Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTA’
Quezon City

Eighteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. Rall

Introduced by Rep. Raul V. Del Mar

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The 1987 Philippine Constitution guarantees for the state to defend “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.”

Stunting is a crisis that does not only affect physical growth of children.
It also impacts on the individual's intellectual development and the country’s
economic growth.

Ill effects of nutrition

According to a Cebu study on longitudinal health and nutrition,
children stunted from birth to two years of age were found to have poorer
learning ability in school and were mostly in the list of late enrollees and
chronic absentees. Stunted children earned at least 20% less than fully
developed persons when they became adults. Recent studies suggest that
childhood under-nutrition in the Philippines costs the country a loss of 1.5%
to 3% of the gross domestic product (GDP) per year.

The Philippine government has recognized that malnutrition remains a
serious and significant public health concern in the country. Stunting is now
seen as one of the major impediments to human development and is
recognized as an obtrusive marker of poor child development.

Despite efforts made by local and national agencies, both private and
government, the state of malnutrition in the country remains at an alarming
level with very little improvement in almost all types of malnutrition during
the last decade.


Top 10 in stunting

Stunting or chronic malnutrition is considered high in magnitude and
severity based on the WHO cut-off points. Currently, the country ranks fifth
in East Asia and Pacific region with the highest stunting prevalence and is in
the top 10 countries with the highest magnitude of stunted children in the
world.

Although the country is currently implementing the Philippine Plan of
Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022 to address the problem, the state is yet
to identify a much pro-active strategy to reduce and prevent stunting,
particularly in children 0 to 23 months of life and pregnant women in the last
3 months of pregnancy during which intervention is more effective and
efficient.

The Dietary Supplement Program proposed in this Act seeks to provide
cash assistance to pregnant women and parents of children aged 0 to 23
months who are not covered by current dietary aid programs by the
government. The cash aid will provide them access to sufficient and quality
supplementary food.

More than a welfare program

This is more than a welfare program as it addresses the physical and
cognitive development a child to achieve full potential, and thus help break
the cycle of malnutrition that plagues generations.

The proposed program, as condition for the cash, requires pregnant
women and parents of children 0 to 23 months to attend complementary
activities such as nutrition education classes, learning basic skill in food
gardens, and encouraging them to take their children to government facilities
for health, nutrition and other services. The Proposed measure also seeks to
use the dietary supplement activity as venue to improve capacity of mothers
on child care and feeding practices.

Healthier, brighter, taller
Overall, the purpose is to provide opportunity for the children to grow
up healthier, brighter and taller. Other than seeking to promote the well-

being of the new generation of citizens, the proposed program is a sound
investment in human capital to help spur economic development.

'V DEL


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTA’
Quezon City

Eighteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

7901
HOUSE BILL No.

Introduced by REP. RAUL V. DEL MAR

AN ACT
TO PREVENT THE STUNTING OF CHILDREN AND MAKE EVERY
FILIPINO CHILD HEALTHIER, BRIGHTER AND TALLER
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

Chapter 1: Preliminary Provision

SECTION 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as “Healthier,
Brighter and Taller Filipino Children Act”

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy — I: is the policy of the State to defend
the right of children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition. The
State recognizes importance of preventing chronic malnutrition in the country
to address issues on poverty. The state shall therefore actively combat chronic
malnutrition in recognition of the youth’s role in nation building and as a way
to guard children’s rights and uphold the country’s contribution to the
Sustainable Development Goals.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms —
a) Birth-weight - first weight of the infant obtained after birth;


b) Breastfeeding - a method of feeding an infant directly from the breast
or feeding express breastmilk given through a dropper, a nasogastric
tube, a cup and a spoon;

c) Complementary feeding - complementary foods given at 6 months in
addition to breastmilk;

d) Exclusive Breastfeeding - a feeding practice where infant receives
nothing but breastmilk with the exception of oral rehydration solution,
drops or syrups, vitamins and minerals (WHO, UNICEF 2008);

¢) Financial Institution - refers to monetary institutions and/or
depository banks accredited by government which will be tapped to
serve as conduit in the release of food grants;

J) Food Grants - are financial assistance given to qualified pregnant
women and children 6-23 months for the purchase of food items as
defined in this Act;

g) Food Items - refers to nutrition commodities prescribed by the
National Nutrition Council for consumption of pregnant women and
children 6-23 months required for the infant/child’s growth and
development;

h) Height - “stature” and is measured in standing position for children 2
years and over;

i) Length ~ measurement from the top of the head to the heels at a prone
position. It is used to measure children 0-23 months of age;

j) Low Birth Weight - infants with low birth weight (less than 2.5
kilograms);

k) Local Nutrition Action Plan — the blueprint for nutrition actions
identified by local nutrition committees suitable to address and prevent
nutrition issues and concerns in their locality;

Y) Masterlist - mother list of the target groups and can be used to
determine if the targets are receiving the needed services;

m) Nutrition Counseling - is a process in which a registered nutritionist-
dietitian works with an individual to assess his or her dietary intake

and nutritional status, and identify areas where change is needed;


n) Nutrition Education - is any combination of educational strategies,
accompanied by environmental supports, designed to facilitate the
voluntary adoption of food choices and other food- and nutrition-related
behaviors conducive to health anc well-being. It is delivered through
multiple venues and involves activities at the individual, community,
and policy levels. It aims to provide people in rural and urban areas
with adequate information, skills and motivation to procure and to
consume appropriate diets (WPHNA);

o) Nutritionally-at-risk pregnant women - Pregnant women whose
weight fell below the 95th percentile of the reference criteria, thus
having high risk of developing low birth weight babies;

p) Prenatal Care/ Antenatal Care — four (4) or more visits of the pregnant
women to a healthcare provider with the goal of providing regular
check-ups for promotive or preventive health interventions such as
micronutrient supplementation and screenings;

q Stunting - (height/length-for-age) being short among children of the
same age, refers to chronic undernutrition during the critical periods
and growth and development of a child leading to health issues, lowered
cognitive development and decreased income in adulthood;

