NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session
)
SENATE
S. No. 2728
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24 JULIO PI :12
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Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
EXPANDING THE COVERAGE OF THE NATIONAL FEEDING PROGRAM TO 
INCLUDE SECONDARY SCHOOLS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC 
ACT NO. 11037 OR THE "MASUSTANSYANG PAGKAIN PARA SA BATANG 
PILIPINO ACT"
A World Bank report has estimated that the burden brought by childhood 
undernutrition on the Philippine economy was at USD 4.4 billion or around 1.5% of 
our GDP in 20151. The same report has found that childhood undernutrition could lead 
to a staggering loss of our country's human and economic potential, as such, 
eliminating malnutrition could improve a child's development and future employability, 
and increase our country's GDP by a significant amount. It stresses further that 
investments in nutrition are highly cost-effective.
The latest Expanded National Nutrition Survey of the Food and Nutrition 
Research Institute has found that adolescents (aged 10 to 19 years old) from rural 
areas and those from the poorest households showed higher prevalence of stunting 
compared to their counterparts in urban areas and richer households2. Adolescence is 
a pivotal time in a person's life, particularly in terms of growth and development. 
Proper nutrition undeniably plays a key role in this, especially with regard to a student's
1 Mbuya, N. V. N., Demombynes, G., Piza, S. F. A., and Adona, A. J. V. (2021) "Undernutrition in the 
Philippines: Scale, Scope, and Opportunities for Nutrition Policy and Programming." World Bank Group.
2 Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutrition Research Institute. "Philippine Nutrition 
Facts and Figures 2018 - 2019: Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS)". May 2022.


concentration, cognitive functions, and overall academic performance. As such, the 
provision of fortified meals to students, replete with essential nutrients is important.
Unfortunately, this is not readily available to all students, particularly those from 
households in the lowest quantiles who may have limited access to adequate 
nutritional meals at home. This bill seeks to expand the coverage of the National 
Feeding Program to include children in secondary schools as beneficiaries. 
Undernutrition can hamper a learner's ability to perform well in class-affecting their 
thinking skills, behavior, and overall health. Healthier students are less likely to have 
fewer absences and improved learning behavior, yielding in better and optimized 
learning in class.
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
INGGpY E3ERCITO ESTRADA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Third Regular Session
)
SENATE 
S. No. 2728
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Rfftt? of .....
24 JULIO PI :13
ftECEiVtD B-.';
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
EXPANDING THE COVERAGE OF THE NATIONAL FEEDING PROGRAM TO 
INCLUDE SECONDARY SCHOOLS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC 
ACT NO. 11037 OR THE "MASUSTANSYANG PAGKAIN PARA SA BATANG 
PILIPINO ACT"
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Section 4 (b) of Republic Act No. 11037 otherwise known as the
2 
"Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act" is hereby amended to read as
3 
follows:
4 
"Section 4. (b) School-Based Feeding Program. - The DepED shall
5 
implement a school-based feeding program for undernourished public school
6 
children from kindergarten to grade [six-(6)] TWELVE (12): Provided, That
7 
the Program shall include the provision of at least one (1) fortified meal to all
8 
undernourished public KINDERGARTEN, elementary, AND SECONDARY
9 
school children for a period of not less than one hundred twenty (120) days in
10 
a year [7] PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT THE COST OF THE
11 
AFOREMENTIONED MEALS SHALL ENSURE THAT SCHOOL CHILDREN
12 
RECEIVE THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF NUTRITION, WHICH MAY
13 
BE ADJUSTED EVERY YEAR TO ACCOUNT FOR INFLATION AND FOR
14 
NUTRITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS AS RECOMMENDED BY FNRI:
15 
PROVIDED, FURTHERMORE, THAT FOR EACH SCHOOL DIVISION OF
16 
DEPED, MEAL DISTRIBUTION AND OTHER OVERHEAD COSTS OF THE


1 
PROGRAM SHALL NOT BE MORE THAN TEN PERCENT (10%) OF THE
2 
TOTAL MEAL COST: PROVIDED, FIN ALL Yf THAT IN THE PREPARATION
3 
OF FORTIFIED MEALS, THE DEPED SHALL COLLABORATE WITH
4 
RECOGNIZED PARENTS' ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS THE PARENTS
5 
OF THE BENECIFICARIES OF THE PROGRAM, WHENEVER
6 
APPLICABLE;
7 
XXX."
8 
Sec. 2. Separability Clause. - Should any provision herein be declared
9 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect.
10 
Sec. 3. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or
11 
other issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
12 
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
13 
Sec. 4. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
14 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,