HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

RECEIveED
Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE!
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2FSISTRATION UNIT

House BitLNo. 1744 WS AND INDEX SERVICE

Introduced by: Hon. Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan, M.D.

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE MANDATORY APPOINTMENT OF A NUTRITION
OFFICER IN ALL PROVINCES, CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES OF THE COUNTRY,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE ARTICLE XXI, SECTION 491 OF REPUBLIC ACT
NUMBERED SEVEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED SIXTY, OTHERWISE KNOWN
AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The United Nation's Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports that under-nutrition in the
Philippines remains a serious problem. Accordingly, large numbers of Filipino children are
undernourished: 3.6 million of children 0-59 months are underweight; and 4 million are
stunted,

Although efforts to address this problem are slowly gaining ground, they are not fast
enough to meet the UN Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of reducing the number of
underweight children by half until 2015.

It is said that the damage to health, physical growth and brain development of children
affected by chronic under-nutrition—stunting in the first two years—is often irreversible,
impairing them for life and leaving them with lower chances of finishing school and becoming
highly-productive adults. Stunting, iron and iodine deficiencies impact learning abilities and
intelligence of children. Studies show that populations affected by iodine deficiency have 10-15
1Q points less than those not affected.

In view of the need to provide infant and young child feeding, micronutrient
supplementation and food fortification and integrated management of acute malnutrition, this
bill seeks the appointment of a nutrition officer which shall be mandatory in all provinces, cities
and municipalities of the country.

‘The Local Government Code of the Philippines provides the list of appointive local officials
common to all municipalities, cities and provinces. It includes the health officer who shall,
among others, take charge of the office on health services and formulate and implement policies,
plans, programs and projects to promote the health of the people in the local government unit
concerned. The list, however, does not include the appointment of the nutrition officer to take
charge of the office on nutrition services and formulate and implement policies, plans, programs
and projects to promote the nutrition of the people.

‘The mandatory appointment of the nutrition officer is of utmost importance in view of the
need to meet the fast changing needs of promoting the nutritional well-being of the general
public, especially of vulnerable individuals and groups within the framework of community life
and consistent with the Millennium Development Goal of reducing the number of underweight
children by half until 2015.

In view thereof, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

CUA

ANGELINA “HELEN” D.L. TAN, M.D.
ath Davies Ooo


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HousE BILLNo, 1744

Introduced by: Hon. Angelina “Helen” D.L. Tan, M.D.

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE MANDATORY APPOINTMENT OF A NUTRITION
OFFICER IN ALL PROVINCES, CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES OF THE COUNTRY,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE ARTICLE XXI, SECTION 491 OF REPUBLIC ACT
NUMBERED SEVEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED SIXTY, OTHERWISE KNOWN
AS THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991

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

SECTION 1. Title V of Republic Act No. 7160 is hereby amended by adding a new article
and section at the end thereof to be denominated as Article XXI, Section 491, to read as follows:

“ARTICLE XX1
‘The Nutrition Officer

“Section 491. Qualifications, Powers and Duties.

(a) No person shall be appointed nutrition officer unless he is a citizen of the Philippines,
a resident of the local government unit concerned, of good moral character, and a registered
nutritionist-dietitian. He must have acquired experience in the practice of his profession for at
least five (5) years in the case of the provincial or city nutrition officer, and three (3) years in the
case of the municipal nutrition officer.

The appointment of a nutrition officer shall be mandatory for provincial, city and
municipal governments.

(b) The nutrition officer shall take charge of the office on nutrition and shall:

G) Take charge of the office on nutrition services, supervise the personnel and staff of
said office, formulate program implementation guidelines and rules and regulations for the
operation of the said office for the approval of the governor or mayor, as the case may be, in
order to assist him in the efficient, effective and economical implementation of a nutrition
services program geared to implementation of nutrition-related projects and activities;

(2) Formulate measures for the consideration of the sanggunian and provide technical
tance and support to the governor or mayor, as the case may be, in carrying out nutrition
activities;

(3) Develop plans and strategies and upon approval thereof by the governor or mayor as
the case may be, implement the same, particularly those which have to do with nutrition
programs and projects which the governor or mayor, is empowered to implement and which the
sanggunian is empowered to provide for under this Code;

(4) In addition to the foregoing duties and functions, the nutrition officer shall:

@ Formulate and implement policies, plans, programs and projects to promote the
nutrition of the people in the local government unit concerned

(ii) Advise the governor or mayor, as the case may be, and the sanggunian on matters
pertaining to nutrition;


(iii) Execute and enforce laws, ordinances and regulations relating to nutrition;

(iv) Recommend to the sanggunian, through the local health board, the passage of such
ordinances as he may deem necessary for the delivery of services;

(v) Conduct nutrition information campaigns;

(vi) Coordinate with other government agencies and non-governmental organizations
involved in the promotion and delivery of nutrition services; and

(vii) In the case of the provincial nutrition officer, exercise general supervision over
nutrition officers of component cities and municipalities; and

(5) Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties and functions
prescribed by law or ordinance”.

s may be
SEC. 2, Section 491 of Republic Act No. 7160 is hereby renumbered as Section 492, all
succeeding sections of the same Act are hereby renumbered accordingly.
SEC. 3. The Department of Interior and Local Government, in coordination with the Civil
Service Commission, shall promulgate rules and regulations to implement this Act within ninety

(90) days after its effectivity.

SEC. 4. All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with
this Act are hereby amended or modified accordingly.

SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2)
national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,