FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —)
FIRST REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill No._ 2646

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 15 of Article 2 of the Constitution provides that, “The State shall
protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health
consciousness among them.”

One of the major components of providing effective health services is the
dissemination of relevant and accurate information on nutrition. However, the
relationship between nutrition and health is often overlooked which results to less
attention and importance given to research and creation of database on nutrition.
Moreover, multitude sources of information which are often not in congruence with
one another cause confusion among the public.

This measure seeks to create a permanent Council on Nutrition and Health
under the Department of Health. The said Council shall focus its efforts on
consolidating and monitoring research and information on nutrition that will be
made readily available to the public. This will not only provide our people with the
sound information on nutrition and its importance to our general health but will
also encourage more endeavors towards research and development on these
fields.

Immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought.

RUFUS B. Rt IGUEZ

UL

MAXIMO B. RODRIGUEZ, JR.


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —)
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill No. 2646

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.

SEC 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.

SEC 3. Definition. — As used in this Act -

1. “Council” means the Council on Nutrition and Health, as established in
Section 4(a) of this Act.

2. “Secretary” means the Secretary of the Department of Health
SEC 4. Establishment and Staffing of the Council on Nutrition. —

(a) Establishment — The Council on Nutrition and Health is hereby established
within the Department of Health

(b) Membership —


(4) Appointment - The Council shall consist of nine (9) voting
members, all of whom shall be 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 solely 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 —

a

In General ~ 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 terms of one (1), two (2)
and 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 pursuant to subsection (b)(1) only for the remainder of
the term of his predecessor.

@)

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 his oath and assumed office.

(4

Eligibility for Successive Terms — A member of the Council shall be
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 (1), shall serve for a term of
three (3) years.

() Meetings of the Council —
(1) Frequency of Meetings - The Chairperson of the Council, as

referred to in subsection (d), shall convene a meeting of the Council
not less than 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

(Q) 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

SEC 5. Responsibilities of the Council. -

(A) In General — The Council shall —

(1) assemble the existing information on the relationship between
nutrition and health;

Q)

identify and collect the ongoing research within the various national
and local governmental agencies, the private sector in the country,
and in foreign countries;

Q

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 the consumption of specific foods
and nutrients and the incidence and treatment of specific
diseases and conditions; and,

(c) the optimal level of foods and nutrients that are appropriate
under various health conditions to maximize specific human
capabilities;

6)

monitor the progress of nutrition education efforts among the health
profession, other segments of the society, and the general public;
and

6)

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

(8) Rules and Regulations — The Council is authorized to adopt such rules
and regulations as maybe necessary to carry out this Act.


SEC 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

SEC 7. Treatment of information on File. — Submission of information or date on
the relationship between nutrition and health to the Council shall not affect
statutory law trademark status, copyright, or patent rights.

SEC 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 (a), the Secretary shall
immediately distribute such report, along with recommendations of the
Secretary regarding such report, to the President, the Secretary of
Agriculture, and the appropriate committees of the Congress as well as
to such other agencies and departments as the Secretary considers
appropriate.

SEC 9. Authorization of Appropriations. - The appropriation from the National
Treasury of such sums that may be necessary to carry out this Act is hereby
authorized.

SEC 10. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part hereof is held invalid or
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected
shall remain valid and subsisting

SEC 11. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or
amended accordingly.

SEC 12. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.