1) Trimester (Pregnancy Trimester) — a period of about three months or
between 12 to 14 weeks composed of different phases of fetal growth
and development;

s) Wasting - (weight-for-height/length) being thin among children of the
same height/length and refers to acute undernutrition manifested by
abrupt changes in food consumption or sickness;

1) Weight - reflects attained growth in physical body weight relative to the
child’s age on a given day or visit; and

u) Children - children 0 to 23 months old.

SEC. 4. Stunting Prevention Program - The stunting prevention
program, hereinafter referred to as “program”, is established as a human
capital investment program to prevent chronic malnutrition otherwise known
as stunting by providing food grants during the first 0 to 23 months of life to


facilitate dietary intake and better chances of producing taller, brighter and
healthier Filipinos.

SEC. 5. Eligible Beneficiaries — All pregnant women on their last 3
months and children aged 0 to 23 months old as registered in the barangay
health center masterlist, provided that they have meet the following criteria:

(a) Pregnant Women to complete at least 2 pre-natal visits.

(Children 0 to 23 months have completed vaccine schedules,
participated in monthly child growth monitoring and breastfed during
the first 6 months of their lives.

SEC. 6. Program Components ~ The program shall follow an
aggressive, multisectoral approach to prevent precursors of stunting such as
food and nutrition insecurity and limited child rearing capacities. It shall have
the following components:

(a) Soctal Preparation - The National Nutrition Council (NNC) in
cooperation with its regional offices shall prepare for the program
implementation including collection of masterlists of program
beneficiaries, orientation of local nutrition committees, arrangement of
financial institutions who will act as conduit in the distribution of food
grants.

(b) Food Grant - The National Nutrition Council (NNC) shall provide for
food grants for the purpose of dietary supplementation of pregnant
women on their last trimester (3 months) and for children 0 to 23
months old. The grant is in the form of a cash assistance given monthly
with a prescribed menu of food items for purchase initially at the
amount of Php750.00 per month will be subject to an increase of 5%
inflation rate per year.

(c) Nutrition Education and Social Mobilization — To complement the
food grant given, the regional offices of the National Nutrition Council
(NCC) shall endeavor to provide nutrition education activities promoting
positive health and nutrition behavior amongst the target beneficiaries.
Capacity building activities for pregnant women and


mothers/ caregivers of 0 to 23 months old children on proper health and
nutrition will be conducted during dole out sessions using modules
prescribed by the National Nutrition Council (NCC).

(d) Food Gardens — Beneficiaries of the program shall be encouraged and
capacitated to devote small spaces/containers for the cultivation of
home/community food gardens to decrease household food insecurity
and food costs with the assistance from the Department of Agriculture
and the Department of Science and Technology.

SEC. 7. Mode of Cash Transfer.— The National Nutrition Council
(NCC) shall provide beneficiaries with direct and secured access to food grants
through any member of Accredited Financial Institutions (AFIs). For localities
not adequately served by an AFls, the NNC may, by itself or through the
services of rural banks, thrift banks, cooperative banks, and institutions
engaged in money remittances duly accredited by the Bangko Sentral ng
Pilipinas (BSP).

SEC. 8. Roles of Agencies / Lead Agency - The National Nutrition
Council (NNC) shall serve as the planning, coordinating and monitoring body
of the program. It shall create a Program Management Team to oversee the
implementation of this Act and shall set-up the environment for program
implementation by building a database for beneficiaries, capacitating local
nutrition committees in the implementation of the program’s components,
coordinate with national and local agencies and other partners and
stakeholders for a holistic program approach, prepare annual program
reports and perform other functions as deemed necessary for the
implementation of this Act.

(a) National Nutrition Council - The National Nutrition Council (NNC)
shall ensure the implementation of the program by provision resources
of any form and technical assistance to facilitate efficiency of program
planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation. They shall
set-up the implementing rules and regulations and establish a
monitoring and evaluation system.


SEC. 9. Monitoring, Review and Assessment ~The National Nutrition
Council through its Regional Offices shall conduct annual monitoring and
assessment of program implementation

SEC. 10. Appropriations - The amount necessary to carry out the
initial implementation of this Act shall be included in the budget of the
National Nutrition Council. Thereafter, such sums as maybe necessary for the
continuous implementation of this Act shall be included in the Annual
General Appropriation Act (GAA) of the NNC following the year of its approval.

SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) ~The National
Nutrition Council, as the implementing agency, shall promulgate the
Implementing Rules and Regulations to carry out the provision of this Act
within three (3) months from its effectivity.

SEC. 12. Separability Clause - If, for any reason, any section or
provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections
or provisions which are not affected shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SEC. 13. Repealing Clause ~ All \aws, decrees, letters of instructions,
executive orders, resolutions or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the
provision of this Act are hereby repealed, modified and amended accordingly.

SEC. 14. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days

following its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of
general circulation in the Philippines.

Approved.