SIXTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
'14 
JUL 15 
A10 :47 
SENATE 
RECEIVED BY: lJI 
--J-_ .. 
Senate Bill No. ~ 
0 9 
"School Nutrition and Dietary Act of 2014" 
Introduced by SENATOR VICENTE C. SOTTO III 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Problem of malnourishment in the country particularly among 
children has been prevalent for decades. This is evidenced by the 
number of impoverished families comprising almost 70% of the 
population. In the Nutritional Status Report by the Department of 
Education disclosed that a total of 562.262 students enrolled in the 
primary level in public schools in 2012 have been considered "severely 
wasted" or suffering from severe malnutrition. 
It has been said that malnutrition among students based on 
several studies reveals the effect of such condition to the learning 
capacity of pupils. Poorly nourished students have a short attention 
span making them focus less on their lessons. There is a high 
probability that this unfortunate situation is the major cause of 
habitual absenteeism and dropping out of schools. 
The Department of Education in its effort to combat the 
problem, has been initiating feeding program through its Health and 
Nutrition Center (HNC) as well as partnerships with private companies 
and community-based volunteers. However, such endeavors are not 
enough to cover and continuously sustain to combat the problem of 
nutrition amongst the poor students. 


" 
It is through this situation that lead to the introduction of this 
proposed measure, which intends to address the problem by 
mandating the institutionalization of a nourishment program that will 
provide the supply of full rice meal to all public elementary students 
in the country. 
This bill likewise provides that the meal to be distributed should 
be fortified with the necessary balance and complete nutritional 
requirements to ascertain that public school children will be energized 
for an active mind and body. 
If the government is envisioning achieving a healthy and 
productive Citizenry, proper nourishments should start from the 
young age. 
I encourage my colleagues to support the immediate passage of 
this bill. 


1 
SIXTH CONGRESS OF TIiE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 2309 
Introduced by SENATOR VICENTE C, SOTTO III 
AN ACT 
.srtl(ltr 
dm.;r, of 11t.<~m't"'~ 
'14 JlIL 15 
A10 :47 
INSTITUTING 
A 
SCHOOL 
NOURISHMENT 
AND 
DIETARY 
PROGRAM TO ALL PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS 
PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFORE AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. 
Be it enacied by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
2 
SECTION 1. Title. 
This Act shall be known as the "School 
3 
Nutrition and Dietary Act of 2014". 
4 
SECTION 2. Declaration of State Policies. It is the policy of the 
5 
State to promote, foster, and protect the heath, nutrition and well-
6 
being of school children in the society. The government shall address 
7 
the perennial problems of malnutrition as well as common chronic 
8 
diseases and other diet-related health problems that affect school 
9 
children by instilling a policy that will ensure that our young students 
10 
are getting nutritious and healthy meals. 
11 
SECTION 3. Compulsory School Nourishment Program - Any 
12 
provision of law to the contrary notwithstanding, all public elementary 
13 
schools shall implement a School Nourishment Program, herein 
14 
referred to as "nourishment program" for students in the elementary 
15 
level. 
16 
The nourishment program shall institute a system of providing 
17 
a rice meal on a daily basis to all public elementary students during 
18 
school days of the entire school calendar year. A rice meal shall mean 


" 
1 
serving/s of rice and at least one (1) viand and shall have balanced 
2 
nutritional contents needed by school children such as protein, fat, 
3 
saturated fat, carbohydrate, fiber, iron, zinc, calcium, Vitamin A, 
4 
Vitamin C, folate, sodium and other nutrients as may be determined 
5 
by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute. 
6 
Sl<::CTION 4. Trainings on Food Preparations - Food caterers, 
7 
which may be commissioned in the preparation and serving of meals 
8 
in schools under this Act, shall undergo the necessary training and 
9 
strictly follow a healthy nutrition planning in order to comply with the 
10 
objectives of the nourishment program. 
11 
SECTION 5. Charity Food Contribution - Private corporations 
12 
or any other entity engaged in the food manufacturing bUSiness may 
13 
to contribute food donations to the nourishment program under this 
14 
Act by channeling the same to the Department of Education. The 
15 
donations shall be deducted from the gross income of the private 
16 
corporation or any other entity based on the rules governing income 
17 
tax: deductions for charitable contributions as provided for in the 
18 
National Internal Revenue Code, as amended. 
19 
SECTION 6. Implementing 
Agency 
The 
Department 
of 
20 
Education shall enforce the provisions of this Act, and within ninety 
21 
(90) days from its effectivity, promulgate the necessary implementing 
22 
rules and regulations. 
23 
SECTION 7. Appropriations. -An initial allocation of Twenty 
24 
Million Pesos (Il20,000,000.00) from the budget of the Department of 
25 
Education is hereby appropriated during the first year of its 
26 
implementation. Thereafter, said amount shall be included in the 
27 
Annual General Appropriations Act. 
28 
SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. 
- Any provision of law or any 
29 
other order, decree, issuance, rules and regulations which is/are 
30 
inconsistent with the provision of this act are hereby repealed, 
31 
amended or modified accordingly. 


,. , 
1 
SECTION 9. 
Separability clause. 
In the event that any 
2 
provision or part of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, the 
3 
remaining provisions shall be valid and in full force and effect. 
4 
SECTION 10. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect after fifteen 
5 
(15) days from its complete publication in the Official Gazette or in a 
6 
newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved.