TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE​
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES  
) 
First Regular Session       
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
HOUSE BILL No. 2916 
INTRODUCED BY HON. RICARDO S. CRUZ, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
One of the critical issues identified by the Second Congressional 
Commission on Education (EDCOM II) in early care and development in the 
country is the high prevalence of stunting among Filipino children. One in four 
Filipino children under 5 years old are stunted, according to its Year 2 report.1 
While the percentage of children who are considered small for their age has 
decreased from 31.9% in 2012 to 28.8% a decade later in 2022, progress on 
addressing stunting has been dismal, with the current stunting prevalence rate 
being below the ASEAN average of 30.1%, but still higher than the global 
average of 22.3%. 
The current situation runs contrary to the clear mandates of the 1987 
Constitution for the State to "protect and promote the right to health of the 
people and instill health consciousness among them" and promote “the right of 
children to proper care and nutrition.” Indeed, as part of honoring God and 
building communities through good governance, the State must address child 
stunting not only as a moral and public health imperative, but as a foundational 
step toward genuine national transformation. Proper interventions for stunting 
lay the groundwork for a healthier, more capable population – one that can 
fully participate in nation-building. 
The urgency of this problem cannot be overstated. According to 
research, the costs of stunting, especially during the first two years of a child’s 
life, are very high.2 Apart from lifelong impacts such as weakened immune 
systems, reduced brain development, lower academic performance, poor 
self-esteem, and delayed social development,3 a high prevalence of stunted 
children erodes the human potential, productivity and economic growth of 
countries.4 
As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO),5 stunting is the 
impaired growth and development that children experience from poor nutrition, 
5 World Health Organization (WHO) definition of stunting  
4 Supra 2. 
3 Alaaraj, N., et al. (2021). Early and Long-term Consequences of Nutritional Stunting: From Childhood to Adulthood. Retrieved 
from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7975963/pdf/ACTA-92-168.pdf  
2 Kathuria, A.K. (2019). Success Stories with Reducing Stunting : Lessons for PNG. World Bank Group. Retrieved from: 
https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/809771561531103886/success-stories-with-r
educing-stunting-lessons-for-png 
1 EDCOM II (2024). Fixing the Foundations, A Matter of National Survival. Retrieved from: 
https://edcom2.gov.ph/media/2025/01/EDCOM-2-Year-2-Report-Fixing-the-Foundations-2025.pdf 
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1:45 pm


repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation. It is found to be 
irreversible; once a child is stunted, the effects last a lifetime.6  
Other countries have recognized the gravity of this issue and have taken 
decisive actions to combat stunting. For example, Singapore, where the 
stunting prevalence is only 3%, implements a comprehensive ‘foundation of 
support’ for early childhood care and development, specifically targeting 
children from low-income families from pregnancy to age three.7 Thailand, with 
11.8% stunting prevalence, adopted a multi-sectoral approach that was rapidly 
scaled up to reach vulnerable populations nationwide.8 Meanwhile, the 
Philippines continues to grapple with nutrition challenges due to lack of 
program convergence and targeting mechanism for nutritionally at-risk 
children, fragmented governance, and insufficient investment in childhood care 
and development, particularly during the critical first years of life.9 To date, 
millions of Filipino children remain chronically malnourished. 
However, all is not lost, and we can still save our children, and a child 
named Florencio is a testament to this. Florencio was born to a family of five 
children being raised by a father who works in construction taking home a 
meager Php 280 a day. Like many impoverished families, Florencio’s parents 
thought that Florencio’s small and thin frame was normal. But alas, when 
Florencio developed a persistent cough and fever, he was diagnosed with 
severe malnutrition. Fortunately, targeted intervention and provision of 
therapeutic food allowed the small, malnourished child to make a full recovery 
and regain a healthy nutritional status.  
The proposed Anti-Stunting Action Plan (ASAP) Council Act of 2025 
aims to immediately halt, then eventually reverse the effects of this stunting 
crisis by institutionalizing a comprehensive, whole-of-government and 
whole-of-society strategy that translates to concrete, coordinated, and 
operational programs and plans. Central to this initiative is the creation of the 
ASAP Council, a high-level body empowered to design, implement, and 
coordinate policies and programs targeting the root causes of stunting. It aims 
to link the ASAP with existing social protection programs, like the Pantawid 
Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), by integrating more focused nutritional 
screening and early interventions, making 4Ps a strategic platform for 
detecting and addressing stunting at an early age. 
Key aims of this measure include (1) introduction of a framework to have 
regular monitoring and evaluation of anti-stunting policies, programs, and 
interventions and recommend adjustments based on evidence and emerging 
trends and needs of the nutrition sector; (2) development of recommendations 
on the minimum standards, financing requirements, and guidelines to govern 
existing programs and policies and those that may be formulated by the 
relevant government agencies and sectors; and (3) provision for the 
establishment of the ASAP Centralized Database System, managed by 
DOST-FNRI, to consolidate and track stunting data, supporting coordinated 
interventions across government agencies. 
9 Supra 1. 
8 Supra 4. 
7 National Center on Education and the Economy (2023). Top-Performing Countries: Singapore. Retrieved from: 
https://ncee.org/singapore/ 
6  Supra 3. 
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If we continue to leave the problem of stunting unaddressed, we will 
sustain and prolong the cycle of poverty and inequality, placing what will 
eventually be an insurmountable burden on the nation's future. Therefore, this 
national emergency must be addressed ASAP.  
This measure envisions a future where all Filipino children have equal 
opportunities to grow, learn, and thrive — fulfilling their potential and 
contributing to a stronger, healthier, and more progressive nation.  
 
