THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
First Regular Session 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 15 provides: 
The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and 
instill health consciousness among them. 
The public is increasingly exhibiting interest in reliable information concerning nutrition 
and the relationship of nutrition to human health, and are making personal nutrition choices 
based on such information. Unfortunately, they often receive conflicting and confusing messages 
about nutrition and the relationship of nutrition to health. 
The country's information base concerning nutrition and health is fragmentary, often 
difficult to identify and includes significant gaps in knowledge concerning the relationship 
between nutrition and the occurrence of certain diseases and adverse conditions. 
Hence, this bill seeks to establish within the Department of Health a permanent council 
on nutrition and health, whose main task will be to identify and disseminate sound information 
on the relationship between nutrition and health and the gaps in knowledge that require research 
and attention. 


Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO ESTABLISH WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT 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: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Nutrition and Health Act.” 
SECTION 2. Purpose. - The purpose of this Act is to establish within the Department of 
Health a Council on Nutrition and Health 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 understandable and retrievable fashion, and 
serve as a clearinghouse for information on the relationship between nutrition and human health. 
SECTION 3. Definitions. -As used in this Act - 
(1) The term “Council” means the Council on Nutrition and Health, as established in 
Section 4(1). 
(2) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Department of Health. 
SECTION 4. Establishment and Stafjng of 
the Council on Nutrition. - (1) 
ESTABLISHMENT- There is established within the Department of Health the Council on 
Nutrition and Health. 
(2) MEMBERSHIP- (a) APPOINTMENT- The Council shall consist of nine (9) voting 
members, all of whom shall he appointed by the President. 


(b) ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP - The members of the Council shall be 
chosen from among individuals who are knowledgeable in the fields of health, human 
nutrition, food production and distribution, and agriculture. Such members shall be 
selected on the basis of an established record of distinguished service in the areas of 
expertise of such individuals. 
(c) EX OFFICIO MEMBERS - The S ecretary and the S ecretary o f A griculture 
shall be ex officio members of the Council. 
(3) TERM OF OFFICE- (a) IN GENERAL- Each member of the Council shall be 
appointed for a term of three (3) years, except that members appointed to the initial Council shall 
serve, proportionately, for terns of one (l), two (2), or three (3) years, as determined by the 
Secretary at the time of appointment. 
(b) VACANCY- A member of the Council who is appointed to fill a vacancy in 
the Council occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the predecessor of such 
member was appointed, shall be appointed by the same individual who appointed such 
predecessor pursuant to subsection (2)(a) for the remainder of such term. 
(c) 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 
office. 
(d) ELIGIBILITY FOR SUCCESSIVE TERMS- A member of the Council shall 
be eligible to serve successive terms of office. 
(4) LEADERSHIP OF COUNCIL - (a) SELECTION- A Chairperson and a Vice 
Chairperson of the Council shall be selected by the President from among the members of the 
Council. 
(b) TERM OF OFFICE- The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the Council, as 
referred to in paragraph (a), shall serve for terms of three (3) years. 
(5) MEETINGS OF COUNCIL - (a) FREQUENCY OF MEETINGS- The Chairperson 
of the Council, as referred to in subsection (4), shall convene a meeting of the Council not less 
that once during each three-month period. 


(b) QUORUM- At a properly convened meeting of the council, the presence of 
five (5) Council members shall constitute a quorum. 
(6) 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. 
(7) 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. 
SECTION 5. Responsibilities of the Council. - (1) IN GENERAL- The Council shall- 
(a) assemble the existing information on the relationship between nutrition and 
health; 
(b) identify and collect the ongoing research within the various national and local 
governmental agencies, the private sector in the country, and in foreign countries; 
(c) identify the aspects of the relationship between nutrition and health that 
require additional research; 
(d) monitor ongoing research into the role of nutrition in health, including- 
(i) methods by which the nutritional value of domestically produced food 
products may be improved; 
(ii) the relationship between consumption of specific foods and nutrients 
and the incidence and treatment of specific diseases and conditions; and 
(iii) the optimal level of foods and nutrients that are appropriate under 
various health conditions to maximize specific human capabilities; 
(e) monitor the progress of nutrition' education efforts among the health 
profession, other segments of the society, and the general public; and 
(0 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. 
(2) RULES AND REGULATIONS- The Council is authorized to adopt such rules and 
regulations as may be necessary to carry out this Act. 


SECTION 6. Responsibility of Other Agencies t o  Cooperate with the Council. - Each 
agency 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. 
SECTION 7. Treatment of Information on File. - Submission of information or data on 
the relationship between nutrition and health to the Council shall not affect statutory law 
trademark status, copyright or patent rights. 
SECTION 8. Reports. - (1) IN 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. 
(2) DISTRIBUTION- Following the receipt by the Secretary of the annual report of the 
Council under subsection (l), the Secretary shall immediately distribute such report, along with 
recommendations of the Secretary regarding such report, to the President, the Secretary 
regarding such report, to the President, the Secretary of Agriculture, and the appropriate 
authorizing and appropriating committees of the Congress as well as to such agencies and 
departments as the Secretary considers appropriate. 
SECTION 9. Authorization of Appropriations. - There are authorized to be appropriated 
such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act. 
SECTION 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 


SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative o rder, rule or regulation c ontrary t 0, o r  inconsistent 
with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly, 
SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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