FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
.. / I  
' 1  
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. ZQ 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The health of the whole populace is a factor we cannot overlook in our thrust 
towards the development of the entire nation. Malnutrition has been identified as one of 
the major problems confronting our country today. According to reports, malnutrition is 
the third most common illness among school children. 
The state bears the responsibility to respond to this alarming problem. We 
should be able to appraise the magnitude of the situation in order to be able to 
formulate and effectively carry out whatever response is necessary. 
Nutrition is essential to survival as well as a critical factor in an individual's 
growth and capacity to function in society. As long as the problem of malnutrition 
continues to hang over the Filipino people, their struggle to improve their presently 
depressed socio-economic conditions may yet prove long and difficult. 
The early approval of the bill is hereby requested. 
MANNYVI 
AR 
? 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. a 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
AN ACT STRENGTHENING THE NATIONAL NUTRITION PROGRAM, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in- 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title.--This Act shall be known as the Nutrition Act. 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy.--It is the declared Policy of the State to promote a 
just and dynamic social order that will insure the prosperity and independence of the 
nation and free the people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social 
services, promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality 
of life for all; to defend and promote the right of children to assistance including proper 
care and nutrition and special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, 
exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to their development. 
The State further declares its determination to eliminate hunger and to reduce all 
forms of malnutrition; That, hunger and malnutrition are unacceptable to end this 
human catastrophe. 
The State maintains that nutrition is both an end-goal and a means to achieve 
development. It is a multi-factorial concern requiring inputs from all sectors. As such, 
nutrition shall be a priority of the government to be implemented by all its branches in 


collaboration with non-government organizations and the private sector in an integrated 
manner with focus to nutritionally and economically depressed areas, communities and 
households. 
SEC. 3. Objectives.--The Nutrition Act of aims to improve the nutritional status of 
the country and its citizenry. Specifically, it aims to: 
(a) Strengthen the NationaJ Nutrition Council (NNC) as the policy-making body on 
nutrition: 
(b) Provide a policy environment conducive to nutrition improvement; 
(c) Provide mechanisms, strategies and approaches in implementing programs and 
projects to improve nutritional status and to eradicate malnutrition and hunger; 
(d) Insure participation and cooperation of NNC-member agencies, other National 
Government Agencies (NGAs), Local Government Units (LGUs), Non-Government 
Organizations (NGOs), and the private sector in an integrated manner for the promotion 
of the nutritional well-being of the population. 
SEC. 4. Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) and Strategies.--The PPAN is the 
integrated short, medium and long-term plan of the government in response to the 
global call to eradicate hunger and malnutrition. It is the country's blueprint for achieving 
nutrition adequacy for all as an important element for international competitiveness, 
people empowerment and human development. The PPAN aims to reduce prevalence 
of protein-energy malnutrition, Vitamin A deficiency, iron deficiency anemia and iodine 
deficiency disorders. 
The PPAN shall employ a twin strategy: promotion of household food security; 
and the prevention, control and elimination of micro-nutrient malnutrition. It shall involve 
short, medium, and long-term interventions to address hunger and malnutrition. Further, 
programs to insure household food security through availability and accessibility of safe 
and nutritious foods shall be encouraged. 


To wage war against poverty, access to credit shall be insured to help the poor 
cope with acute food shortages. A food and nutrition subsidy for the poor shall likewise 
be implemented to deliver food and other essential goods to low-income households 
and serve as an entry point for the delivery of other nutrition services. Specific 
behaviors shall be promoted through the adoption of desirable dietary practices to 
insure nutritional well-being. 
SEC. 5. The National Nutrition Council.--The National Nutrition Council (NNC), 
composed of a Governing Board and a Secretariat, is the highest policy-making body 
on nutrition. It coordinates the formulation and the implementation of the Philippine Plan 
of Action for Nutrition (PPAN). It shall provide overall direction for the nutrition plans and 
programs and coordinate all others agencies which contribute resources and expertise 
for nutrition development. 
In order to increase its efficiency and effectiveness, the composition of the NNC 
Governing Board is hereby expanded. 
a. 
Secretaries or Heads of the following agencies: 
The Governing Board.-- The Governing Board (GB) shall be composed of 
(a) Department of Agriculture (Chairman) 
(b) Department of Social Welfare and Development 
(c) Department of Health 
(d) Department of Education 
(e) Department of Interior and Local Government 
(f) Department of Science and Technology 
(9) Department of Budget and Management 
(h) Department of Labor and Employment 


