Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

684

House Bill No.

Introduced by DIWA Party-list Representative Hon, Michael Edgar Y. Aglipay

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Ensuring that the most basic needs of the people are met should be the priority of the
government, and there are few needs as basic as the need for food. This is particularly
important for children, considering that proper nutrition is essential for their mental and
physical development.

This bill, a re-filing of House Bill 767 of DIWA Party-list filed during the 17
Congress, attempts to vastly improve the nutrition received by Filipino children, and to do so
in a way that also supports our Small Scale Producers, creating a mutually beneficial system
moving forward.

MICHAEL  AGLIPAY
Representative, DIWA Party-list

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill £84

Introduced by DIWA Party-list Representative Hon, Michael Edgar Y. Aglipay

AN ACT CREATING A SYSTEM OF FOOD DISTRIBUTION FOR ADDRESSING
THE NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE PROVIDING FOR ITS
PROCUREMENT PROCESS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the “National Feeding
Program Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy - It is, hereby, declared a policy of the State to
develop, create, and implement a nationwide feeding program to alleviate poverty and hunger
in the country. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ratified by the Philippines, states
everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of
himself and of his family, including food. Furthermore, the Constitution states "The State
shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness
among them."

Chapter I
National Feeding Program

SECTION 3. National Feeding program — There is, hereby, established a National
Feeding Program which shall aim to alleviate hunger and malnutrition for children ages 0 —
13 years old

SECTION 4. Creation of a National Hunger Targeting System — The Philippine
Statistics Authority (PSA) in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) and Department of Health (DOH) shall establish a nationwide

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database that identifies groups and/or individuals that have the least access to proper
nutrition. The database shall identify the most vulnerable groups and/or individuals to be
listed as beneficiaries.

SECTION 5. Infant feeding program — The DOH, in consultation with DSWD,
shall create a system of distribution through the Barangay Health Workers of food packets for
those targeted by the system created in this Act. The said food packets shall supplement the
nutritional and dietary needs of children ages 0-1 year olds.

SECTION 6. Supplementary Feeding Program — The DSWD shall ensure that
children ages 2 ~ 5 receive the proper nutrients and diet while under their care. Beneficiaries
shall be given meals that will meet their nutritional needs. The DSWD may consult with the
National Nutrition Council (NNC) to meet the proper nutritional and dietary needs of the
children. The following shall be the beneficiaries:

a) Children 2-4 years old in the Supervised Neighborhood Play (SNP) Area;
'b) Children 3—4 years old enrolled in Day Care Centers (DDC), and;

©) Children 5 years old not enrolled in the Department of Education (DepEd)
preschool system but enrolled in DDCs.

SECTION 7. Elementary Feeding School Program — The DepEd shall ensure that
students from Kindergarten to Grade 4 are given the proper meals during school hours. Such
meals should contain the proper nutritional and dietary needs of students. The DepEd shall
consult the NNC nutritional and dietary specifics.

Chapter I

Procurement

SECTION 8. Procurement of Produce ~ The Government is, hereby, mandated to
ensure that 30% or more of the supplies needed to implement the National Feeding Program
are procured from Small-Scale Producers

SECTION 9. Registry of Small-Scale Producers ~ The DA shall keep and regularly
update a list of Small-Scale Producers. It shall use the Registry for Basic Sectors in
Agriculture (RSBSA), Regional Field Office (RFO) list of beneficiaries, the Bureau of
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources's National Program for Municipal Fisherfolk Registration
(BFAR FishR) for fisherfolk, and any other list it may deem necessary to keep the registry up
to date. Furthermore, the DA is required to coordinate with the DSWD to cross-match and
compare the registry with the DSWD's National Household Targeting System for Poverty
Reduction (NHTS-PR) to avoid duplication and redundancy.

SECTION 10. Procurement process for Small-Scale Producers — For the
purposes of this act, procurement from Small Scale producers shall be exempted from the

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Procurement process as stated in Republic Act No. 9184, otherwise known as the
Procurement Law. Provided, small scale producers shall undergo Negotiated Procurement
Participation under the guidelines of the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) and
as specified under this act.

SECTION 11. Negotiated Procurement Participation — Small Scale Producers
shall enter a Negotiated Procurement with the government under the guidelines of the GPPB
when the following conditions are met

a) DA Validation — certification from the DA and/or any of its tasked agencies that
the individual or family is indeed included in the Registry of Small Scale Farmers.

