Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BILLNo, 7495

Introduced by: Hon. Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE BARANGAY INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT
APPROACH FOR NUTRITION IMPROVEMENT OF THE RURAL POOR AS A
LINKAGE PROGRAM FOR ALL STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES AND
COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Malnutrition has been a persistent problem in the country. It is prevalent in
depressed barangays and municipalities in the rural areas and the countryside,
which reveal widespread poverty in the country.

The Department of Science and Technology — Food and Nutrition Research
Institute conducted the Rapid Nutrition Assessment Survey (RNAS) in 2020, which
reported that loss of weight among children was observed with two (2) in every ten
(10) children, with a higher proportion among children from severely food insecure
households.

The 2020 RNAS revealed that at the time of the survey infants and pre-school
children were highly affected by the disruption of nutrition services and delivery of
Nutrition interventions. Results have shown that the number of children who received
nutrition services such as OPT plus, deworming, supplementary feeding, and vitamin
A supplements significantly decreased.

Children who were able to participate in OPT plus went down from 83% in
2019 to 51% in 2020 due to lockdowns and limited movement of health care
workers. The number of children who received dietary supplementation such as
family food packs, cooked foods, and dry rations also decreased from 21.6% in 2020
to 11.9 in 2021, with a mean duration of only twelve (12) days.

Most children who did not receive supplementary feeding were in high-risk
areas. Vitamin A supplementation also decreased from 65.4% in 2020 to 36.3% in
2021. Also, aside from children, older adults were highly affected by malnutrition

In line with its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, the
government seeks to combat malnutrition as the country struggles to reduce health
problems of micronutrient and protein-energy malnutrition including vitamin A
deficiency disorders (VADO), iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and iodine deficiency
disorders (IDO), the latter being considered one of the developing countries’ most


debilitating and intractable public health problems affecting nearly two billion people,
majority of whom are children.

The problem of malnutrition hampers the physical growth of a child and
affects his or her mental health, productivity and later on prospect for employment
The problem calls for a more lasting solution in the form of an integrated
development approach that complements traditional nutrition intervention such as
the Barangay Integrated Development Approach for Nutrition Improvement or
BIDANI.

It is a comprehensive nutrition-in-development strategy emphasizing the need
to mainstream the improvement of the nutrition of Filipinos towards achieving rural
development.

BIDANI traces its roots in the Nutrition Improvement Model (NIM) formulated
in 1978 by the University of the Philippines Los Bafios (UPLB). It was an action
research program funded by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),
German World Hunger Assistance Program, National Nutrition Council (NNC), and
the then National Science and Technology Authority (NSTA).

BIDANI was established as a network program composed of various state
colleges and universities (SUCs) across the Philippines. Starting with five SUCs that
were trained to replicate the BIDANI strategy through research and project activities,
the network kickstarted with funding support from the National Nutrition Council
(NNC) and Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources
Research and Development (PCARRD).

BIDANI serves as the academe's unique and continuing contribution to
national development. On the side of governance, it enables local leaders and their
people to appropriately intervene directly and indirectly in solving problems regarding
nutrition and development through the Barangay Integrated Development Approach
(BIDA). It also institutionalizes effective and efficient development program planning
and implementation through the Barangay Management Information System (BMIS).
In terms of its nutrition components, BIDANI contributes to the reduction of
malnutrition prevalence in barangays covered by the network program through the
Participative Nutrition Enhancement Approach (PNEA)

This bill seeks to institutionalize the BIDANI network program with the end
view of putting nutrition at the forefront of learning and expose the different principles
of medicines in relation to nutrition. It aims to provide the government a reliable
partner in providing proper nutrition to the people, particularly the poor and ensure
the promotion of a healthy and productive citizenry.

With the foregoing reasons, the passage of this bill is fervently sought.

Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan
4th District, Quezon


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

nolisé BLL No._7495

Introduced by: Hon. Keith Micah “Atty. Mike” D.L. Tan

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING THE BARANGAY INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT
APPROACH FOR NUTRITION IMPROVEMENT OF THE RURAL POOR AS A
LINKAGE PROGRAM FOR ALL STATE UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES AND
COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Barangay
Integrated Development Approach for Nutrition Improvement (BIDANI) Act".

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to recognize
nutrition as a basic human right that shall be promoted as a public good and a public
concern that can be satisfactory achieved through multi-sectoral support and
cooperation. To this end, the State shall vigorously work towards the provision of the
nutritional needs of the poor and vulnerable especially in the rural areas, and give
utmost support to programs and projects that are responsive to the health needs of
the Filipino people.

SEC. 3. Objectives. - This Act shall have the following objectives:

a) To encourage the cooperation and participation of academic institutions
and local government units (LGUs) in promoting the nutritional well-being of the
people;

b) To develop among state universities and colleges (SUCs), and community
colleges an effective research-action network program that will improve the nutrition
and general well-being of the rural poor, and

c) To improve the nutritional well-being of the poor in the rural areas in order
to enhance their health and productivity.

