Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 3889 
Introduced by HON. JORGE DANIEL S. BOCOBO 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Bible tells us in Isaiah 58:10, “If you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the 
desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness…”     
Stunting, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), is the impaired growth and 
development that children experience from poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate 
psychosocial stimulation. It is found to be irreversible; once a child is stunted, the effects last 
a lifetime. 
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. 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.”  
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. 
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 view of the foregoing, early approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
JORGE DANIEL S. BOCOBO
August 20, 2025
1:45 pm


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 3889 
Introduced by HON. JORGE DANIEL S. BOCOBO 
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 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 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 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 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. 
 
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,