN AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO
COMBAT HUNGER AND UNDERNUTRITION AMONG _ FILIPINO
CHILDREN AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR”

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

assembled:

SECTION 1. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 11037, entitled, “AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING A NATIONAL FEEDING PROGRAM FOR
UNDERNOURISHED CHILDREN IN PUBLIC DAY CARE, KINDERGARTEN
AND ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS TO COMBAT HUNGER AND
UNDERNUTRITION AMONG FILIPINO CHILDREN AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR” is hereby amended to read as follows:


“(a) Supplemental Feeding Program for Day Care Children. - The
DSWD, in coordination with the LGUs concerned, shall implement a
supplemental feeding program for undernourished children with ages
three (3) to five (5) years. The Program shall be administered in day care
centers or in any other facility which can be used for such purpose:
Provided, That the Program shall include the provision of at least one (1)
fortified meal for a period of not less than one hundred twenty (120) days
in a year: PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT THE AFORMENTIONED
MEALS SHALL COST AN AVERAGE OF TWENTY-NINE PESOS
(P29.00) PER MEAL TO ENSURE THAT DAY CARE CHILDREN
RECEIVE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF NUTRITION, WHICH
MAY BE ADJUSTED EVERY YEAR TO ACCOUNT FOR INFLATION
AND/OR FOR NUTRITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS AS RECOMMENDED
BY FNRI: PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT FOR EACH DAY CARE
CENTER OF DSWD, AN ALLOWANCE AMOUNTING UP TO TEN
PERCENT (10%) OF THE TOTAL MEAL COST SHALL BE
ALLOCATED TOWARDS MEAL DISTRIBUTION AND OTHER
OVERHEAD COSTS OF THE PROGRAM: Provided, [further] FINALLY,
That in the preparation of fortified meals, the DSWD shall work in
collaboration with recognized parents' organizations, AS WELL AS THE
PARENTS OF THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROGRAM,
WHENEVER PRACTICABLE;

“(b) School-Based Feeding Program. - The DepEd shall implement a
school-based feeding program for undernourished public school children
from kindergarten to grade [six (6)] TWELVE (12): Provided, That the
Program shalll include the provision of at least one (1) fortified meal to all
undernourished public KINDERGARTEN, elementary, AND
SECONDARY school children for a period of not less than one hundred
twenty (120) days in a year: PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT THE
AFOREMENTIONED MEALS SHALL COST AN AVERAGE OF


TWENTY-NINE PESOS (P29.00) PER MEAL TO ENSURE THAT
SCHOOL CHILDREN RECEIVE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF
NUTRITION, WHICH MAY BE ADJUSTED EVERY YEAR TO
ACCOUNT FOR INFLATION AND/OR FOR NUTRITIONAL
ADJUSTMENTS AS RECOMMENDED BY FNRI: PROVIDED,
FURTHER, THAT FOR EACH SCHOOL DIVISION OF DEPED, AN
ALLOWANCE AMOUNTING UP TO TEN PERCENT (10%) OF THE
TOTAL MEAL COST SHALL BE ALLOCATED TOWARDS MEAL
DISTRIBUTION AND OTHER OVERHEAD COSTS OF THE
PROGRAM: PROVIDED, FINALLY, THAT IN THE PREPARATION
OF FORTIFIED MEALS, THE DEPED SHALL WORK IN
COLLABORATION WITH RECOGNIZED PARENTS’
ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS THE PARENTS OF THE
BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROGRAM, WHENEVER PRACTICABLE;

“(h) Integrated Nutrition Education, Behavioral Transformation, and
Social Mobilization. - The Program shall be complemented by a public
health, nutrition, and values transformation campaign to promote a
holistic and integrated approach to health and nutrition education.
Orientation-training on the objectives and mechanics of the Program shall
be held among the personnel of NGAs and LGUs concerned, [parent
volunteers] PARENTS OF THE BENEFICIARES, and the parent-teachers
associations (PTAs) to generate support for the Program. The NGAs
concerned shall also endeavor to mobilize community organizations to
continue nutrition education outside of the school. THE NGAS AND
LGUS CONCERNED SHALL REGULARLY PROVIDE THE PARENTS
OF PROGRAM BENEFICIARIES WITH TAILORED HEALTH AND
NUTRITION EDUCATION WORKSHOPS. PARENTS OF PROGRAM
BENEFICIARIES SHALL BE REQUIRED TO ATTEND SUCH


WORKSHOPS AS DETERMINED BY THE CONCERNED
AUTHORITY.”

SECTION 2. Section 5 (a) of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

Xxx

“(a) With the highest prevalence of undernutrition and nutrient-
deficiency among children aged three (3) years up to grade [six (6)]
TWELVE (12) level;”

SECTION 3. Section 7 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 7. Local Government Assistance. - LGUs shall assist the NGAs in
the efficient and effective implementation of the Program in accordance
with Section 4 of this Act and shall be authorized to use a portion of the
Special Education Fund (SEF) and/or their twenty percent (20%)
development fund AND/OR OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNDS
as provided for in Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the "Local
Government Code of 1991", as amended, to augment the appropriations
available under the General Appropriations Act (GAA).”

SECTION 4. Section 8 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 8. Private Sector Participation. - The NGAs shall encourage the
participation of the private sector in the Program which shall include,
among others, PTAs, private corporations, peoples and nongovernment
organizations and such other groups or organizations, both foreign and
local, that may want to be partner in whole or in part with the


implementation of the Program: PROVIDED, THAT THE DEPED
SHALL STRENGTHEN LINKAGES WITH MICRO, SMALL, AND
MEDIUM ENTERPRISES, FARMERS COOPERATIVES OR
ASSOCIATIONS, AND COMMUNITY-BASED AND GRASSROOTS
INITIATIVES FROM WHICH DEPED SHALL SOURCE THE MEALS
FOR THE PROGRAM, WHENEVER PRACTICABLE.”

SECTION 5. Appropriations. ~ The amount necessary for the implementation of this
Act shall be included in the RESPECTIVE budgets of the Department of Education
AND DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT in the
annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days from the
effectivity of this Act, the Department of Education AND DEPARTMENT OF
SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT shall, in consultation with the National
Nutrition Council, the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, the Department of
Health, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Interior and Local
Government, and concerned LGUs, and such other relevant government agencies,
nongovernment organizations, and development partners, promulgate the rules and

regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

SECTION 7. Repealing Clause. - Republic Act No. 11037 is hereby amended. All
laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, resolutions, rules and regulations or
parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby

repealed or amended accordingly.

SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - Should any provision of this Act or any part
hereof be declared unconstitutional, the other provisions or parts not affected
thereby shall remain valid and effective.


SECTION 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following
its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general

circulation.

Approved,