TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S. No. 902
of fllf '■ --'f
25 AUG-5 P2:10
RECEIVED BV
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
EXPANDING THE COVERAGE OF THE NATIONAL FEEDING PROGRAM TO 
INCLUDE SECONDARY SCHOOLS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC 
ACT NO. 11037 OR THE "MASUSTANSYANG PAGKAIN PARA SA BATANG 
PILIPINO ACT"
EXPLANATORY NOTE
A World Bank report found that childhood undernutrition could lead to a 
staggering loss of our country's human and economic potential, as such, eliminating 
malnutrition could improve a child's development and future employability, 
and increase our country's GDP by a significant amount. It stresses further that 
investments in nutrition are highly cost-effective.1
To respond to this concern. Republic Act No. 11037, otherwise known as the 
"Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act" was signed into law on June 20, 
2018 to institutionalize the National Feeding Program for undernourished children in 
public day care, kindergarten and elementary schools.
The latest Expanded National Nutrition Survey of the Food and Nutrition 
Research Institute has found that adolescents (aged 10 to 19 years old) from rural 
areas and those from the poorest households showed higher prevalence of stunting
1 Mbuya, N. V. N., Demombynes, G., Piza, S. F. A., and Adona, A. J. V. (2021) "Undernutrition in the 
Philippines: Scale, Scope, and Opportunities for Nutrition Policy and Programming." World Bank Group.


compared to their counterparts in urban areas and richer househoids2. Adoiescence is 
a pivotai time in a person's iife, particuiariy in terms of growth and deveiopment. 
Proper nutrition undeniabiy piays a key roie in this, especialiy with regard to a student's 
concentration, cognitive functions, and overaii academic performance. As such, the 
provision of fortified meais to students, replete with essential nutrients is important.
Unfortunately, this is not readily available to all students, particularly those from 
households in the lowest quantiles who may have limited access to adequate 
nutritional meals at home.
This bill seeks to expand the coverage of the National Feeding Program to 
include children in secondary schools as beneficiaries. It seeks to effectively address 
undernutrition that hampers a learner's ability to perform well in class-affecting their 
thinking skills, behavior, and overall health. By providing adequate food and nutrition 
to learners in basic education - both in elementary and high school levels, we will 
have healthier students who will have fewer absences and improved learning behavior, 
yielding in better and optimized learning in class.
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
EJERCITO ESTRADA
2 Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutrition Research Institute. "Philippine Nutrition 
Facts and Figures 2018 - 2019: Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS)". May 2022.


TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
S. No
)
SENATE
902
gsrlii'..-
';3 .S'- 
-...’’
25 RliG "5 P2--10
RECEiVED BY..
Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada
AN ACT
EXPANDING THE COVERAGE OF THE NATIONAL FEEDING PROGRAM TO 
INCLUDE SECONDARY SCHOOLS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC 
ACT NO. 11037 OR THE "MASUSTANSYANG PAGKAIN PARA SA BATANG 
PILIPINO ACT"
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Section 4 (b) of Republic Act No. 11037 otherwise known as the
2 
"Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act" is hereby amended to read as
3 
follows:
4 
"Section 4. (b) School-Based Feeding Program. - The
5 
DepEd shall implement a school-based feeding program for
6 
undernourished public school children from kindergarten to
7 
[grade six (6)] HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL: Provided, That the
8 
Program shall include the provision of at least one (1) fortified
9 
meal to all undernourished public KINDERGARTEN,
10 
elementary, AND SECONDARY school children for a period
11 
of not less than one hundred twenty (120) days in a year[t]:
12 
PROVIDED, FURTHER, THAT THE COST OF THE
13 
AFOREMENTIONED MEALS SHALL ENSURE THAT
14 
SCHOOL CHILDREN RECEIVE THE APPROPRIATE
15 
AMOUNT OF NUTRITION, WHICH MAY BE ADJUSTED
16 
EVERY YEAR TO ACCOUNT FOR INFLATION AND FOR


1 
NUTRITIONAL ADJUSTMENTS AS RECOMMENDED BY
2 
FNRI: PROVIDED, FURTHERMORE, THAT FOR EACH
3 
SCHOOL DIVISION OF DEPED, MEAL DISTRIBUTION
4 
AND OTHER OVERHEAD COSTS OF THE PROGRAM
5 
SHALL NOT BE MORE THAN TEN PERCENT (10%) OF
6 
THE TOTAL M EAL COST: PROVIDED, FIN ALL Y, THAT IN
7 
THE PREPARATION OF FORTIFIED MEALS, THE DEPED
8 
SHALL COLLABORATE WITH RECOGNIZED PARENTS'
9 
ORGANIZATIONS, AS WELL AS THE PARENTS OF THE
10 
BENECIFICARIES OF THE PROGRAM, WHENEVER
11 
APPLICABLE;
12 
"X X X."
13 
Sec. 2. Separability Clause. - Should any provision herein be declared
14 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected shall remain in full force and effect.
15 
Sec. 3. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or
16 
other issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
17 
repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
18 
Sec. 4. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
19 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,