HouseBillNo.   5329     ,
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section  15 of Article 2 of the Constitution  provides that,  "The State shall  protect and
promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them."
One   of   the   major   components   of   providing   effective   health   services   is   the
dissemination  of relevant  ahd  accurate  information  on  nutrition.    However,  the  relationship
between   nutrition   and   health   is   often   overlooked   which   results   to   less   attention   and
importance  given  to  research  and  creation  of database  on  nutrition.    Moreover,  multitude
sources of information which are often not in congruence with one another cause confusion
among the public.
This measure seeks to create a permanent Council on Nutrition and Health under the
Department  of  Health.     The   said   Council   shall   focus   its   efforts   on   consolidating   and
monitoring  research  and  information  on  nutrition  that will  be  made  readily available  to  the
public.   This will  not only  provide  our people with  the  sound  information  on  nutrition  and  its
importance to our general health but will also encourage more endeavors towards research
and development on these fields.
Immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.


NINETEENTH CONGRESS                  )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES    )
First Regular session                           )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
IntroducedbyRepresentativeRufus8.Rodrig_u_e_I
HOuseBiiiNO.rm      i
AN ACT
TO ESTABLISH Wl"lN "E DEPAR"ENT OF HEALTH A PERMANENT COUNCIL ON
NUTRITION AND HEALTH
Be it enacted by the Senate and  House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:
SEC-rloN  1.   Short 77f/e, -This Act shall be known as the "WuOwon and Hea/th Counci-/
Acf'.
SEC 2.   Purpose. -The purpose of this Act is to establish within the Department of Health a
Council on Nutrition and Hearth that will assemble the existing information on the relationship
between  nutrition and  human  health,  monitor the progress of ongoing  research,  identify the
aspects  of  the  relationship  between  nutrition  and  health  that  require  additional  research,
maintain the base of information in an undersfandable and retrievable fashion, and serve as
a clearinghouse for information on the relationship between nutrition and human health.
SEC 3.  Defir7#i.on. -As used in this Act -
1.    "Council"  means  the  Council  on  Nutrition  and  Hearth,  as  established  in  Section
4(a) of this Act.
2.    "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Department of Health.
SIC 4.  Establishment and Staffing Of the Council on Nutrition. -
(a)    Esfablishment - The  Council  on  Nutrition  and  Health  is  hereby  established  within
the Department of Health
(b)    Membership-
(1)    Appointment -The  Council  shall  consist of nine  (9) voting  members,  all  Of
whom shall be appeinted by the President.
(2)    Eligibilfty  for  Membership  -  The  members  of  the  Council  shall  be  chosen
from   among   individuals  who   are   knowledgeable   in   the  fields   of  health,
human  nutrition,  fond   production  and  distribution,  and  agrioulture.     Such
members  shall  be  selected  solely on  the  basis  of an  established  record  Of
distinguished service in the areas of expertise Of such individuals.
(3)    Ex-Officio  Members - The  Secretary and  the  Secretary of Agriculture  shall
be exrofficio members of the Council.
(c)   Term of office-
(1)    ln  General -Each  member of the  Council  shall  be appeinted for a term Of
three  (3)  years,  except that  members  appointed  to  the  initial  Council  shall
serve,  proportionately,  for terms of one (1),  two (2) and  three  (3) years,  as
determined by the Secretary at the time of appeintment.
(2)   Vacancy -A member of the Council who is appointed to fill a vacaney in the
Council   occurring    prior   to   the   expiration   of   the   term   for   which   the
predecessor of such member was appointed, shall be appointed pursuant to
subsection (bx1 ) only for the remainder of the term of his predecessor.


