Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

aie 5
House Bill No. 5275

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
CREATING THE POSITION OF BARANGAY NUTRITION WORKER IN EVERY
BARANGAY PROVIDING INCENTIVES THERETO, APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE
NO.1569

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Presidential Decree 1569 was enacted to strengthen the Barangay
Nutrition Program by providing one Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS) for every
barangay. Said scholar will be a barangay-based volunteer worker who will
deliver basic nutrition and related health services, and bridge communities with
nutrition and related service providers.

The Barangay Nutrition Program is being implemented to address the
problem of malnutrition which afflicts vulnerable groups particularly preschool,
school children, pregnant women and lactating mothers and other contributory
factors which affect the health and nutrition condition of the community as a
whole. In general, the program aims to reduce the frequency of malnutrition
among moderately and severely affected preschoolers and school children

Due to the magnitude of the country's malnutrition problem, it urgently
needs greater involvement and participation of the people at the grassroots level

This bill, therefore, provides for the creation of one mandatory position of
Barangay Nutrition Worker (BNW) in every barangay to address this basic


concern of the community. This will be in lieu of the BNS which PD 1569
originally mandated. It also seeks to professionalize the position of BNW by

requiring concerned applicants to be at least a high school graduate, amongst
the many qualifications set forth in the original law.

Due to the urgency of this proposed measure, its approval is most
earnestly requested

DIOSDADO doth. ARROYO GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO
Second District, Camarines Sur Second District, Pampanga

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House BilfNo,__ 5275

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
CREATING THE POSITION OF BARANGAY NUTRITION WORKER IN EVERY
BARANGAY PROVIDING INCENTIVES THERETO, APPROPRIATING FUNDS
THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THiE PURPOSE PRESIDENTIAL DECREE
NO.1569

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

SECTION 1. Presidential Decree numbered Fifteen Hundred Sixty-Nine
(P.D. No. 1569) entitled "Strengthening the Barangay Nutrition Program by
providing for a Nutrition Scholar in Every Barangay," is hereby amended to read
as follows
SECTION 1. BARANGAY NUTRITION PROGRAM. To strengthen
the Barangay Nutrition Program, there shall be CREATED under the
administration and SUPERVISION of the NATIONAL NUTRITION
COUNCIL IN COORDINATION WITH THE CITY or MUNICIPALITY and
the BARANGAY, ONE (1) MANDATORY POSITION OF BARANGAY
NUTRITION WORKER IN EVERY BARANGA Y WITH A MONTHLY
ALLOWANCE OF NOT LESS THAN FIVE THOUSAND PESOS
(P5,000.00).

SECTION 2. BARANGAY NUTRITION WORKER. The Barangay
Nutrition Worker shall be APPOINTED BY THE MAYOR WITH THE
CONCURRENCE OF THE MAJORITY OF AL!. SANGGUNIANG BAYAN
OR THE SANGGUNIANG Panlunsod MEMBERS, THE SANGGUNIANG
BARANGAY CONCERNED AND UPON THE RECOMMENDATION OF


THE NATIONAL NUTRITION COUNCIL. The barangay nutrition worker
shall be responsible for delivering nutrition services and other related
activities such as community health, backyard food production,
environmental sanitation, culture, supplemental feeding and family
planning to the barangay.

SECTION 3. SERVICES. The barangay nutrition worker, while
[continuously learning] UNDERGOING ACTUAL TRAINING under this
program, shall serve the barangay on a voluntary basis for at least a
[period of one year] SIX MONTHS. THEREAFTER, THE NATIONAL
NUTRITION COUNCIL SHALL ASSESS HIS/HER PERFORMANCE
AND MAKE THE NECESSARY RECOMMENDATION FOR HIS/HER
APPOINTMENT.

SECTION 4. QUALIFICATION. The qualifications of a Barangay
Nutrition Worker shall be as follows:

a. Bonafide resident of the barangay for at least one (1) year, with ability
to speak the dialect;

b. Possession of leadership potentials and the initiative and willingness to
serve the barangay [for at least one year];

c. Willingness to learn and to teach what he/she learned to the barangay
people;

d. At least a [primary] HIGH SCHOOL graduate;
e. Physical and mental fitness and;
f At least eighteen (18) years old but not more than sixty (60) years old.

