f 
{i’ 
- 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Third Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Sen. Manuel “Lito” M. Lapid 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It has become the usual practice of school children to take their daily 
meals in school canteens. It is a common knowledge that for school-age food 
consumers, what would appear most saleable are the common junks like chips, 
hotdogs, burgers, pizza, tacos, fries, soda drinks and the like. Normal 
entrepreneurial practice would naturally sell what is being demanded the most. 
It is alarming to note that these type of foods taken by the children daily 
during the entire school year as regular meal or snack do not only fail to provide 
them with proper nutrients but have been the primal sources of diet related 
diseases like obesity, cancer, coronary heart disease and diabetes to name a 
few. It has also been a universal norm across the globe that children coming from 
either the fist or third world countries do not get enough of important nutrients like 
iron, calcium, zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Folate required for an active mind 
and body. 
Children’s energy requirement increases rapidly because they are growing 
quickly and becoming more active. To achieve this requirement, foods which are 
high in energy and protein, should be taken as part of regular meals. Other 
nutrients are likewise needed to achieve the full potential of a child’s body 
development which can only be attained through proper intake of nutritional food. 
This piece of legislation seeks to address the problem by mandating food 
service providers in every school to limit the range of meal products they serve 
for breakfast, lunch and snack to food and drinks which will make a positive 
contribution to the nutrient needs of children by basing them on nutrient-based 
meal standards to be recommended by government experts in the field of 
nutrition. 


I believe that it’s high time for the government to undertake the much 
needed radical reform to advance this unfortunate situation by way of 
ascertaining that food supplied in school meals should be strictly limited to those 
fortified with the necessary vitamins and proteins for all school children while 
banning those that may be hazardous to health. 
Government’s vision in achieving its goal for a healthy citizenry could only 
be attained through proper nutrition and balance diet starting from the young age. 
I encourage my colleagues to support the immediate passage of this bill. 
MANUEL “LITO” M. LAPID 
Senator 
r“ 


.* 
9 
!;; 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Third Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Introduced by Senator Manuel “Lito” M. Lapid 
AN ACT TO IMPROVE THE NUTRITION QUALITY 
OF FOOD SERVED TO PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS 
IN SCHOOL CANTEENS AND CAFETERIAS, PROVIDING PENALTIES 
THEREPORE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be if enacted by the Senate and House of Represenfatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title of the Act. - This Act shall be known as the “School 
Nutrition and Balanced Diet Act of 2007”. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to promote, 
nurture and protect the health, nutrition and well-being of children in the society, 
The government is duty bound to address problems of common chronic diseases 
and other diet-related health problems that hit school children year in and year 
out by instilling a policy that will ensure that school children will be served with 
well balanced and nutritious meals. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - For the purpose of this Act, the following 
shall mean: 
1. Food Service Providers - shall refer to all canteens, cafeterias, food 
concessionaires, caterers and similar establishments including individuals 
involved in school meal services operating inside the premises of private and 
public primary and secondary schools. 
2. Schools - shall refer to all private and public primary and secondary 
educational institutions. 
3. Food Product - shall refer to any breakfast, lunch, and snack food 
meals including all forms of beverages and drinking products. 


4. Institute -shall refer to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute under 
the Department of Science and Technology. 
5. Nutrient-Based Meal Standard - shall primarily refer to the 
combinations of recommended and balanced nutrient content of an average meal 
of school children enough to provide them with protein, fat, saturated fat, 
carbohydrate, fiber, iron, zinc, calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folate, sodium, and 
other nutrients highly needed by school children as may be determined by the 
Institute. 
SEC. 4. Coverage. - All primary and secondary educational institutions 
licensed and registered under the Department of Education shall be covered by 
this Act. 
SEC. 5. Compulsory incorporation of nutrient-based standards on meals - 
Any provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, all food service providers, 
are hereby required to prepare food products for sale in accordance with the 
nutritional specifications of nutrient-based standards on meals as provided for 
under this Act. All school board or authorities concerned shall adopt and enforce 
policy guidelines to their school service providers for the proper implementation 
of the nutrient-based standards on food products sold in schools throughout the 
day. 
SEC. 6. Formulation of Nutrient-Based Meal Standards - The Institute 
shall formulate, determine and set a benchmark on the sufficient amount of 
nutrient intakes of schoolchildren required for good health and growth. For this 
purpose, the institute shall come-up with an easy to understand Nutrition based 
Meal Standards that shall contain among others the recommended proportion of 
nutrient content and balanced diet for an average breakfast, lunch and snacks. 
Provided, however, that the Institute shall prepare sample meal sets to serve as 
reference basis for meal planning, covering the entire school days of the 
calendar year, which would meet the nutrient-based meal standards. 


SEC. 7. Trainings on Food Preparations - All catering staff directly and 
indirectly involved in the preparation and serving. of meals in schools covered 
by this Act, shall undergo training on good nutrition and menu planning to equip 
them with proper meal preparation skills that will comply with the Nutrition-based 
meal standards. 
SEC 8. Banning of unsafe foods and drinks - In order to ensure that food 
and drinks being sold over the school shall be exclusive to those that meet the 
nutrient-based standards, unsafe foods and drinks as determined by the Institute 
shall be perpetually banned from being sold inside the school premises. 
SEC. 9. 
Enforcement and Monitoring Agency. - A multi agency 
committee composed of representatives from the Department of Education, 
Department of Health, Department of Science and Technology and the School 
Board concerned is hereby created to enforce and monitor the proper 
implementation and compliance of the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 10. Penalties. - Any person who violates any provision of this Act 
shall, upon conviction, be penalized by imprisonment of prision correcional in its 
maximum period up to prision mayor in its minimum period, or a fine of not less 
than P200,OOO nor more than P500,OOO; or both such fine and imprisonment at 
the discretion of the court. Provided however, if the violation is made by a 
corporation, association, or partnership, the penalty provided herein shall be 
imposed upon the directors, president, or managing partners. Provided further, 
that if the violation is committed by the Private or Public School, for not enforcing 
the provisions of Sections 5 and 8 hereof, they shall be charged administratively. 
SEC. 11. Repealing Clause. - The provision of any law, which is 
inconsistent with the provisions of this act, is hereby repealed, amended or 
modified accordingly. 


SEC. 12. Separability clause. If for any reason, any provision of this Act 
is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act shall not be 
affected. 
SEC. 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect immediately upon 
publication in a newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,