'b) Produce/Product Sustainability — when Participants have the ability to continue to
meet the demand for their produce or product for prolonged periods of time, with
or without government intervention

©) Community Enrichment ~ when there is a viable means of improving the wellbeing
of the community where the small scale farmers are situated. This seeks to extend
the benefits that may arise from the contract between the small scale farmers and
the government. The goal is to achieve positive outcomes such as poverty
reduction, access to education, equitable distribution and management of natural
resources, climate change adaptation/mitigation, disaster risk reduction, gender
equality, disease reduction, and job generation, among others.

SECTION 12. Support Services for Small-Scale Producers under the
Department of Agriculture - The DA shall institute the following benefits for Small-Scale
Producers as contained in their registry

) Training on Production, Harvesting, Procurement Process of this Act, and any other
topic the DA sees fit;

b) Subsidized Farm Equipment;

©) Facilities for storage and harvesting:

4) Capacity Building for Small-Scale Farmer;

€) Access to Crop Insurance;

f) Access to credit/low interest rates

SECTION 13. Support Services for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries who are
Small-Scale Producers - The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) shall institute the
following benefits for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries who are Small-Scale Producers as
contained in their list of beneficiaries

a) Training on Production, Harvesting, Procurement Process of this Act, and any other
topic the DAR sees fit;

b) Subsidized Farm Equipment;

©) Facilities for storage and harvesting:

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4) Capacity Building for Small-Scale Farmer;
@) Access to Crop Insurance;

) Access to credit/low interest rates

Chapter II
Food Council

SECTION 14. National Food Security Council - A National Food Security Council,
hereafter referred to as Council, is hereby created as an attached and independent agency to
the Office of the President

SECTION 15. Mandate of the Council - The Council is mandated to act as the
check and balance organization for the food security system. It shall oversee the effective
distribution, procurement, and targeting of beneficiaries as mandated in this Act. It shall also
serve as a coordinating body for the different departments involved in the implementation of
this Act.

SECTION 16. Chairperson of the Council - The Chairperson of the Council shall
be appointed to a six year term by the President of the Philippines. No person may be
Chairperson if he has not met the following criteria:

a) Ten (10) years of work experience in the field of Food Security:

b) Has no relatives, to the second degree of consanguinity, in the government;

©) Has good moral character;

4) No pending cases.

SECTION 17. Membership of the Council - The Council shall consist of the
following members.

a) Representative from the Department of Agriculture;
b) Representative from the Department of Agrarian Reform;
c) Representative from the Department of Social Welfare and Development:

) Representative from the Department of Interior and Local Government;

¢) Representative from the Department of Education;
£) Representative from the Department of Health;

g) Representative from the National Nutritional Council;

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h) Representative from the Department of Science and Technology - Food and
Nutrition Research Institute;

i) Four (4) Representatives from Civil Society involved in Food Security or Hunger
alleviation;

J) Four (4) Representatives from Small-Scale Producers group.

SECTION 18. Representatives from Civil Society involved in Food Security or
Hunger Alleviation - The Representatives for Civil Society shall be appointed by the
President of the Philippines upon the recommendation of the National Anti-Poverty
Commission. No Representative may be appointed or recommended if he/she has not met the
following criteria:

a) Five (5) years of service under a Civil Society Organization involved in Food
Security or Hunger Alleviation;

'b) Has no position in any government agency or office:
c) Has no relatives, to the second degree of consanguinity, in the government;
) Has good moral character;

©) No pending cases.

SECTION 19. Representatives from Small-Scale Producers group - The
Representatives for Small-Scale Producers shall be appointed by the President of the
Philippines upon the recommendation of the Department of Agriculture. No Representative
may be appointed or recommended if he has not met the following Criteria.

a) Five (5) years as a practicing Small-Scale Producer;

b) Has no position in any government agency or office;

©) Has no relatives, to the second degree of consanguinity, in the government;
d) Has good moral character;

&) No pending cases

SECTION 20. Appropriations ~ The funds needed to implement this Act shall be
included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within sixty (60) days from

the appointment its members, the Council shall promulgate such rules and regulations
necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.

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SECTION 22, Separability Clause. — if any provision of this Act is subsequently
declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby
shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION, 23. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
Publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation

Approved,

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