FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENA'W 
S.No. 
~~21 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Good nutrition and a balanced diet are important to help children grow up healthy. 
Nutrition plays a major role in children's health and also affects their performance in school. 
Children's peak performance at school can be attributed much to good nutrition and eating habits. 
Eating a nutritious meal has an effect on' cognition, strength, attitudes and endurance at school. 
Hungry, weak children are not alert and are less active in class. 
It is important to improve the standard of health of children through prOller nutrition_ 
education and good health practices, particularly a good diet. This Act aims to provide 
supplementary food to public elementary school students to improve their general health and 
help them reach better scholastic achievements. \ 
,p~D~1l'JtS~ 
I This bill was originally filed in the Thirteenth Congress, Third Regular Session. 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENAW 
S.No. 
~~21 
I,,· 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
1 
AN ACT 
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AUG -2 P 1 :38 
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PROVIDING FOR FREE MEALS FOR STUDENTS OF PUBLIC ELEMENTARY 
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SCHOOLS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short title. - This Act shall be known as the "Healthy Students Act." 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
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promote good health among the youth. The State shall promote programs that will improve the 
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nutrition value of meals given to children by providing free meals for students of public 
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elementary schools. 
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. -
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1. School meal program - shall refer to the free meal (breakfast or lunch) to be served by 
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the public elementary schools to their students at least once every school day; 
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2. Commission - commission to be constituted by the DepEd for the implementation of 
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the provisions of this Act. 
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3. Public elementary schools - shall refer to all public elementary schools accredited with 
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the DepEd. 
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SECTION 4. School meals program. - Every public elementary school throughout the 
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country shall be entitled to apply for funds to be used for school meals program as provided for 
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under this Act. 
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SECTION 5. Guidelines.-
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A. Commission 
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1. In General - The Department f Education (DepEd) shall constitute a 
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"Commission to Formulate and Improve School Meals for Students of Public Elementary 
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Schools", hereinafter referred to as the "Commission"; 
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2. Membership - The DepEd shall appoint members of the Commission from 
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among individuals who are nutritionists, pediatricians, or experts in nutrition and 
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children's health. 
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3. Duties - The Commission shall--
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a. review available dietary guidelines that are relevant for children; 
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b. evaluate the nutritional and dietary needs of school-age children and 
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recommend nutritional standards for establishing a healthy school nutrition 
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program; 
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c. new nutritional standards for the school meal programs under this Act; 
• 
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d. evaluate compliance with and enforcement of the minimumnutiitional 
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requirements established under subparagraph (c); 
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e. not later than 90 days after nutritional standards are developed under 
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subparagraph ( c), the Commission shall promulgate and implement rules, based 
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on the standards, that establish minimum nutritional requirements for food served 
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under the meals programs for students of public elementary schools as provided 
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for under this Act not later than 90 days after the date of enactment this Act, 
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develop 
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B. School Nutrition Programs 
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1, In General - The Commission shall carry out a program under which the 
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Commission shall provide funds to public elementary schools for school meal programs 
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under this Act; 
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2. Uses - Funds provided under this subsection may be used 
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a. to provide an healthy foods in the meals served under programs; 
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b. to promote healthy food education in the school curriculum; 
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c. to carry out garden to kitchen or seed to table programs; or 
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d. to provide professio'1al development for teachers to carry out programs that 
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promote healthy alternatives for students. 
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C. Study Report 
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1. Study - During the first year of the implementation of this Act, in which funds 
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are used by schools, the Commission shall conduct a study of the results of the school 
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meals program; 
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2. Report - Not later than 90 days after the date on which the study is completed 
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under subparagraph (1) above, the Commission shall submit to the DepEd a report that 
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describes the results of the study. 
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SECTION 6. Eligibility of Schools. - Only public elementary schools shall be entitled to 
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the school meals program as provided for under this Act. 
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SECTION 7. Application- An eligible school desiring the grant of funM fur U£ 
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implementation of the school meals program under this Act shall submit the application for the 
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same at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Commission may 
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reqUire. 
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SECTION 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
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remain valid and SUbsisting. 
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SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or is inconsistent 
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with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
Iptmt02july2010 
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