​
In line with the policy adopted by its original proponent Senator Alan 
Peter “Compañero” S. Cayetano, this bill therefore serves as a counterpart 
measure. It is for the reason stated above that the passage of this measure is 
earnestly sought. 
 
 
 
                      RICARDO S. CRUZ, JR.  
 
 
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TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE​
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES  
) 
First Regular Session       
) 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
HOUSE BILL No. 2916 
INTRODUCED BY HON. RICARDO S. CRUZ, JR. 
AN ACT  
ESTABLISHING THE ANTI-STUNTING ACTION PLAN (ASAP) 
COUNCIL IN THE PHILIPPINES, DEFINING ITS POWERS AND 
FUNCTIONS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES  
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
Sec. 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Anti-Stunting Action Plan 
(ASAP) Council Act of 2025.” 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. – It is the declared policy of the State to 
protect and promote the right to health of the people and adopt an integrated 
and comprehensive approach to health development. The State shall make 
health a critical component of sustainable development and fulfillment of 
human rights. It shall prioritize the well-being of the children and promote their 
rights to proper care and nutrition, in recognition of their vital role in 
nation-building and human capital development.  
Towards this end, the State shall formulate, strengthen, and implement a 
national framework for policies and programs targeted to reduce and prevent 
stunting in the country, prioritizing nutritionally vulnerable groups and 
communities in high-poverty areas. It shall ensure the integration and 
operationalization of multi-sectoral anti-stunting programs to accelerate health 
and 
nutrition 
progress 
through 
effective 
coordination 
mechanisms, 
intersectoral policy coherence, high-impact interventions, capacity building, 
and centralized data and monitoring systems.  
Sec. 3. Objectives. – The objectives of this Act are as follows: 
(a) Institutionalize a strategic national action plan and roadmap in
stunting reduction and prevention with a view of adopting a
long-term vision and identifying specific and targeted health and
nutrition interventions to address stunting in the country;
(b) Establish a high-level and independent institution that shall have
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the mandate and the authority to integrate health and nutrition 
programs on reducing and preventing stunting; and  
(c)​Improve and strengthen health and nutrition governance using a 
whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to translate 
high-level vision to multi-sectoral policy framework and operational 
plans, eliminate fragmentation of policies, and ensure accountability 
and transparency of health and nutrition programs addressed to 
reduce and prevent stunting in the country.  
 
Sec. 4. Establishment of the Anti-Stunting Action Plan Council of the 
Philippines; Mandate. – The Anti-Stunting Action Plan Council, hereinafter 
referred to as the ASAP Council, is hereby established, to be organized upon 
the effectivity of this Act. The ASAP Council shall be the lead agency to 
oversee the formulation and implementation of the national stunting reduction 
and prevention plan. 
 
The ASAP Council shall be attached to the Office of the President.  
 
Sec. 5. Composition of the ASAP Council; Appointment of Office. – The 
ASAP Council shall be composed of the Secretary of the Department of Health 
(DOH) as Chairperson; the Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and 
Development (DSWD) as Co-Chairperson; and the following as members: 
(a)​Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government 
(DILG);  
(b)​Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA); 
(c)​Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd); 
(d)​Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST);  
(e)​Secretary 
of 
the 
Department 
of Economy, Planning and 
Development (DEPD); 
(f)​ Executive Director of the Early Childhood Care and Development 
(ECCD) Council;  
(g)​Executive Director of the Council for the Welfare of Children 
(CWC); and 
(h)​Two (2) representatives from non-governmental organizations 
(NGOs) engaged in maternal and child care and development and 
maternal and child health and nutrition, with a proven record of 
involvement in the prevention and reduction of stunting and 
malnutrition. These representatives shall be nominated by the 
government agency representatives of the ASAP Council, for 
appointment by the President for a term of three (3) years. 
 
The members of the ASAP Council may designate their permanent 
representatives who shall have a rank not lower than an assistant secretary or 
its equivalent to meetings, and shall receive emoluments as may be 
determined by the ASAP Council in accordance with existing budget and 
accounting rules and regulations. 
 
