Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives ‘
Quezon City

Sixteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO._ 5434

Introduced by Honorable Rogelio J. Espina

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to establish a mother and child health care program to
protect Filipino mothers and children from malnutrition and appropriating funds
therefor

The World Health Organization of the United Nations strongly
recommends proper health care on the first 1,000 days ofa child, From the start
of pregnancy until the second year of the child is the most crucial stage of the
child’s brain formation, The right nutrition during this 1,000 days has a
profound impact on the ability of the child to grow, learn and lead a long-term
healthy and stable life

Phe 2013 national nutrition survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition
Research Institute-Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST)
shows a significant increase in cases of child malnutrition. While mortality rate
for children under five years old has declined slightly in recent years from 54
deaths per 1,000 births in 1988-1992 to 48 deaths in 1993-1997, infant
mortality rates have remained unchanged at about 35 deaths per 1,000 births.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) noted that because two-thirds
of all births are delivered at home, only 56% of mothers receive assistance
from health professionals during the delivery of their children. The Philippines
has a high maternal mortality rate of approximately 200 deaths per 100,000 live
births. According to the 2000 State of the Philippine Population Report, ten
Filipino women die every twenty-four hours from causes related to pregnancy
complications and childbirth. One of the reasons is the irregular or lack of pre-
natal check-ups.


From 2012, the Food and Nutrition Research Institute reported that 25%,
or one in every four pregnant women is undernourished. They are at risk to
deliver low birth weight babies and other negative pregnancy outcomes such as
still births, miscarriages and abortions. ‘The nutrition status of lactating mothers
are 11.9% or one in every ten lactating mothers are underweight,

During pregnancy, undernutrition can have a devastating effect on the
growth and development of a child. Babies who are malnourished in the womb
have a higher risk of dying in infancy and are more likely to face lifelong
cognitive and physical defects and chronic health problems, Children under the
age of two will have weak immune system and more susceptible to dying from
common illnesses such as pneumonia, diarrhea and malaria

This bill therefore seeks to protect the Filipino mothers and children from
malnutrition by institutionalizing a maternal and child health care program in
every local government unit. There is an imperative need to provide prenatal
and postnatal maternity care service to a pregnant woman in order to protect her
health as well as ensure the nutritional diet of her newborn child to eradicate
malnutrition

In order to have a future generation of youth who are physically and
mentally healthy, approval of this bill is highly and earnestly recommended

ROGELIO J ro

Congressman
Lone District of Biliran



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Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City

Sixteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSEBILLNO,_ 5484

Introduced by Honorable Rogelio J. Espina

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CARE
PROGRAM TO PROTECT FILIPINO MOTHERS AND CHILDREN
FROM MALNUTRITION AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1, The Department of Health (DOH) shall, in coordination
with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), develop a
comprehensive health care program for pregnant and lactating women as well
as the health and nutrition of their newborn children from day 1 to 1,000 days.

For purposes of this Act, the “1,000 days” start from day one of
pregnancy up to the age of two (2) years of the child.

SEC, 2. The matemal and child health care services which may be
provided to eligible individuals during the 1,000-day period include the
following:

a) Instruction and counselling regarding future health care for the

mother and child;


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b) Nutrition counselling;

c) Counselling and education conceming all aspects of prenatal care,
childbirth and motherhood;

d) — Milk-feeding program for pregnant and nursing mothers, including
breastfeeding for new-born children;

ce) Treating malnourished children with special and therapeutic foods;
and

p General family counselling, including child and family
development.

Pregnant women and their new-born children up to the age of two (2)
years, shall be entitled to receive maternal and child health care services
provided in this section.

SEC. 3. Appropriations - The amount necessary for the implementation
of this Act shall be charged to the current appropriations for the Department of
Health, Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for the continued
implementation of this Act shall be included in the annual General
Appropriations Act.

SEC 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations - Within ninety (90) days
from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Health shall, in coordination
with the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government and Secretary of of
Social Welfare and Development promulgate rules and regulations necessary

for the effective implementation of this Act.


SEC. 5. Repealing Clause — All laws, decrees, executive orders,

administrative orders or parts thercof inconsistent with the provisions of this

Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly
SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,