TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
House Bill No. _______ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVES LANI MERCADO-REVILLA, 
BRYAN B. REVILLA AND RAMON JOLO REVILLA III 
AN ACT 
STRENGTHENING BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT AND SAFE DONOR HUMAN MILK 
ACCESS IN DISASTERS, CALAMITIES, AND OTHER EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES  
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
In December 2021, when Typhoon Odette struck the town of San Jose in Dinagat 
Islands, first-time mother Gilla faced one of her toughest challenges as a parent. After 
the storm, resources were scarce and basic needs were hard to come by. For Gilla, 
breastfeeding became her lifeline. 
“I didn’t have to spend on or search for formula milk,” she said. “Breastmilk is 
more nutritious. Even though everyone was getting sick, my baby never got severely ill.” 
Breastfeeding not only sustained her child’s health, it also helped her cope from the 
emotional strain of surviving a disaster. 
Good nutrition is crucial during crises. Babies and young children are among the 
most vulnerable, as unsafe living conditions, dirty water, and poor sanitation can quickly 
cause illness, infection, or even death. Disasters and public health emergencies make 
infant feeding even more difficult, especially when formula milk, clean water, and 
sterilization facilities are unavailable. Yet, with the right support, most mothers can still 
breastfeed even under extreme conditions. 
At present, the only explicit reference to breastfeeding in emergencies in national 
law is found in Republic Act No. 11148, or the First 1,000 Days Act, which mandates 
“women-friendly and child-friendly spaces where mothers and their infants will be able 
to continue breastfeeding during calamities, disasters, or other emergencies.” While this 
is a positive step, it is limited to providing safe spaces and does not set out the broader 
measures needed to fully integrate breastfeeding support into all phases of disaster 
preparedness, response, and recovery.  
This bill seeks to close that gap. It recognizes breastfeeding mothers, infants, 
and young children as a special group with unique needs during emergencies, and 
mandates concrete support across three phases: Pre-Disaster Preparedness, Disaster 
Response, and Post-Disaster Recovery. It also establishes a Breastfeeding in 
Emergencies Fund to make sure help is timely, focused, and well-coordinated. 
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Filing this measure during Breastfeeding Awareness Month underscores the 
importance of protecting and promoting breastfeeding not only in ordinary times, but 
also in the most challenging situations. It affirms the State’s duty to safeguard the health 
and welfare of mothers and children, while strengthening the country’s ability to respond 
to disasters with resilience and compassion. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
References: 
Advocacy Brief: Breastfeeding in Emergency Situations. Global Breastfeeding Collective. (n.d.). https://
www.globalbreastfeedingcollective.org/media/376/file/Breastfeeding%20in%20emergency%20situations.pdf 
Fact Sheet: Infant Feeding During Disasters. Office of Human Services Emergency Preparedness and Response. 
(n.d.). https://acf.gov/ohsepr/fact-sheet/infant-feeding-during-disasters 
Infant and Child Feeding in Emergencies. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, May 19). https://
www.cdc.gov/infant-feeding-emergencies-toolkit/php/introduction.html 
Papa, M. (2022, August 5). How breastfeeding saved this mother and child after Typhoon Odette. Unicef. https://
www.unicef.org/philippines/stories/how-breastfeeding-saved-mother-and-child-after-typhoon-odette  
Philippines: keeping mothers and babies healthy after disaster. World Vision. (2014, February 3). https://www.wvi.org/
child-health-now/article/philippines-keeping-mothers-and-babies-healthy-after-disaster 
Russell, J. H., Haushalter, A., & Rhoads, S. J. (n.d.). Supporting Breastfeeding Women Amid Natural Disasters in the 
US: A Scoping Review. Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness. https://www.cambridge.org/core/
journals/disaster-medicine-and-public-health-preparedness/article/supporting-breastfeeding-women-amid-
natural-disasters-in-the-us-a-scoping-review/5E3986B5C4731E5C1300FBF9EC2AB3B1  
Ziring, A. (2020, August 3). Eight Strategies for Breastfeeding During a Natural Disaster. La Leche League 
International. https://llli.org/news/eight-strategies-for-breastfeeding-during-a-natural-disaster/  
REP. LANI MERCADO-REVILLA 
2nd District of Cavite
REP. BRYAN B. REVILLA 
AGIMAT Partylist
REP. RAMON JOLO REVILLA III 
1st District of Cavite


