Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE!
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Sixteenth Congress

2! Regular Session

House Bi. NO. 5914

Introduced by Hon, Sharon S$. Garin

EXPLANATORY NOTE,

Diet and nutrition play a ceucial role in the overall development of a child. ‘The Philippines is
ranked 9" in the world conuibuting ro the global swung burden according to the UNICEL
Moreover, the organization estimates that there are 6 million Filipino children who suffer fiom
severe malnuttition, Of all the issues of malnuceiion in the country, stunting malnutrition or being
too short for one’s age is one of the most critical and serious impediments to human development
potential, (UNICEF) Long term effects such as reduced schooling, grade failure, and lower per
capita household income in adulthood are just some of the results of malnutrition during the first

sof a child’s life

According to a number of studies prepared by economists and health professionals
climinating malnuttition in young, children has multiple benefits. (Haddad, 2013) ‘These benefits

include:

1) am increase in gross national product (GNP) by Lo,

2) prevention of more than 330 of child deaths per year,

3) increase in wages by $500"

4) empowerment of women to be Hi!" » mote likely to run their own busines

5) break inter-generational evele of poverty


The UNICEF reiterated the importance of the first 1000 days of children from conception
until 2 years of age. According to scientific literature, the right nutrition during the first 1,000 day
window can have an enormous impact on a child’s ability to grow, learn,

«| rise out of poverty

In line with this, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UNICEE are encour
mothers to do exclusive breastfeeding (feeding with no food, water, or any milk substitutes) during

ing,

the first six months of the baby’s life as this highly ensures that infants have a better chance of

survival, growth, and development, Lo this regard, maternity leaves are equally crucial in encouraging

mothers 10 do exclusive breast-feeding, In the Philippines, mothers are only given 60 days 2

months) of maternity leave after delivery

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) stated that only 56% of mothers receive assistance

fiom health professionals during. child delivery. It has also been noted that the country posed a high
maternal mortality rate of about 200 deaths per 100,000 hive births. One of the major causes of these

ization stated that in 2011, 29% of nom

deaths is anacmia among women. ‘The World Health Or
fects half

pregnant women and 38% of pregnant women aged 15-49 years old were anaemic. This
a billion women of reproductive

ge worldwide.

It is the primary responsibility of the State to ensure proper development among infants and
ant women, With all these figures

ensure proper healtheare among their mothers especially preg

being cited, a measure that seeks to augment thei nuttitional needs must be enacted,

Hence, an act which institutionalizes the promotion of exclusive breast feeding, and

counseling for all pregnant and lactating mothers on proper nutrition for their children during the

first 1,000 days of the chile?s life is hereby proposed,

For us to be able to have a physically and mentally Gt children, the approval of this measure

is highly and earnestly sought

Hon. § YS. Garin
AAMBIS;Mowa Partylise


xteenth
2" Regular

pngress

ion

Houst Bit.No. 5914

Introduced by Hon, Sharon S. Garin

AN ACT PROMOTING EXCLUSIVE BREAST FEEDING, ESTABLISHING A
REGULAR PROVISION OF VITAMIN SUPPLEMENTS, MANDATING PREGNANCY
& ANTE-NATAL COUNSELING AMONG PREGNANT AND LACTATING
MOTHERS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be af emacted by the Lasse af Represeattatines and Senate of the Philippines tu Congress

Seetion 1. Title - This \ct shall be known as the “The First 1000 Days Program."

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. It is a declared policy of the State that it shall ensure the
promotion of nutrition among its citizens especially the infants and their mothers. This Act aims to
address the issue of child stunting and undernourished mothers,

Section 3. The First 1000 Dax
ct, the “Pirst 1000 Days Pro}
and wasted children and to improve the welfare of pr

Progr:
ain” shall be ceeated, specifically ro decrease the number of stunted
nant and lactating mothers nationwide. ‘The
First 1,000 day window can have an enormous impact on a child's ability to grow, learn, and develop

Pursuant to the policies declared under Section 2 of this

their full potential.


A. The First 1,000 Days Program shall be divided into three sta;

1

B. The Components of the

Pregnaney until birth.
Pregnant mother Mothers who are
not in good health could result to premature delivery, unhealthy infants, or even death,
During the first to third trimester, supplements,
pregnant women to prevent pre-mature delivery and to ensure he

? puttition is crucial to the development of infant

nd regular check-ups shall be given to
th of both mothers

and babies, Pre-natal counseling shall also be administered by the barangay health
workers to mothers.

