Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3594

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative Sharon S. Garin

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Food security, as defined by the United Nations’ Committee on World Food
Security, is the “condition in which all People, at all times, have physical, social and
economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs
and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” This modem definition of food

of @ country, but also the people’s access to such food supply. Food security
remains one of the main goals of any country. In the Philippines, we have yet to
achieve such goal, but this bill is a step in the right direction.

Aside from ensuring food security, this bill also seeks to address the health
issue of Filipinos. It follows that a food secure Philippines, would also naturally lead
to a healthier populace as more Filipinos will have access to adequate and nutritious
food.

Right now, under-nutrition still remains @ serious problem in the Philippines.
This is especially troubling for children where chronic under-nutrition can lead to
Stunting and wasting and cause damage to health, physical growth, and brain
development. Stunting is the condition wherein € child's height is below the normal
level of other children his, wasting on the other hand is when a child is too thin for his
height. Simply put, there is a reduced rate Physical development. ‘Stunting in the first
. two years is often irreversible, and children affected are impaired for life and have
lower chances of finishing school and becoming highly-productive adults. In the
Philippines, studies have shown that 3.6 million of children 0-5 years are
underweight; and 4 million are stunted.

This bill seeks to address this Problem of hunger and malnutrition, especially
in children who are among the most vulnerable. To this end, it creates a National
Feeding Program which is geared towards children aged 0-13. To facilitate this
feeding program, this bill also mandates a percentage of supplies needed for the
feeding program to come from small-scale suppliers and shall be exempt from


regular procurement process. Finally, to ensure the effective implementation of this
act, the National Food Security Council is created to act as the coordinating body.

This bill is anchored in our commitment to food ‘security, coupled with the

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that “everyone has the right to

« a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his

family, including food,” and the Constitutional declaration that the “State shall protect

and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among
them.”

In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

AAMBI:


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3594
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representative Sharon S. Garin

AN ACT
CREATING ‘A SYSTEM OF FOOD DISTRIBUTION FOR ADDRESSING THE
NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE PROVIDING FOR ITS PROCUREMENT

‘PROCESS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER

PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title — This Act shall be known as the “National Food
Security Act"

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy — It is, hereby, declared a Policy of the State to
develop, create, and implement a nationwide feeding program to alleviate poverty
and hunger in the country. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ratified by

the Philippines, states everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the

«health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food. Furthermore, the

Constitution states "The State shall Protect and promote the right to health of the

People and instill health consciousness ‘among them."


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Chapter |
National Feeding Program

SEC. 3. National Feeding Program — There is, hereby, established a
National Feeding Program which shall aim to alleviate hunger and malnutrition for

. Children ages 0 - 13 years old.

SEC. 4. Creation of a National Hunger Targeting System — The Philippine
Statistics Authority (PSA) in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and
Development (DSWD) and Department of Health (DOH) shall establish a nationwide
database that identifies groups and/or individuals that have the least access to
Proper nutrition. The database shall identify the most vulnerable groups and/or
individuals to be listed as beneficiaries.

‘SEC. 5. Infant Feeding Program — The DOH, in Consultation with DSWD,
shall create a system of distribution through the Barangay Health Workers of food
Packets for those targeted by the ‘system created in this Act. The said food Packets

* shall supplement the nutritional and dietary needs of children ages 0 - 1 year olds.

SEC. 6. Supplementary Feeding Program — The DSWD shall ensure that
children ages 2 - 5 receive the Proper nutrients and diet while under their care.
Beneficiaries shall be given meals that will meet their nutritional needs. The DSWD
may consult with the National Nutrition Council (NNC) to meet the proper nutritional
and dietary needs of the children. The following shall be the beneficiaries:

@) Children 2 - 4 years old in the Supervised Neighborhood Play (SNP) Area
b) Children 3 - 4 years old enrolled in Day Care Centers (DCC), and
¢) Children 5 years old not enrolled in the Department of Education (DepEd)

Preschool system but enrolled in DCCs.

SEC. 7. Elementary Feeding School Program — The DepEd shall ensure
that students from Kindergarten to Grade 4 are given the proper meals during school


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hours. Such meals should contain the Proper nutritional and dietary needs of
students. The DepEd shall consult the NNC nutritional and dietary specifics.

Chapter II
Procurement

SEC. 8. Procurement of Produce - The Government is, hereby, mandated

to ensure that 30% or more of the supplies needed to implement the National

* Feeding Program are procured from Small-Scale Producers.

SEC. 9. Registry of Small-Scale Producers — The DA shall keep and
regularly update a list of Small-Scale Producers. It shall use Registry for Basic
Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA), Regional Field Office (RFO) list of beneficiaries, the
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources's National Program for Municipal
Fisherfolk Registration (BFAR Fish R) for fisherfolk, and any other list it may deem
necessary to keep the registry up to date. Furthermore, the DA is required to
Coordinate with the DSWD to cross-match and Compare the registry with the
DSWD's National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR) to
avoid duplication and redundancy.

