, 
Seltlltr 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
), 
(~ff.;, or HIe ~m.In'Q 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
'13 
nUG 15 P 3 ':21 
SENATE 
S.No. 
1323 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 13, Section 11 provides that: 
SEC. 11. The State shall adopt and integrated and comprehensive 
approach 'to health development which shall endeavor to make essential goods, 
health and other social services available to all the people at affordable cost. 
There shall be a priority for the needs of the underprivileged, sick, elderly, 
disabled, women and children. The State shall endeavor to provide free medical 
care to paupers. 
Nutrition has always been behind hunger-alleviation in terms of priority. As many of our 
countrymen suffer hunger, we often neglect to look into the nutritional value of our food and eat 
anything that can fill our empty stomachs regardless if it truly provides us with the nourishment 
that our body needs. We should endeavor to dispel the common fallacy that nutritious foods are 
expensive. 
Aside from public education, we can also show our concern over nutrition through our 
various feeding programs. We can also regulate the foods that are being served in our public 
schools which cater to our children. By making the people involved in the food and beverage 
industry conscious of our nutrition standards, we would be able to help the recipient of their 
services to get proper nutrition. The state should establish a policy that proper nutrition goes side 
by side with hunger alleviation and that good health is not a monopoly of the rich. 
This bill seeks to establish a nutritional standard for our public schools and feeding and 
food subsidy programs. This bill also mandates the Department of Trade and Industry to make 
nutritious foods easily identifiable in our markets.' 
• This bill was originally filed in the Fourteenth Congress, Second Regular Session. 
1 


1 
2 
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
"13 
AtI615 P3:21 
SENATE 
S.No. 
1323 
____________________________________________________ ~R~~~~._·~.'~.~.+r)L+HY:~ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING NUTRITION STANDARDS FOR SCHOOLS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
3 
SECTION 1. Short Title. -
This Act shall be known as the "Nutrition Standard 
4 
Establishment Act." 
5 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to encourage good 
6 
health through consumption of foods that meet nutritional standards. The State shall endeavor to 
7 
make nutritious food affordable and accessible to everyone. 
8 
SECTION 3. Definition a/Terms. - The purposes of this Act the term: 
9 
A. 
ESTABLISHED NUTRITION STANDARDS - means nutrition standards for 
10 
competitive foods and beverages in schools described in the report of the National Nutrition 
11 
Council; 
12 
B. 
NUTRITION STANDARDS ,- J;Ileans the nutrition standards for competitive. 
13 
foods and beverages in schools; and 
14 
C. 
UPDATED NUTRITION STANDARDS - means the nutrition standards used as 
15 
the basis for regulations promulgated under this Act. 
16 
SECTION 4. Proposed Regulations Based on Established Nutrition Standards. - Not 
17 
later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) 
18 
shall promulgate proposed regulations to define "foods that meet the minimal nutritional value" 
1 


1 
consistent with the established nutrition standards. Such regulation shall highlight affordable 
2 
foods that meet the minimal nutritional value. 
3 
The definition of "foods that meet the minimal nutritional value" shall apply to all foods 
4 
and beverages sold on the school campus at any time during the school day. 
5 
SECTION 5. Implementation of Regulations Based on Established Nutrition Standards. -
6 
Except as provided in this Act, the final regulations described in Section 3 shall take effect at the 
7 
beginning ofthe school year following the date on which the regulations are finalized. 
8 
If the regulations are finalized on a date that is not more than 60 days before the 
9 
beginning of the school year, the regulations . shall take effec! at the beginning of the following. 
10 
school year. 
fi', "" 
, 
II 
SECTION 6. Recommendations for Revised Nutrition Standards. - Not later than two 
12 
years after the date of enactment of this Act, and not less than every five years thereafter, the 
13 
NNC shall enter into an arrangement with the National Institutes of Health - University of the 
14 
Philippines Manila (NIH-UPM), under which the NIH-UPM shall conduct a study to develop 
15 
recommendations regarding necessary updates for nutrition standards to ensure that-
16 
A. 
the most current scientific knowledge' (as of the date of the study) is included in 
17 
information used to establish the nutrition standards; and 
18 
B. 
the nutrition standards are consistent with the current dietary guidelines (as of the 
19 
date of the study), with specifications for different age groups and other segments of the 
20 
population. 
21 
SECTION 7. Report. - The NIH-UPM shall prepare and submit a report containing the 
22 
recommendations described in Section 5 to the NNC, the appropriate committees of Congress, 
23 
and the general public. 
24 
SECTION 8. Regulations Based On Updated Nutrition Standards. - Not later than 90 
25 
days after receiving a report under Section 6, the NNC shall promulgate regulations to revise the 
2 


1 
definition described in Section 3, taking into consideration the recommendations for nutrition 
2 
standards contained in the report. 
3 
SECTION 9. Use. - All government agencies shall take into consideration the established 
4 
nutrition standards or updated nutrition standards, as appropriate, during the proposal and 
5 
issuance of any regulation for any government program that provides or subsidizes foods or 
6 
beverages. 
7 
SECTION 10. User-Friendly Identification System. - Not later than one year after the 
8 
date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Trade and Industry, after consultation with the 
9 
NNC, shall establish a user-friendly identification system for identifying foods and beverages 
10 
that meet the established nutrition standards or updated nutrition standards, as appropriate. 
11 
SECTION 11. Appropriations. - To carry out the provisions of this Act, such amount as 
12 
hereby necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National Treasury. 
13 
SECTION 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or 
14 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
15 
valid and subsisting. 
16 
SECTION 13. Repealing Clause. -:- Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
17 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or is inconsistent 
18 
with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
19 
SECTION 14. EffectiVity Clause. _. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
20 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
3