SECTION 5. RECRUITMENT. The barangay nutrition worker shall
be recruited from within the barangay and shall be tested on mental ability
and proper work attitude

SECTION 6. TRAINING. Before actual barangay service, the
barangay nutrition worker shall undergo a ten-day training on selected
topics such as nutrition, health, food production and environmental
sanitation, based on defined task expectations to be conducted by a
provincial training team in coordination with the municipal and barangay
nutrition committee. This training shall be supplemented by a twenty-day
practicum to be conducted in the barangay where the worker is assigned,
and such activity shall be in coordination with the local training team


SECTION 7. BENEFITS. The Barangay Nutrition Worker shall be
entitled to a training stipend, meal and travel allowance of at least P250.00
aday. DURING THE PERIOD OF VOLUNTEER SERVICE PRIOR TO
HIS/HER APPOINTMENT, THEY SHALL BE ENTITLED TO
ALLOWANCE OF TWO THOUSAND PESOS (P2, 000.00) A MONTH.

The Barangay Nutrition Worker shall be granted a civil service
eligibility equivalent to second grade after the completion of at least two
(2) years of continuous and satisfactory service in the barangay

SECTION 8. INCENTIVES. TO FURTHER ENHANCE THE
PROGRAM, THE NATIONAL NUTRITION COUNCIL, IN
COORDINATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL
FORMULATE A SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM WHERE INCUMBENT
AND DESERVING BARANGAY NUTRITION WORKERS SHALL BE
GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO AVAIL OF A SCHOLARSHIP GRANT
IN ANY STATE COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY AND PURSUE A COURSE
RELEVANT TO HIS/HER PRESENT POSITION.

SECTION 9. NUTRITION COMMITTEES. The implementation of
this project shall be the total responsibility of a Provincial/City Nutrition
Committee headed by the Governor/City Mayor as Chairman and a
Municipal Nutrition Committee headed by the Mayor as Chairman

SECTION 10. LOCAL TRAINING TEAM. The local training team of
the municipality shall be composed of two members chosen from among
the members of the Municipal Nutrition Committee. This team shall follow
up the activities of the trained barangay nutrition worker.

SECTION 11. ROLE OF THE MAYOR. The Municipal City Mayor
shall initiate activities to implement this project within the municipality,
organize the local training teams and may recommend the appropriation
by his municipality/city of a local counterpart in the form of additional
allowance for the barangay nutrition worker.

SECTION 12. BARANGAY NUTRITION WORKERS STAFF
SECRETARIAT. There shall be a staff secretariat in every province/city
which shall monitor the progress of the program, identify its problems and
recommend possible solutions thereto

SECTION 13. NATIONAL NUTRITION COUNCIL, The National
Nutrition Council shall formulate rules and regulations, plans and
programs within the limits set forth in this Act, allocate the funds for this
project to the various provinces and/or agencies, for disbursement in
accordance with the financial plan of the Barangay Nutrition Workers
Project


SECTION 14. DONATIONS. For the purposes of this Program, the
National Nutrition Council and the local governments, are authorized to
receive grants, donations, gifts or bequests from various government
agencies and government corporations which shall be tax exempt

SECTION 15. APPROPRIATIONS. The amount of One Million
Pesos out of any available funds from the National Treasury or from the
Special Activities Funds is hereby appropriated and authorized to be
released for the organization and initial operation of the Council and the
local governments for the purposes of this program. Local governments
are likewise authorized to appropriate such amount necessary for the
successful implementation of this program. PROVIDED, THAT THE CITY
OR MUNICIPALITY SHALL APPROPRIATE AS PART OF ITS ANNUAL
BUDGET FOR PERSONAL SERVICES THE NECESSARY AMOUNT OF
ONE THOUSAND PESOS (P1,000.00) PER MONTH PER BARANGAY
NUTRITION WORKER, PROVIDED FURTHER, THAT THIRD TO FIFTH
CLASS MUNICIPALITIES SHALL APPROPRIATE FIVE HUNDRED
PESOS (P500.00) PER MONTH PER BARANGA Y NUTRITION
WORKER.

THE DIFFERENCE IN THE FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P5,000.00)
MONTHLY ALLOWANCE PER BARANGAY NUTRITION WORKER
SHALL BE INCLUDED IN THE GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS ACT
(GAA) FOR THE YEAR FOLLOWING ITS ENACTMENT.

SECTION 2. Separability Clause. - If any of the provisions or part of this
Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions or parts hereof not
affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 3. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders or
any part thereof which are inconsistent with this Act, are hereby repealed or
modified accordingly.

SECTION 4. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect upon publication in the
Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation

Approved,