1 day to 6 months
During this period, exclusive breast feeding, shall be promoted as it supports: healthy
development of the brain, improves ¢

educational achievement at the a

nitive performance, and is associated with better
years old

Check-ups and provision of supplements for both mothers and infants s
free of charge in all |
mothers and their infants, Moreover, counseling, shall be done by lactation consultants
and health practitioners to lactating mothers.

be provided
rangay health centers to ensure the proper health of lactating

6 months to 2 years

Complementary feeding shall be encouraged in this period. Solid and liquid foods as
accompanied by breastieeding protect children against many forms of diseases and allow
them to develop their full potential

Counseling, provision of seminars on healthy eating and tight feeding, free supplements
for both mothers and infants, check-ups, and necessary vaccinations shall be done by the

DOH with the help of barangay health centers,

$1000 Days Program, ‘The First 1000 Days Program aims

to address the issues of undernourished kids aged 0-2 years old and unhealthy nursing
mothers nationwide through the provision of the following,

1

Nutritional Supplements. ‘The nuititional supplements shall be provided tree by the
Department of Health.

Check-ups. Regular check-ups during, and after pregnancy for the mother and child
shall be mandated and administered by the Barangay Health Centers.

Va

nations, Necessary vaccinations shall also be given to infants for free,

Counse atal_counseling shall be administered by the

Department of Health and the LGUs, ‘These shall include topics on a.) sanitation, b,)

ing. Pre-natal and Ante

nutrition, ¢) pre-natal & ante-natal car

and dl.) the importance of exclusive breast
feeding,


3. Public Information Drive, Information on nutrition, pregnaney, pre-natal & post-natal
care, breast feeding, and proper sanitation shall be disseminated in schools and through
diferent wpes of media

6. Monitoring, \ National Monitoring
overall status of infants and their mothers and to koow the success and
improvement of the program.

System shall be implemented to monitor the

sof

7. Breast Feeding Stations. Ail hospitals and workplaces nationwide shall establish
Jactation stations pursuant co R.A 10028 or “Espanded Breastieeding Promotion Act of
21109." In workpla
mothers, Moreover, human milk banks shall be established in health institutions,

. breastfeeding breaks shall be provided for working breastfeeding

Program Implementation

he DOH and NNC shall establish a framework to monitor the status of women during and.
ufver their pregnaney and the status of their children

Phe monitoring of the overall implementation of the program shall be dane by the DOH.

The DOH shall also lead the distribution of supplements, administration of check-ups and
vaccinations in the different barangays nauonwide

Section 4. The Department of Health and the National Nutrition Council as the lead
agenci The Department of Health (DOH) and the National Nutrition Council shall lead the
implementation of the program with the help of the following ayenews: Department of Sockal
Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Departmenr of Interior and Local Government (DILG),

and the local government units (GUS)

Section 5. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). ‘The DSWD in
fortherance of any of its programs shall help and coordinate in the implementation and monitoring,
of the program in all barangays nationwide

Section 6. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). ‘the DULG
through the LGUs and their respective Barangay Health Workers (BHWs), Rural Health Workers
(RHWs), and Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) shall assist the DOE in the amplementation of the

program
Section 7, Appropriation, ‘The amount necessary 10 cary out the provisions of this et sball be
included in the General Appropriations .\ct of the year af its enactment into law, ‘Thereafter, the
expenses. for iis connnued implementation shall be imeluded in the subsequent General
\pproptiaions Act

The funds shall be administered by the Departament of Health

Section. 8, Implementing Rules and Regulations. ‘The Deparment of Healthy shall promulgate

the necessary rules andl regulations implementing, the provisions of this Act, within ninety (90) days

from the effectivity of this Act. Each of the member national government agencies and



instrumentalities shall likewise promulyate the necessary internal memoranda, circulars, and other
order to institutionalize the program within their respective offices, not

determined by the DOH

later than the date to be

Section, 9. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decreed and orders or parts thereof which are contrary 10
or inconsiste

Act shall af
agencies.

with this Act are hereby repeated, amended, or modified accordingly. Nothing, in this
<i the existing milk feeding

programs being amplemented by other government

Section, 10, Effectivi This Act shall ta
publication in the Official Gazette or ins
whichever comes cartier

e effect thirty (30) days following its complete

2) newspapers of general circ

least wo

lation, or

APPROVED,