(3)    Expiration of Term -A member of the Council may serve after the expiration
of the term  of office of such  member until  the  successor for such  member
has taken his oath and assumed office.
(4)    Eligibility for Successive Terms - A member of the  Council shall  be eligible
to serve successive terms of office.
(d)    Leadership of council -
(1)    Selection  -A Chairperson  and  a  Vice  Chairperson  of the  Council  shall  be
selected by the President from among the members of the Council.
(2)    Term  of Office - The  Chairperson  and  Vice Chairperson  of the Council,  as
referred to in paragraph (1 ), shall serve for a term of three (3) years.
(e)    Meetings of the council -
(1)    Frequency of Meetings -The Chairperson  of the  Council,  as  referred to  in
subsection  (d),  shall  convene  a  meeting  of the  Council  not  less  than  once
during each three-month period.
(2)    Quorum -At a  properly convened  meeting  of the  Council,  the  presence of
five (5) Council members shall constitute a quorum.
(f)     Compensation - A member of the Council shall be paid or reimbursed for travel to
and from  the  place of service of such  member and for other expenses associated
with the responsibilities as a member of the Council.
(g)    Staff -The staff of the Council shall be permanent employees of the Department of
Health  of such  rank,  grade,  and  function  as  considered  to  be  appropriate  by  the
Secretary
SIC 5.  Responsibilities of the Council. -
(A) ln General -The Council shall -
(1 )    assemble the  existing  information  on  the  relationship  between  nutrition  and
health;
(2)    identify and collect the ongoing research within the various national and local
governmental  agencies,  the  private  sector  in  the  country,  and  in  foreign
countries;
(3)    identify  the  aspects  of  the  relationship  between  nutrition  and  health  that
require additional research;
(4)    monitor ongoing research into the role of nutrition in health, including -
(a)   methods  by which the  nutritional value of domestically-produced food
products may be improved;
(b)   the   relationship   between   the   consumption   of   specific   foods   and
nutrients  and  the  incidence  and  treatment  of  specific  diseases  and
conditions; and,
(c)   the  optimal  level  of  foods  and  nutrients  that  are  appropriate  under
various health conditions to maximize specific human capabilities;
(5)    monitor   the   progress   of   nutrition   education   efforts   among   the   health
profession, other segments of the society, and the general public; and
(6)    maintain  an  understandable  and  retrievable  database  of  existing  scientific
information   on   the   relationship   of  nutrition   and   health   and   serve   as   a
clearinghouse for such information.
(a)   Rules   and   Regulations  -  The   Council   is   authorized   to   adopt  such   rules   and
regulations as maybe necessary to carry out this Act.
SEC 6.  Responsibility of other Agencies to Cooperate with the Council. -Each ageney and
private  entity  that  is  performing  nutrition  research  that  is  completely  or  partially funded  by
appropriated funds shall cooperate with the Council by informing the Council of the research
of  such  agency  or  entity,  and  by  filing  a  copy  of  the  final  report  of  the  product  of  such
research with the Council.


SEC  7.     Treafmenf  of /n/ormaf/.on  on  F/./e.  -  Submission  of  information  or  date  on  the
relationship   between   nutrition   and   health   to   the   Council   shall   not   affect  statutory   law
trademark status, copyright, or patent rights.
SEC 8.  Reports. -
(a)   ln General -Not later than December 31  of each year, the Council shall submit a
report to the Secretary on the progress of its work and any areas of suggested
research into the relationship between nutrition and health.
(b)   Distribution  -  Following  the  receipt by the  Secretary of the annual  report of the
Council  under  subsection  (a),  the  Secretary  shall  immediately  distribute  such
report,  along  with  recommendations  of the  Secretary  regarding  such  report,  to
the  President,  the  Secretary  of Agriculture,  and  the  appropriate  committees  of
the  Congress  as  well  as  to  such  other  agencies  and  departments  as  the
Secretary considers appropriate.
SEC 9.   Aufhori.zaft.on of Approprr.aft.ons. -The appropriation from the  National Treasury of
such sums that may be necessary to carry out this Act is hereby authorized.
SEC   10.      Saparabi'/i.fy   C/ause.   -   lf   any   provision   or   part   hereof   is   held   invalid   or
unconstitutional,  the  remainder  of  the  law  or  the  provision  not  otherwise  affected  shall
remain valid and subsisting.
SEC  11.    Repea/i.ng  C/ause.  -Any  law,  presidential  decree  or  issuance,  executive  order,
letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent with the
provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly.
SEC  12.   Effecti.vi.fy C/aLise. -This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,