(i) Department of Agrarian Reform 
4) Department of Trade and Industry 
(k) National economic and Development Authority 
(1) Three representatives from the private sector to be appointed by the President of 
the Philippines; 
The Board shall create a Technical Committee or such other committee of 
experts as it may deem necessary, to act as the Council’s advisory body on policy and 
program matters. 
b. The Secretariat. - The Secretariat shall serve as the Executive arm of the 
Governing Board. It shall be headed by an Executive Director, assisted by two Deputy 
Executive Directors, all of whom shall be appointed by the President. 
SEC. 6. Functions and Powers.--The Council shall have the following functions 
and powers: 
(a) Formulate national nutrition Formulate policies, plans, strategies and approaches for 
nutrition improvement; 
(b) Oversee and serve as a focal point in the integration of nutrition policies and 
programs of all member agencies and instrumentalities charged with the 
implementation of existing laws, policies, rules and regulations concerning nutrition; 
(c) Coordinate, monitor and evaluate prop-rams and projects of both public and private 
sectors as well as of LGUs in order to insure integration of nutrition with national 
policies; 
(d) Receive grants, donations and contributions in any form from foreign governments, 
private institutions and other funding entities for nutrition programs and projects: 


Provided, That no conditions shall be made contrary to the policies or provisions of this 
Act; 
(e) Coordinate the release of public funds for the promotion of nutrition well-being of the 
country in accordance with the approved programs and projects; and 
(f) Call upon any government agency and instrumentalities comprising the-pillars of the 
executive system for such assistance as may be required to implement the provisions 
of this-Act in order to reduce and eventually eliminate malnutrition in the country. 
SEC.7. Role of NNC-Member Agencies, other National Government Agencies, 
Local Government Units, and the Private Sector in the Nutrition Act of 1995.--Member 
agencies shall be responsible for insuring the implementation of programs and projects, 
development of promotive, preventive and curative nutrition programs, and integration 
of health and nutrition concerns into their respective policies and plans. It shall provide 
additional resources in any form in support of the local nutrition programs as a 
continuing involvement of the national government to local programs. 
The consortium of State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) shall intensify nutrition 
related training, research and extension support activities through the Barangay 
Integrated Development Approach for Nutrition Improvement (BIDANI) Network 
Program of the Rural Poor and other relevant approaches, thereby strengthening 
delivery systems in partnership with the LGUs. 
Local Government Units (LGUs), pursuant to the Local Government Code of 
1991, shall provide and deliver basic nutrition services and facilities to the community. 
The LGUs shall integrate nutrition considerations in their short, medium and long-term 
development plans, and programs and shall coordinate with the Council in the 
enforcement of this Act. LGUs shall hire, train and deploy nutritionists in every 
municipality, city and province. It shall also recruit, train and deploy Barangay Nutrition 
Scholars in every barangay in support of the local nutrition programs. Barangay 


Nutrition Scholars are community based volunteers responsible for the delivery of 
nutrition services and other related activities in the barangay. 
Other National Government Agencies (NGAs) shall serve as important links in 
promoting nutrition in development through its participation in the continuing advocacy 
for nutritional improvement, and integration of nutrition considerations in their sectoral 
plans and programs. 
Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) shall be encouraged to undertake 
nutrition related researches and to recommend procedures and guidelines promotive of 
good nutrition among employees of agencies or members of NGOs. The Private Sector 
shall also be encouraged to provide technical and financial assistance to community- 
based nutrition projects as their participation in the country's human development 
efforts. 
SEC. 8. Nutrition Improvement Fund--The Nutrition Improvement Fund (NIF) is 
hereby established and shall be provided as a grant to nutritionally depressed areas for 
the implementation of locally, initiated nutrition programs and projects. Requests of 
LGUs for funding assistance shall be submitted for appraisal and approval of the NNC. . 
SEC: 9. Appropriations.--An initial sum of Eighty Million Pesos (P80,000,000.00) 
is hereby appropriated for the Nutrition Improvement Fund as support to locally initiated 
nutrition programs; Thereafter, an appropriation for NIF shall be provided annually in 
the General Appropriations Act. 
The funds needed by the National Nutrition Council (NNC) to carry out the 
provisions of this Act shall be charged to the appropriations of the NNC under the 
annual General Appropriations Act in addition to the appropriations of other 
departmentlagencies whose programs and activities are in support of the PPAN and 
this Act. 


Funds needed by SUCs in implementing BlDANl and other nutrition approaches 
shall be incorporated in the annual appropriation of SUCs. 
SEC. 10. Separability Clause.--If any provision of this Act or the application of 
such provision to any instrumentalities or entities or circumstances is held invalid or 
unconstitutional for any reason or'reasons, the remainder of this Act or the application 
of such other provisions shall not be affected thereby. 
SEC. 11. Repealing Clause.--All laws and part of laws, decrees, orders, 
proclamations, issuance, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 12. Saving Clause.--All laws and parts of laws, decrees, orders, 
proclamations, issuance, rules and regulations-which are inconsistent with the 
provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly: Provided, 
That power, functions and rights already acquired and existing at the time of its 
passage shall not in any way be abridged, modified nor abated. 
SEC. 13. Effectivity. --This Act shall take effect fifteen days after its publication in 
the Official Gazette or at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation 
whichever comes earlier. 
Approved,