FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
It is indisputable that the country’s economic productivity is considerably affected by the 
health status of its labor force. In the same vein, the learning capacities of students including 
their acquisition of knowledge and skills that are essential in the production of goods and 
services are likewise greatly influenced by the health condition of the learners. Thus, the 
Constitution under section 15 of Article I1 mandates the State “to protect and promote the right to 
health of the people and instill health consciousness among them.” The injunction aims to 
develop an integrated, responsive and efficacious health care system that can enhance national 
development. 
It is urgent that health consciousness be instilled among Filipinos. Needless to stress, the 
school plays a vital role in making the people aware of the importance of health care. Toward 
this end, government commits to “fully integrate our health care system with the school system, 
with preventive health care, personal hygiene, and nutrition educatioii being pursued as active 
programs in basic education.” To make this possible, this bill seeks to modernize and upgrade 
the School Health and Nutrition Program ( S H ” )  of the Department of Education, which is 
designed to promote, protect and maintain the health and nutritional well-being of the various 
sectors of elementary and secondary educational institutions, to maximize its contribution to 
quality basic education. 
This is a Senate counterpart bill to one filed in the House of Representatives by Rep. 
Edcel C. Lagman. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE MODERNIZATION OF THE SCHOOL HEALTH AND NUTRITION 
PROGRAM (SHNP) OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, CULTURE AND SPORTS, 
AND AUTHORIZING THE APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS THEREFOR 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assem bled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall he known as the "School Health and Nutrition 
Modernization Act of 2008." 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
promote, maintain and protect the health and nutritional well-being of the school population 
through the delivery of preventive health care to the students, teachers and school administrators 
in the elementary and high school levels and to the non-teaching personnel. Toward this end, the 
School Health and Nutrition Program of the Department of Education, shall be modernized and 
upgraded to ensure the attainment of a health status that can enhance the active learning 
capacities of the children and for the teachers and other personnel to function more effectively, 
thus, enabling the achievement of the goals of quality basic education. 
It is likewise declared the policy of the State to pursue the modernization program under 
this Act through: 
(A)The development of an efficient and effective health care delivery system in the 
schools; 
(B) The development, evaluation and application of appropriate methods and procedures 
in preventive health care; 
(C) The development of reforms in the management of human and material resources; 
and 
(D) The acquisition and upgrading of appropriate equipment and technology. 
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. -For the purposes of this Act, the term: 
(A) “Department” means the Department of Education. 
(B) “School Health and Nutrition Program” ( S H N P )  means a comprehensive education 
and service package, delivered to the schools, eventually to the homes and communities, in order 
to improve the health and nutritional status of the total school population, with the elementary 
grades children as its priority group. 
(C) “Public Health” means the science and the art of preventing disease, prolonging life, 
and promoting physical and mental health and efficiency through organized community ef€orts. 
(D) “Preventive Health Care” means the systematic organization of all the personal 
services necessary to prevent disease and attain the highest level of health. 
(E) “Health and Nutrition Center” means the agency that takes charge of the overall 
management of the integrated SHNP. 
(F) “Basic Education” means the six years elementary and four years secondary 
education. Basic education is that which brings the child to a point where he can be an 
autonomous learner, one who is self-reliant and creative. 
(G) “Health Education” means the teaching and counseling on healthy living, including 
hygiene, nutrition, sex education, alcohol and drug abuse, smoking and other threats to health. 
(H) “Quality Education” means the appropriateness, relevance and excellence of the 
education given to the individual in meeting hisher needs and aspirations and those of society. 
SECTION 4. Objectives ofthe SHNP. - The SHNP modernization shall be implemented 
in accordance with the following objectives: 
(A)To provide a comprehensive preventive health care to school children and teachers in 
the elementary and secondary levels of education and to the non-teaching personnel of the 
Department; 
(B) To inculcate health and nutrition values and behavior and encourage healthy lifestyles 
among the school populace; 
(C) To encourage parents to provide their children with proper health care and to perform 
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effective parenting to prevent drug abuse; 
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(D) To develop effective linkages between the school and community for better school 
health; 
(E) To strengthen the Health and Nutrition Center in the management of the Program; 
and 
(F) To establish and maintain adequate health and sanitation facilities like school clinics, 
canteens, water supply, sanitary toilets and garbage disposal in the schools. 
SECTION 5. Components of the SHNP Modernization. - The modernization program 
shall consist of the following components: 
(A) Organizational Development. - To carry out effectively their functions, it i s  
necessary to restructure, expand and upgrade the staff and personnel of the Regional Health and 
Nutrition Units and the Division Health and Nutrition Sections including the creation of nurse 
supervisor positions to oversee nursing care of the school children: Provided, That in the 
upgrading of plantilla positions, the compensation and benefits shall he at par with those of 
health and nutrition personnel in other government agencies in accordance with existing laws, 
rules and regulations. 
(B) Human Resources Development. - This component pertains to programs and 
educational activities of health and nutrition personnel to enhance their skills and competencies 
through workshops, conferences and in-service trainings relative to the delivery of health care, 
and on mobilization as well as administrative responsibilities. 
A continuing health resource development program shall he implemented. 
(C) Infrastructure Development. - This component consists of the construction of 
physical plants and facilities such as sanitary toilets, facilities for washing hands, water system, 
school clinics and feeding centershanteens in the public elementary schools to ensure health and 
nutritional needs in public elementary schools including suitable sites for the Alay-Tanim Tree 
Planting program. 
(D) Information and Systems Organization. - This component consists of the acquisition 
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and development of an extensive computer network for health and nutrition care; the upgrading 
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of methods and procedures in preventive health care; monitoring and evaluation; and research in 
support of the total program. 
The Department Secretary in coordination with the Secretary of Health shall formulate 
guidelines to implement this section in accordance with the objectives of the modernization 
program enumerated in the preceding section. 
SECTION 6. Priority Programs for SHNP Modernization. - For a more effective 
implementation of the objectives of the SHNP and consistent with the mandate of the 
Constitution relative to health care, the following prograndactivities shall be given priority 
consideration: 
(A)Recruitment of school health and nutrition personnel to attain the ratio of one (1) 
personnel to two thousand (2,000) pupildteachers over a five (5) year period; 
(B)Upgrading of the salary of health and nutrition personnel to be at par With 
counterparts in other Departments and full implementation of the benefits of the Magna Carta for 
Public Health Workers; 
(C) Provision of equipment, medical and dental supplies and medicines; 
(D)Health examination of all Grade 1 entrants and provision of supplementary feeding 
(breakfast andlor milk) to Grade 1 pupils and nutritionally deprived school children; 
SECTION 7. Period of Implementation. - The Modernization Program under this Act 
shall be implemented over a period of five ( 5 )  years %om the year this Act is promulgated. 
SECTION 8. Appropriations. - To effectively carry out the objectives of this Act, the 
initial amount of Two Hundred Million Pesos (P200,000,000.00) is hereby authorized to be 
appropriated out of any funds in the National Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and from the 
funds of the Bases Conversion and Development Authority. Thereafter, such funds as are 
necessary shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If any part hereof, is held invalid or unconstitutional, 
the remainder of the provision not otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days aRer its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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