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVES LANI MERCADO-REVILLA, 
BRYAN B. REVILLA AND RAMON JOLO REVILLA III 
AN ACT 
STRENGTHENING BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT AND SAFE DONOR HUMAN MILK 
ACCESS IN DISASTERS, CALAMITIES, AND OTHER EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES  
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Breastfeeding in 
Emergencies Act.”  
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the policy of the State to uphold the right to 
health of mothers and children, consistent with the Constitution and international 
commitments, to ensure proper care, nutrition, and health for all.  
The State recognizes that breastfeeding mothers and their infants are a 
vulnerable population with unique nutritional, medical, and psychosocial needs during 
disasters, calamities, and other emergency situations. Disruptions to breastfeeding in 
such contexts heighten the risk of malnutrition, illness, and mortality among infants and 
young children. 
Towards this end, the State shall: 
(a) Integrate breastfeeding support and safe donor human milk access into
disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) systems at all levels;
(b) Ensure preparedness, immediate response, and sustained post-disaster
recovery measures to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding; and
(c) Safeguard against practices that undermine breastfeeding.
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. – For purposes of this Act, the following terms are 
defined as follows: 
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(a) Breastfeeding refers to the act of feeding an infant or young child with 
breastmilk, either directly from the breast or expressed, regardless of whether 
the child receives other food or liquids. 
(b) Breastfeeding Corner refers to a safe, clean, and private space in an 
evacuation center, hospital, or community facility where mothers can 
breastfeed or express milk in comfort and dignity. 
(c) Donor Human Milk refers to breastmilk voluntarily expressed and donated by 
a healthy lactating woman, which has been screened, tested, pasteurized, 
and stored according to Department of Health (DOH) standards. 
(d) Emergency Donor Milk Hub refers to a DOH-accredited public hospital with a 
milk bank, or a designated facility equipped to collect, store, and distribute 
donor human milk during emergencies. 
(e) Lactation Kit refers to a portable set of supplies for breastfeeding mothers 
during emergencies, which may include, but is not limited to: a breastfeeding 
cover/scarf, reusable water bottle, feeding cup, nutritious snacks, sanitary 
supplies, and educational materials on breastfeeding. 
(f) Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) refers to the appropriate feeding 
practices for children under two years old, as defined in DOH and World 
Health Organization guidelines. 
(g) Safe Cross-Nursing refers to the practice of a healthy lactating woman 
breastfeeding another child, with both parties screened for health and consent 
given, in accordance with DOH guidelines. 
SEC. 4. Pre-Disaster Preparedness. – To ensure that breastfeeding support is 
fully integrated into disaster risk reduction and management plans, the DOH, in 
coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), 
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Office of Civil Defense (OCD), 
National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), Philippine 
Commission on Women (PCW), local government units (LGUs), and other relevant 
agencies, shall undertake, but not be limited to, the following measures: 
(a) Strictly enforce existing breastfeeding laws, including Republic Act No. 10028, 
or the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009, before disasters 
strike; 
(b) Designate and prepare Emergency Donor Milk Hubs in strategic regions; 
(c) Conduct regular donor human milk drives; 
(d) Develop and disseminate culturally appropriate public education campaigns 
on breastfeeding in emergencies; 
(e) Pre-position portable lactation kits for rapid deployment; 


(f) Training responders, healthcare providers, and community volunteers on 
breastfeeding support and IYCF support during emergencies; and 
(g) Promote safe cross-nursing as an alternative in medically justified situations. 
SEC. 5. Disaster Response. – During disasters, calamities, and other 
emergencies, concerned agencies, in coordination with humanitarian partners and local 
stakeholders, shall immediately implement, but not be limited to, the following measures 
to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding: 
(a) All evacuation centers, temporary shelters, and hospitals shall establish 
breastfeeding corners staffed by trained personnel; 
(b) Breastfeeding mothers shall be provided with additional food rations and 
clean water;  
(c) Lactation counsellors and IYCF support teams shall be deployed to affected 
areas;  
(d) Psychological first aid and counselling shall be provided to address stress-
related lactation issues; 
(e) Donor human milk shall be distributed only under DOH protocols, and only 
when medically indicated; and 
(f) Distribution of breastmilk substitutes shall be prohibited unless cleared by the 
DOH as a last resort, consistent with Executive Order No. 51, or The Milk 
Code of the Philippines, to prevent risks from unsafe preparation. 
SEC. 6. Post-Disaster Recovery – Beyond the immediate emergency phase, 
concerned agencies shall carry out, but not be limited to, the following measures to 
restore, sustain, and further strengthen breastfeeding practices and maternal-child 
nutrition:  
(a) Mother-baby reunification shall be prioritized in evacuation centers and 
hospitals; 
(b) Post-disaster shelters shall maintain safe breastfeeding spaces and nutrition 
support; 
(c) The DOH shall submit an IYCF After-Action Reports to Congress, the 
NDRRMC, and relevant LGUs within ninety (90) days after each declared 
disaster; and 
(d) Continuous monitoring shall be conducted to ensure breastfeeding rates 
return to or improve beyond pre-disaster levels. 


SEC. 7. Funding. – A Breastfeeding in Emergencies Fund is hereby created 
under the DOH, to be used exclusively for preparedness, response, and recovery 
activities under this Act. 
LGUs may allocate a portion of their Local Disaster Risk Reduction and 
Management Fund (LDRRMF) for the procurement of lactation kits, donor milk logistics, 
and breastfeeding facilities.  
SEC. 8. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within sixty (60) days from the 
effectivity of this Act, the DOH, in coordination with the DSWD, DILG, OCD, NDRRMC, 
PCW, and other relevant agencies and stakeholders, shall promulgate the necessary 
rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act. 
SEC. 9. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect. 
SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. – All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
proclamations, rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of 
this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 11. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation. 
Approved,