SEC. 10. Procurement Process for Small-Scale Producers — For the
Purposes of this act, procurement from Small Scale Producers shall be exempted
from the procurement process as stated in Republic Act No. 91.84, otherwise known
as the Procurement Law. Provided, small scale producers shall undergo Negotiated
Procurement Participation under the guidelines of the Government Procurement
Policy Board (GPPB) and specified under this act.

SEC. 11. Negotiated Procurement Participation ~ Small Scale Producers
shall enter a Negotiated Procurement with the government under the guidelines of

the GPPB when the following conditions are met:


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a) DA Validation — certification from the DA and/or any of its tasked agency that
the individual or family is indeed included in the Registry of Small scale
farmers;

b) Produce/Product Sustainability - when participants have the ability to
continue to meet the demand for their produce or product for prolonged
Periods of time, with or without government intervention;

c) Community Enrichment - when there is a viable means of improving the
wellbeing of the community where the small scale farmers are situated. This
seeks to extend the benefits that may arise from the Contract between the
small Scale farmers and the government. The goal is to achieve positive
outcomes such as like poverty reduction, access to education, equitable
distribution and management of natural resources, climate change
adaptation/mitigation, disaster risk reduction, gender equality, disease
reduction, and job generation, among others.

SEC. 12. Support Services for Small-Scale Producers under the

Department of Agriculture — The DA shall institute the following benefits for Small-
Scale Producers as contained in their registry:

a) Training on Production, Harvesting, Procurement Process of this Act, and any
other topic the DA sees fit;

b) Subsidized Farm Equipment;

©) Facilities for storage and harvesting;

) Capacity Building for Small-Scale Farmer,

©) Access to Crop insurance;

f) Access to Credit/low interest rates.


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SEC. 13. Support Services for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries who are
Small-Scale Producers — The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) shall institute
the following benefits for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries who are Small-Scale
Produces as contained in their list of beneficiaries.

a) Training on Production, Harvesting, Procurement Process of this Act, and any
other topic the DAR sees fit;

b) Subsidized Farm Equipment;

©) Facilities for storage and harvesting;

d) Capacity Building for Small-Scale Farmer;

@) Access to Crop Insurance;

f) Access to Credit/low interest rates.

Chapter Ill
Food Council

SEC. 14. National Food Security Council — A National Food Security
Council, hereafter referred to as Council, is hereby created as an attached and
independent agency to the Office of the President.

SEC. 15. Mandate of the Council — The Council is mandated to act as the
check and balance organization for the food security system. It shall oversee the
effective distribution, Procurement, and targeting of beneficiaries as mandated in this
Act. It shall also serve as a coordinating body for the different departments involved
is the implementation of this Act.

SEC. 16. Chairperson of the Council - The Chairperson of the Council shall
be appointed to a six year term by the President of the Philippines. No person may
be Chairperson if he has not met the following criteria.

@) Ten (10) years of Work experience in a CSO involved in Food Security;

b) Has no relatives, to the second degree of consanguinity, in the government;


1 ¢) Has good moral character,

A d) No pending Cases;

3 SEC. 17. Membership of the Council — The Council shall consist of the
4 — following members:

5 a)

Representative from the Department of Agriculture (DA);
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Representative from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR);

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Representative from the Department of Social Welfare and Development
8 (DSWD);

9 d) Representative from the Department of Interior and Local Government
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1 ) Representative from the Department of Education (DepEd);

2 1) Representative from the Department of Health (DOH);

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Representative from the National Nutritional Council (NNC);
14 h) Representative from the Department of Science and Technology - Food and
15 Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI);

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Four (4) Representatives from’ Civil Society involved in Food Security or

v7 hunger alleviation;
18 i) Four (4) Representatives from ‘Small-Scale Producers group.
19 SEC. 18. Representatives from Civil Society involved in Food Security or

20, Hunger Alleviation — The Representatives for Civil Society shall be appointed by
21 the President of the Philippines upon the frecommendation of the National Anti-
22 Poverty Commission (NAPC). No Representative may be appointed or
23 recommended if he has not met the following criteria:

24 @) Five (5) years of service under a Civil Society Organization involved in Food
25 Security of Hunger Alleviation;


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b) Has no position in any government agency or office;
c) Has no relatives, to the second degree of consanguinity, in the government;
d) Has good moral character;
) No pending cases
SEC. 19. Representatives from Small-Scale Producers Group ~ The
Representatives for Small-Scale Producers shall be appointed by the President of

the Philippines upon the recommendation of the Department of Agriculture. No

Representative may be appointed or recommended if he has not met the following
Criteria:
@) Five (5) years as a Practicing Small-Scale Producer;
b) Has no position in any government agency or office;
c) Has no relatives, to the second degree of consanguinity, in the government:
d) Has good moral character;
©) No pending Cases;

SEC. 20. Appropriations — The funds Needed to implement this Act shall be
included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 21. implementing Rules and Regulations — Within sixty (60) days
from the appointment its members, the Council shall Promulgate such rules and
regulations necessary for the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 22. Separability Clause — if any provision of this Act is subsequently
declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not affected
thereby shall remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 23. Effectivity — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
Publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,