FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 15 provides: 
The State shall protect and promote the right to health 
of the people and instill health consciousness among them. 
The public is increasingly exhibiting interest in reliable information concerning 
nutrition and the relationship of nutrition to human health, and are making personal 
nutrition choices based on such information. Unfortunately, they often receive conflicting 
and confusing messages about nutrition and the relationship of nutrition to health. 
The country's information base concerning nutrition and health is fragmentary, 
often difficult to identify and includes significant gaps in knowledge concerning the 
relationship between nutrition and the occurrence of certain diseases and adverse 
conditions. 
Hence, this bill seeks to establish within the Department of Health a permanent 
council on nutrition and health, whose main task will be to identify and disseminate 
sound information on the relationship between nutrition and health and the gaps in 
knowledge that require research and attention. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE RF,PUBLIC ) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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8 JAN 29 Y.3 : ,?, 
First Regular Session 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
AN ACT 
TO ESTABLISH WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH A PERMANENT 
COUNCIL ON NUTRITION AND HEALTH 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Nutrition and Health 
Act of 2008.” 
SECTION 2. Purpose. - The purpose of this Act is to establish within the 
Department of Health a Council on Nutrition and Health that will assemble the existing 
information on the relationship between nutrition and human health, monitor the progress 
of ongoing research, identify the aspects of the relationship between nutrition and health 
that require additional research, maintain the base of information in an understandable 
and retrievable fashion, and serve as a clearinghouse for information on the relationship 
between nutrition and human health. 
SECTION 3. Definitions. -As used in this Act - 
(A) The term “Council” means the Council on Nutrition and Health, as 
established in Section 4(1). 
(B) The term “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Department of Health. 
SECTION 4. Establishment and Staffing of the Council on Nutrition. - 
(A) ESTABLISHMENT- There is established within the Department of Health 
the Council on Nutrition and Health. 
(B) MEMBERSHIP - 
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(1) APPOINTMENT - The Council shall consist of nine (9) voting 
members, all of whom shall he appointed by the President. 
(2) ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP - The members of the Council 
shall be chosen from among individuals who are knowledgeable in the fields of 
health, human nutrition, food production and distribution, and agriculture. Such 
members shall be selected on the basis of an established record of distinguished 
service in the areas of expertise of such individuals. 
(3) EX OFFICIO MEMBERS - The Secretary and the Secretary of 
Agriculture shall be ex officio members of the Council. 
(C) TERM OF OFFICE- 
(1) IN GENE?RAG Each member of the Council shall be appointed for a 
term of three (3) years, except that members appointed to the initial Council shall 
serve, proportionately, for terns of one (l), two (2), or three (3) years, as 
determined by the Secretary at the time of appointment. 
(2) VACANCY- 
A member of the Council who is appointed to fill a 
vacancy in the Council occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the 
predecessor of such member was appointed, shall be appointed by the same 
individual who appointed such predecessor pursuant to subsection (2)(a) for the 
remainder of such term. 
(3) EXPIRATION OF TERM-- 
A member of the Council may serve after 
the expiration of the term of office of such member until the successor for such 
member has taken office. 
(4) ELIGIBILITY FOR SUCCESSIVE TERMS- 
A member of the 
Council shall he eligible to serve successive terms of office. 
(D) LEADERSHIP OF COUNCIL - 
(1) SELECTION - A Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson of the Council 
shall be selected by the President from among the members of the Council. 
(2) TERM OF OFFICE- 
The Chairperson and Vice Chairperson of the 
Council, as referred to in paragraph (a), shall serve for terms of three (3) years. 
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(E) MEETINGS OF COUNCIL - 
(1) FREQUENCY OF MEETINGS - The Chairperson of the Council, as 
referred to in subsection (4), shall convene a meeting of the Council not less that 
once during each three-month period. 
(2) QUORUM- 
At a properly convened meeting of the council, the 
presence of five (5) Council members shall constitute a quorum. 
(F) COMPENSATION- A member of the Council shall be paid or reimbursed 
for travel to and from the place of service of such member and for other expenses 
associated with the responsibilities as a member of the Council. 
(G) STAFF- 
the staff of the Council shall be permanent employees of the 
Department of Health of such rank, grade, and function as considered to be appropriate 
by the Secretary. 
SECTION 5. Responsibilities of the Council, - 
(A) IN GENERAL- The Council shall- 
(1) assemble the existing information on the relationship between nutrition 
and health; 
(2) identify and collect the ongoing research within the various national 
and local governmental agencies, the private sector in the country, and in foreign 
countries; 
(3) identify the aspects of the relationship between nutrition and health 
that require additional research; 
(4) monitor ongoing research into the role of nutrition in health, 
including- 
(a) methods by which the nutritional value of domestically 
produced food products may be improved; 
(b) the relationship between consumption of specific foods and 
nutrients and the incidence and treatment of specific diseases and 
conditions; and 
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(c) the optimal level of foods and nutrients that are appropriate 
under various health conditions to maximize specific human capabilities; 
(5) monitor the progress of nutrition' education efforts among the health 
profession, other segments of the society, and the general public; and maintain an 
understandable and retrievable database of existing scientific information on the 
relationship of nutrition and health and serve as a clearinghouse for such 
information. 
(B) RULES AND REGULATIONS - The Council is authorized to adopt such 
rules and regulations as may be necessary to carry out this Act. 
SECTION 6. Responsibility of Other Agencies to Cooperate with the Council. - 
Each agency and private entity that is performing nutrition research that is completely or 
partially funded by appropriated funds shall cooperate with the Council by informing the 
Council of the research of such agency or entity, and by filing a copy of the final report 
of the product of such research with the Council. 
SECTION 7. Treatment of Information on File. - Submission of information or 
data on the relationship between nutrition and health to the Council shall not affect 
statutory law trademark status, copyright or patent rights. 
SECTlON 8. Reports. - 
(A) IN GENERAL - Not later than December 31 of each year, the Council shall 
submit a report to the Secretary on the progress of its work and any areas of suggested 
research into the relationship between nutrition and Health. 
(B) DISTRIBUTION- 
Following the receipt by the Secretary of the annual 
report of the Council under subsection (I), the Secretary shall immediately distribute such 
report, along with recommendations of the Secretary regarding such report, to the 
President, the Secretary regarding such report, to the President, the Secretary of 
Agriculture, and the appropriate authorizing and appropriating committees of the 
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Congress as well as to such agencies and departments as the Secretary considers 
appropriate. 
SECTION 9. Authorization of Appropriations. - There are authorized to be 
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this Act. 
SECTION 10. Separubility Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act or the provision not otherwise 
affected shall remain valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary t 0, 
or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
accordingly, 
SECTION 12. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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