Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. _1350

Introduced by Rep. Precious Hipolito Castelo

EXPLANATORY NOTE

With the country breaching the 100 million mark in terms of population, whatever food
sufficiency program the government has in place could definitely use an upgrade. Citing
Senator Grace Poe, there is a need for the comprehensive re-engineering of the
government's policies on hunger and malnutrition, given that at least 9.3 million Filipino
families considered themselves as “food-poor” and 7.36 million children below the age of five
were malnourished.

Senator Poe said in a privilege speech that despite the reported economic growth, hunger
was evident not just in official statistics but in the streets. Senator Poe delivered her speech
after the Social Weather Stations released the results of its third quarter 2014 survey on
hunger. The results showed that around 12.1 million families considered themselves poor.

The SWS poll also found that 55 percent of respondents considered themselves poor — three
points higher than the 52 percent average in the four quarters of 2013.

In order to achieve lasting food sufficiency program, there should be a government office
that would exclusively zero in on food security and tasked to guarantee food security
throughout the land.

A specific funding allocation in the amount of twenty billion pesos should be sourced for the
successful operation of the office. Funding could be sourced from the revenue generating
agencies of the government such as PCSO and PAGCOR, which as it stands, effect
redundant allocations to other departments such as DepEd and DOH. Hence, if specific
allocations from these two revenue-generating agencies were allocated where there is more
pressing need such as food sufficiency, then the government could achieve food security.

Hence, this bill seeks to create the Office of National Food Security under the Office of the
President.

The immediate passage of this measure is earnestly sought.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

1350

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Rep. Precious Hipolito Castelo

AN ACT
CREATING THE OFFICE OF NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY AND APPROPRIATING 20
BILLION PESOS THEREFOR FROM THE FUNDS OF PAGCOR AND PCSO

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

‘SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the “Office of National Food Security Act.”

SEC. 2. There is hereby created the Office of National Food Security under the Office
of the President to ensure food sufficiency throughout the Philippines.

SEC. 3. The creation of such office shall be determined and undertaken by the
Department of National Food Authority in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture and
the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

SEC. 4. There shall be a Food Security Fund in the amount of P20 billion to be
sourced from PAGCOR and PCSO administered by the office, which is a special account,
created specifically to support and co-finance projects that enable the government to expand
its ability to conduct activities and programs that address food scarcity.

SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its publication in the
Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,