'04 
JUN 30 P8 :43 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC PF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
S. No. 
618 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The health of the whole populace is a factor we cannot overlook in our thrust towards the 
development of the entire nation. Malnutrition has been identified as one of the major problems 
confronting our country today. According to reports, malnutrition is the third most common 
illness among school children. 
The state bears the responsibility to respond to this alarming problem. We should be able 
to appraise the magnitude of the situation in order to be able to formulate and effectively carry 
out whatever response is necessary. 
Nutrition is essential to survival as well as a critical factor in an individual's growth and 
capacity to function in society. As long as the problem of malnutrition continues to hang over the 
Filipino people, their struggle to improve their presently depressed socio-economic conditions 
may yet prove long and difficult. 
The early approval of the bill is hereby requested. 
MANUEL B. YAR, 
JR. 


THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
"04 JUN 30 P8 :43 
S. No. 
61% 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VELAR JR. 
AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL NUTRITION PROGRAM, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in-Congress 
assembled: 
i 
j 
SECTION 1. Title.--This Act shall be known as the Nutrition Act of 2004. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy.--It is the declared Policy of the State to promote a just and 
dynamic social order that will insure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the 
people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services, promote full 
employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality of life for all; to defend and 
promote the right of children to assistance including proper care and nutrition and special 
protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation and other conditions prejudicial 
to their development. 
The State further declares its determination to eliminate hunger and to reduce all forms of 
, 
malnutrition; That, hunger and malnutrition are unacceptable to end this human catastrophe. 
The State maintains that nutrition is both an end-goal and a means to achieve 
development. It is a multi-factorial concern requiring inputs from all sectors. As such, nutrition 
shall be a priority of the government to be implemented by all its branches in collaboration with 
non-government organizations and the private sector in an integrated manner with focus to 
nutritionally and economically depressed areas, communities and households. 


SEC. 3. Objectives.--The Nutrition Act of 1995 aims to improve the nutritional status of the 
country and its citizenry. Specifically, it aims to: 
(a), Strengthen the National Nutrition Council (NNC) as the policy-making body on nutrition; 
(b) Provide a policy environment Fonducive to nutrition improvement; 
(c) Provide mechanisms, strategies and approaches in implementing programs and projects to 
improve nutritional status and to eradicate malnutrition and hunger; 
(d) Insure participation and cooperation of NNC-member agencies, other National Government 
Agencies (NGAs), Local Gdvernment Units (LGUs), Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), 
and the private sector in an integrated manner for the promotion of the nutritional well-being of 
the population. 
SEC. 4. Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) and Strategies.--The PPAN is the 
integrated short, medium and long-term plan of the government in response to the global call to 
eradicate hunger and malnutrition. It is the country's blueprint for achieving nutrition adequacy 
for all as an important element for international competitiveness, people empowerment and 
human development. The PPAN aims to reduce prevalence of protein-energy malnutrition, 
Vitamin A deficiency, iron deficiency anemia and iodine deficiency disorders. 
The PPAN shall employ a twin strategy: promotion of household food security; and the 
prevention, control and elimination of micro-nutrient malnutrition. It shall involve short, 
medium, and long-term interventions to address hunger and malnutrition. Further, programs to 
insure household food security through availability and accessibility of safe and nutritious foods 
shall be encouraged. 
, To wage war against poverty, access to credit shall be insured to help the poor cope with 
acute food shortages. A food and nutrition subsidy for the poor shall likewise be implemented to 
deliver food and other essential goods to low-income households and serve as an entry point for 


nutrition services. Specific behaviors shall be promoted through the 
practices to insure nutritional well-being. 
Council.--The National Nutrition Council (NNC), composed of a 
is the highest policy-making body on nutrition. It coordinates 
of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN). It 
nutrition plans and programs and coordinate all others 
expertise for nutrition development. 
efficiency and effectiveness, the composition of the NNC 
expanded. 
The Governing Board (GB) shall be composed of Secretaries or 
(0 Department 
(c) Departmend of Health 
of Education, Culture and Sports 
of Science and Technology 
(e) Department! of Interior and Local Government 
I 
(g) Departmend of Budget and Management 
(h) Departmen of Labor and Employment 
(i) Department I of Agrarian Reform 
4 
6 )  Department /of Trade and Industry 
(k) National ec b nomic and Development Authority 