SEC. 4. The Barangay Integrated Development Approach for Nutrition
Improvement Program. - The Barangay Integrated Development Approach for
Nutrition Improvement (BIDANI) is hereby established as a comprehensive nutrition-
in-development action research program of the state universities and colleges
(SUCs) and community colleges in support of the health and nutrition program of the
national government and local government units (LGUs) whose target beneficiaries


are the rural poor.

It is a comprehensive model for building the capacity of LGUs to integrate
nutrition concerns in countryside development programs that supports the
implementation of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) to combat
malnutrition, food and nutrition Insecurity, social deprivation, and poverty alleviation.

SEC. 5. Program Goals. - The BIDANI Program shall promote nutrition-in-
development through community and other stakeholders’ participation in an
integrated management system facilitated by SUCs. The Program shall:

a) Require all SUCs and community colleges to assist the government in
achieving the nutrition targets of the PPAN;

b) Engage the SUCs and community colleges in the conduct of training and
capacity-building activities for ail BIDANI stakeholders on the BIDANI strategies and
innovative practice to ensure that in-planning nutrition shall be Integrated in all areas
of local governance;

c) Promote the best nutrition-in-development practices of successful LGUs
through the participation of local nutrition management teams; and

d) Build partnerships among SUCs, community colleges, and other
stakeholders to support the citizenry towards self-help and self-reliance; encourage
citizen action through the Involvement of various stakeholders; and coordinate with
government organizations (GOs), non-government organizations (NGOs), private
organizations (POs) and other private sector groups in linking the community with
existing resources.

SEC. 6. BIDANI Structural/Organizational Linkages. - The BIDANI partners
and stakeholders shall work at different levels, as follows:

a) State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) and Community Colleges’
partnership shall be formalized through a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
between the University of the Philippines-Los Bafios (UPLB), herein designated as
the national coordinator of the BIDANI Program, represented by its Chancellor, and
the President of the concerned SUCs or community colleges. Upon approval of the
MOA, the BIDANI Program shall be operationalized under the Office of the Vice
President for Research and Extension (OVPRE) of the partner SUC or community
college. A BIDANI SUC or community college will then choose and coordinate with
its partner LGU;

b) City or Municipal Local Government Units - The implementation of the
BIDANI as a development strategy shall commence upon the approval by the city or
municipality of the nutrition plans formulated by the participating SUC or community
college concerned through a city or municipality resolution. Each city or municipality
shall then create a City or Municipal organization, such as a committee composed of
heads and representatives of different city or municipal line agencies, that shall be
responsible for the implementation, monitoring, evaluation and replication of the
BIDANI strategy in the locality;


c) Barangay Units -The realization of the BIDANI as a development strategy
shall be implemented at the barangay level. The members of each Barangay
Development Councils (BDC) shall be expanded and the BDC shall hereinafter be
called the Program Planning and Implementing Committee. The Committee shall be
composed of representatives from the Sangguniang Barangay, BDC, the various
purok in the barangay and other community leaders who shall be trained on the
BIDANI strategy to ensure that the processes for planning and management of
development programs, projects and activities will be participative and responsive to
the needs of the residents of the barangay; and

d) Other Stakeholders - The participation and inputs of the NGOs, POs, other
government agencies and offices, shall be sought In the formulation of plans by the
members of the barangay.

SEC. 7. BIDANI Innovative Strategies. - To facilitate the local Implementation
of the BIDANI, the Program shall be implemented using the following innovative
strategies:

a) Formulation of the Barangay Integrated Development Plan (BIDP) - Upon
approval of this Act, each barangay shall formulate its BIDP which shall Include the
barangay’s plans and programs relative to nutrition, and which shall be integrated
into the municipal development plan;

b) Updating of the Existing Barangay Management Information System
(BMIS) - As part of its research activities, the concerned SUC or community college
shall continue to update its existing people-based information system which shall
focus on the identification of the needs of the barangay through efficient and
effective data collection. The data shall be the basis for program planning,
management and implementation of various projects and activities in the barangay;
and

c) Implementation of the Participative Nutrition Enhancement Approach
(PNEA) - The National Nutrition Council (NNC), and participating SUCs and
community colleges shall utilize the life cycle approach in the formulation of food
production policies and programs, and promote market-driven livelihood activities
among the households to prevent malnutrition among preschool children and
nutritionally-at-risk families.

SEC. 8. Appropriations. - The amount necessary for the implementation of the
BIDANI linkage program shall be included in the budget of the participating SUCs or
community colleges, in the annual General Appropriations Act. The LGUs shall
provide funding to the participating community colleges for the implementation the
BIDANI linkage program.

Participating SUCs and community colleges may also receive grants,
donations, and other forms of financial support from foreign and local persons,
institutions, and governments for the implementation of the BIDANI linkage program.
In addition, the income generated by participating SUCs or community colleges may
also be used to augment the fund for the BIDANI Linkage Program.


SEC. 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from
the approval of this Act, the UPLB-BIDANI shall, in coordination with the National
Nutrition Council (NNC) and the participating SUCs and community colleges prepare
and issue the necessary rules and regulations for its effective implementation.

SEC. 10. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof Is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision or part not otherwise
affected shall remain valid and subsisting.

SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. - 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 are hereby repealed, modified, or
amended accordingly.

SEC. 12. Effecti - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,