EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE VIRGILIO S. LACSON 
Food is the fuel necessary to get through our everyday lives. The calories we get from food provide the 
energy for our body to function properly and carry out activities. Nonetheless, this basic necessity is not a 
reality for many families in the Philippines.  
A July 2020 survey1 estimated that about 5.2 million Filipino families experience involuntary hunger due 
to lack of food to eat. And even before the pandemic, around 95 Filipino children die of malnutrition every 
day.  
Hunger can prevent humans from functioning properly. It inhibits us from performing well in our daily 
activities. It also tampers with the physical and psychological well-being of people, especially among the 
youth. Furthermore, it can result to long-term negative effects in their development.  
It is a given fact that hungry and sick students can barely focus on their education, let alone attend their 
classes. In some cases, children miss in-school education for extended periods of time due to hunger and 
malnutrition.  
Studies from the American Psychological Association2 also show the correlation of hunger and academic 
performance. Hunger has been observed to cause anxiety, stress, and in some instances, depression among 
young children. In turn, these psychological effects disturb the affected child's learning and ability to focus.  
This Bill seeks to establish a Mandatory Feeding Program for all students under the K to 12 Basic Education 
Program under the Department of Education. The bill proposes that a minimum of one fortified meal be 
provided for students on all school days of the academic year.  
HON. VIRGILIO S. LACSON 
1 World Hunger Facts & Quotes - Rise Against Hunger. (online] Available at: 
<https://riseagainsthungerphilippines.org/understanding-hunger/world-hunger-facts/> (Accessed 7 May 2021). 
2 Apa.org. 2021. [online] Available at: <https://www.apa.org/advocacy/ socioeconomic-status/hunger.pdf> [Accessed 
18 May 2021).  
June 14, 2021
6:14 pm
9616


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE VIRGILIO S. LACSON 
AN ACT  
CREATING 
A 
MANDATORY 
FEEDING 
PROGRAM 
FOR 
STUDENTS 
FROM 
KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE 12, AND ALLOCATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. DECLARATION OF POLICY – The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-
building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being. 
Therefore, it is hereby a declared policy of the state to provide social development programs that shall 
improve the health and nutrition of our youth, especially students in basic education.  
SECTION 2. MANDATORY FEEDING PROGRAM FOR CHILDREN IN THE BASIC PUBLIC 
EDUCATION SYSTEM -The Department of Education shall implement a school-based feeding program 
for public-school children from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Provided, that the mandatory feeding program 
shall be implemented for all school days of the entire academic year. Provided further, that a minimum of 
one (1) meal per day should be a fortified meal, based on the standards set by the National Nutrition Council, 
the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, and the Department of Health.  
SECTION 3. APPROPRIATION – The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act shall be 
included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its enactment into law and thereafter.  
SECTION 4. IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS - The departments and agencies 
charged, to be led by the Department of Education (DEPED) with carrying out the provisions of this Act, 
shall within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, formulate the necessary rules and regulations for 
its effective implementation.  
SECTION 5. REPEALING CLAUSE – All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules and regulations, or parts 
thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 6. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE - If, for any reason, any section or provision of This Act is held 
unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof shall not be affected thereby. 
SECTION 7. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation whichever 
comes earlier.  
Approved, 
9616