(1) Three representatives from the private sector to be appointed by the President of the 
Philippines; 
The Board shall create a Technical Committee or such other committee of experts as it may deem 
necessary, to act as the Council's advisory body on policy and program matters. 
b. The Secretariat. - The Secretariat shall serve as the Executive arm of the Governing Board. It 
shall be headed by an Executive Director, assisted by two Deputy Executive Directors, all of 
whom shall be appointed by the President. 
SEC. 6. Functions and Powers.--The Council shall have the following functions and powers: 
(a) Formulate national nutrition Formulate policies, plans, strategies and approaches for nutrition 
improvement; 
(b) Oversee and serve as a focal point in the integration of nutrition policies and programs of all 
member agencies and instrumentalities charged with the implementation of existing laws, 
policies, rules and regulations concerning nutrition; 
(c) Coordinate, monitor and evaluate prop-rams and projects of both public and private sectors as 
well as of LGUs in order to insure integration of nutrition with national policies; 
(d) Receive grants, donations and contributions in any form from foreign governments, private 
institutions and other funding entities for nutrition programs and projects: Provided, That no 
conditions shall be made contrary to the policies or provisions of this Act; 
(e) Coordinate the release of public funds for the promotion of nutrition well-being of the country 
in accordance with the approved programs and projects; and 
(0 Call upon any government agency and instrumentalities comprising the-pillars of the 
executive system for such assistance as may be required to implement the provisions of this-Act 
in order to reduce and eventually eliminate malnutrition in the country. 


SEC. 7. Role of NNC-Member Agencies, other National Government Agencies, Local 
Government Units, and the Private Sector in the Nutrition Act of 1995.--Member agencies shall 
be responsible for insuring the implementation of programs and projects, development of 
promotive, preventive and curative nutrition programs, and integration of health and nutrition 
concerns into their respective policies and plans. It shall provide additional resources in any form 
in support of the local nutrition programs as a continuing involvement of the national 
government to local programs. 
The consortium of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) shall intensify nutrition related 
training, research and extension support activities through the Barangay Integrated Development 
Approach for Nutrition Improvement (BIDANI) Network Program of the Rural Poor and other 
relevant approaches, thereby strengthening delivery systems in partnership with the LGUs. 
Local Government Units (LGUs), pursuant to the Local Government Code of 1991, shall provide 
and deliver basic nutrition services and facilities to the community. The LGUs shall integrate 
nutrition considerations in their short, medium and long-term development plans, and programs 
and shall coordinate with the Council in the enforcement of this Act. LGUs shall hire, train and 
deploy nutritionists in every municipality, city and province. It shall also recruit, train and deploy 
Barangay Nutrition Scholars in every barangay in support of the local nutrition programs. 
Barangay Nutrition Scholars are community based volunteers responsible for the delivery of 
nutrition services and other related activities in the barangay. 
Other National Government Agencies (NGAs) shall serve as important links in promoting 
nutrition in development through its participation in the. continuing advocacy for nutritional 
improvement, and integration of nutrition considerations in their sectoral plans and programs. 
Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) shall be encouraged to undertake nutrition 
related researches and to recommend procedures and guidelines promotive of good nutrition 
among employees of agencies or members of NGOs. The Private Sector shall also be encouraged 


to provide technical ' and financial assistance to community-based nutrition projects as their 
participation in the country's human development efforts. 
SEC. 8. Nutrition Improvement Fund--The Nutrition Improvement Fund (NIF) is hereby 
established and shall be provided as a grant to nutritionally depressed areas for the 
implementation of locally, initiated nutrition programs and projects. Requests of LGUs for 
funding assistance shall be submitted for appraisal and approval of the NNC. . 
SEC: 9. Appropriations.--An initial sum of Eighty Million Pesos (P80,000,000.00) is 
hereby appropriated for the Nutrition Improvement Fund as support to locally initiated nutrition 
programs; Thereafter, an appropriation for NLF shall be provided annually in the General 
Appropriations Act. 
The funds needed by the National Nutrition Council (NNC) to carry out the provisions of this 
Act shall be charged to the appropriations of the NNC under the annual General Appropriations 
Act in addition to the appropriations of other department/agencies whose programs and activities 
are in support of the PPAN and this Act. 
Funds needed by SUCs in implementing BIDANI and other nutrition approaches shall be 
incorporated in the annual appropriation of SUCs. 
SEC. 10. Separability Clause.--If any provision of this Act or the application of such 
provision to any instrumentalities or entities or circumstances is held invalid or unconstitutional 
for any reason or reasons, the remainder of this Act or 'the application of such other provisions 
shall not be affected thereby. 
SEC. 1 1. Repealing Clause.-LAll laws and part of laws, decrees, orders, proclamations, 
issuance, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 12. Saving Clause.--All laws and parts of laws, decrees, orders, proclamations, 
issuance, rules and regulations-which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
* 


n 
1. 
repealed, amended or modified accordingly: Provided, That power, functions and rights already 
acquired and existing at the time of its passage shall not in any way be abridged, modified nor 
abated. 
SEC. 13. Effectivity. --This Act shall take effect fifteen days after its publication in the 
Official Gazette or at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation whichever comes 
earlier. 
Approved, 
I