Sec. 6. ASAP Secretariat. – A Technical Secretariat shall be established 
under the control and supervision of the ASAP Council. It shall be headed by 
an Executive Director who shall be nominated by the ASAP Council and 
appointed by the President of the Philippines. It shall provide the ASAP 
Council with technical and administrative support. 
The Executive Director shall have at least ten (10) years of experience 
 
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and practice in the field of health and nutrition. He or she shall work full-time 
and shall have the rank, privileges, and emoluments of an Executive Director 
IV (Salary Grade 29).  
 
Sec. 7. Powers and Functions. – The ASAP Council shall have the 
following powers and functions: 
(a)​Develop and formulate a comprehensive and strategic national 
vision, action plan, and roadmap for stunting reduction and 
prevention, including but not limited to short-term and long-term 
goals, timelines, performance indicators, and specific and effective 
implementation strategies across all relevant sectors and agencies; 
(b)​Oversee, monitor, and conduct consultations with stakeholders and 
concerned government agencies on health and nutrition policies, 
programs, and interventions for stunting reduction and prevention; 
(c)​ Recommend the improvement and harmonization of anti-stunting 
policies across various agencies and sectors, and facilitate the 
integration of multi-sectoral anti-stunting programs to ensure 
program and policy coherence and effective implementation of 
stunting reduction and prevention efforts, such as food security, 
maternal and child health, water and sanitation, and education; 
(d)​Establish 
and 
maintain 
a 
centralized, 
interoperable, 
and 
comprehensive database system on stunting prevalence and its 
causes and interventions. The database shall be accessible to 
relevant government agencies, local government units (LGUs), and 
other stakeholders to show indicators and important data on 
stunting, track progress, and monitor implementation with a view of 
arriving at and implementing evidence-based and targeted 
solutions; 
(e)​Communicate, whenever it deems necessary, the country’s national 
action plan and roadmap, including policies, programs, and 
interventions, for stunting reduction and prevention to both local 
and international communities, including public reporting of the 
Anti-Stunting Action Plan; 
(f)​ Conduct regular monitoring and evaluation of policies, programs, 
and interventions and recommend adjustments based on evidence 
and emerging trends and needs of the nutrition sector;  
(g)​Issue advisory opinions and guidelines on anti-stunting matters and 
submit annual and special progress reports, including plans and 
targets, and policy, financing, and legislative recommendations, to 
the President of the Philippines, the President of the Senate, and 
the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 
(h)​Formulate the necessary rules and guidelines for the effective 
implementation of this Act; and 
(i)​ Perform such other duties and functions as may be assigned by the 
President of the Philippines to ensure the effective implementation 
of stunting reduction and prevention policies and programs. 
The ASAP Council shall serve as the primary government agency to 
oversee the enforcement and administration of anti-stunting policies and 
programs. All relevant government agencies and regulators shall comply with 
its policy directions and recommendations, subject to prior consultation.  
Sec. 8. The Anti-Stunting Action Plan, Roadmap and Programs. – The 
Anti-Stunting Action Plan (ASAP) to be formulated shall establish the country’s 
 
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strategic vision for stunting reduction and prevention, and shall include 
long-term and medium-term goals, plans, priorities, strategies for coordinated 
and coherent implementation, and recommendations on corresponding 
programs and interventions promulgated and implemented by relevant 
government agencies.  
The ASAP shall provide a roadmap for improving health and nutrition 
governance through well-defined coordination and alignment of stunting 
prevention policies and programs across all sectors and stakeholders. It shall 
also identify areas of focus and strategies to strengthen and stimulate the role 
of government agencies and LGUs in achieving its vision of reducing and 
preventing stunting using a whole-of-government and whole-of-society 
approach.  
The ASAP shall be formulated by the ASAP Council, in consultation with 
other relevant government agencies, LGUs, and other experts and 
stakeholders, 
taking 
into 
consideration 
global 
best 
practices 
and 
evidence-based solutions. It shall be completed within six (6) months from the 
effectivity of this Act. 
Upon completion of the ASAP, all concerned government agencies shall 
strictly comply therewith and incorporate its pertinent policies in their 
respective programs, activities, and projects. 
Sec. 
9. 
Whole-of-Government 
and 
Whole-of-Society 
Approach; 
Monitoring and Updating of Anti-Stunting Policies and Recommendations. – 
For the effective implementation of this Act, a whole-of-government and 
whole-of-society approach shall be adopted. The ASAP Council shall ensure 
inter-agency coordination and integration of the policies and programs among 
relevant national government agencies and LGUs as provided in their 
respective charters and mandates.  
For this purpose, the ASAP Council shall continuously monitor and 
regularly update, as may be necessary, the following programs and provide 
recommendations for their effective implementation: 
(a)​The National Nutrition Council’s (NNC) Feeding Program for the 
First 1,000 Days (F1KD); 
(b)​The Department of Health’s (DOH) Disease Prevention and Control 
Bureau (DPCB) Interventions for F1KD; 
(c)​The Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) 
Supplemental Feeding and Pantawid Programs; 
(d)​The Department of Education’s (DepEd) School-Based Feeding 
Program; and 
(e)​Such other anti-stunting-related programs, activities, and projects 
implemented by relevant government agencies.  
 
The ASAP Council shall likewise recommend minimum standards, 
financing requirements, reporting and accountability structures, and guidelines 
to govern programs and policies that are existing and may hereinafter be 
formulated by the relevant government agencies and sectors, such as but not 
limited to: 
(a)​Proactive identification and monitoring of children facing severe 
stunting, extensive information dissemination through educational 
campaigns, establishment of local innovative measures to ensure 
 
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access to nutritious food in the community, and improvement of the 
overall nutrition of pregnant mothers and children 0-5 years old; 
(b)​Technical assistance and training for LGUs to promote food 
diversification and development of sustainable local food sources 
that meet family nutrition needs; 
(c)​Allocation of a minimum budget for a comprehensive anti-stunting 
intervention packages; 
(d)​Expansion of the coverage and increase of cash grants under the 
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and other similar 
programs, in line with R.A. No. 11310 and other related laws, to 
address malnutrition and stunting; 
(e)​Mandatory health check-ups for 4Ps child beneficiaries aged 0 to 5 
years old, every six months, as a conditionality aligned with the 
Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program, to allow for regular 
monitoring of nutritional status and prompt intervention to prevent or 
address stunting; 
(f)​ Access to enhanced livelihood support and other appropriate 
programs offered by government agencies or accredited private 
institutions; and  
(g)​Integrated livelihood and anti-stunting strategies. 
 
Sec. 10. Private Sector Participation. — The private sector shall be 
highly encouraged to partner with the government to finance and implement 
anti-stunting programs and projects. Government agencies tasked with 
implementing these programs shall be authorized to accredit development 
partners, which may accept donations, aids, or grants, in cash or in kind, from 
duly accredited sources, to meet the demands and uphold the basic rights of 
the poor to adequate and nutritious food and the highest attainable standard of 
health. The acceptance and utilization of such donations, aid, or grants shall 
be conducted with full transparency and comply with applicable government 
regulations. 
 
Sec. 11. ASAP Centralized Database System. – The Department of 
Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), 
in coordination with the Philippine Statistics Authority, is hereby mandated to 
develop and manage a nationwide database on stunting in the country, to 
ensure that an evidence-based, effective, and efficient formulation of ASAP is 
achieved. It shall provide a website portal and digital tools to track and 
consolidate all relevant statistics and information on stunting and program 
implementation of all concerned agencies. It shall likewise coordinate with 
other government agencies whose mandates include the conduct of 
community mapping programs relevant to health and nutrition, such as the 
DILG, DOH, and the DSWD, to support stunting reduction and prevention 
interventions.  
 
Sec. 12. Annual Report. – The ASAP Council shall submit annual 
progress reports to the President and Congress on or before the last day of 
September to provide an assessment of the ASAP Council’s implementation of 
the national action plan and provide strategic recommendations to address 
implementation gaps. The report shall also be made available to the public 
through the database system portal to be created by the DOST-FNRI in 
accordance with the provisions of this Act. 
 
 
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Sec. 13. Appropriations. – The amount necessary for the initial 
implementation of this Act shall be sourced from the current appropriations of 
the Office of the President. Thereafter, the amount necessary for the 
continuous implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act (GAA). 
 
The funding for the anti-stunting programs and projects implemented 
under this Act shall be sourced from the existing appropriations as authorized 
under the GAA of the different departments and agencies implementing these 
programs. 
 
Sec. 14. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – Within ninety (90) days 
from approval of this Act, the ASAP Council, in consultation with relevant 
stakeholders, shall formulate and promulgate the necessary rules and 
regulations for its effective implementation: Provided, That, the Council may 
revise such implementing rules and regulations as it deems necessary: 
Provided, however, That such revised implementing rules and regulations shall 
only take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in two (2) newspapers 
of general circulation.  
 
Sec. 15. Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, presidential 
decrees, administrative orders, rules and regulations, issuances, or parts 
thereof inconsistent with any provision of this Act are hereby repealed or 
amended accordingly. 
 
Sec. 16. Separability Clause.— If any provision or part of this Act is 
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining parts not affected shall 
remain in full force and effect. 
 
Sec. 17. Effectivity.—This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national newspapers of 
general circulation, whichever comes earlier.  
 
Approved, 
 
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