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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill  No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
AN ACT 
 ENSURING ZERO HUNGER FOR ALL FILIPINOS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
God, in His generosity, gave man everything. 
God, in His word, reminded all of us that even today the earth is full of 
abundance, but men became greedy and covetous, destroying the earth which God 
abundantly and faithfully created.  
Genesis 1: 29-30 (KJV) “And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing 
seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree 
yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of 
the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every 
green herb for meat: and it was so.” 
Consequently, we are facing a problem that gnaws at the bellies of many of our 
countrymen: hunger and food security. Food does not just sate our appetite. More 
importantly, food strengthens the body to enable a person to be a useful member of 
society and to aid in the fight against any illness. This is elementary, but it bears 
repeating. It is for this reason that the right to food is a fundamental human right. 
Even though we have already emerged from the pandemic crisis, the health 
catastrophe continues. The provision of “quick fixes” or “band-aids” will not be 
sufficient. To be able to offer a secure future and guarantee the right to food for all 
Filipinos, a long-term perspective is necessary to address the problem's core causes. 
Under our present condition, food must be one of the highest priorities in fund 
allocation for national spending to show the national government’s commitment to 
taking the lead toward food self-sufficiency to address the weak performance of the 
agriculture sector, which has been attributed to the failures and shortcomings in the 
policy and institutional environment. Although external factors are partly to blame, 
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particularly for inflation. But there are also structural issues.1 No less than the 1987 
Constitution provides in its State policies that, 
The State shall promote comprehensive rural development and agrarian 
reform2. 
Moreover, the holy Writ instructed us in Deuteronomy 25: 4 (KJV) that, 
“Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn.” 
Sadly, there are glaring gaps in domestic legislation that have to be addressed 
to ensure freedom from hunger. The Philippines does not have a legal framework 
governing the right to adequate food (RTAF). There is a lack of a national 
comprehensive policy on hunger and poverty eradication. There is a need to 
rationalize all existing laws, policies, decrees, and issuances relevant to hunger and 
poverty (conflicting policies cause crises in program planning and implementation). 
The national budget does not reflect the obligation of the government to eradicate 
hunger, thus creating issues of poor performance in the implementation of laws 
related to food, as can be seen in the lack of government support to agriculture, 
fisheries, and agrarian reform, and the lack of safeguards to cushion the negative 
effects of food price volatility.  
Hence, all of these factors increase the vulnerability of the poor to hunger and 
malnutrition, as well as the economic and political uncertainty that comes with 
imprecise policies. Thus, the proposed measure will create a framework to address 
this problem and pave the path for inclusive, social, equal, and sustainable growth 
and development that will assure zero hunger for all Filipinos. 
 In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
1 https://www.manilatimes.net/2023/02/13/opinion/editorial/more-trouble-ahead-for-agriculture-sector/1878427. 
2 Art. 2. Sec. 21 of 1987 Constitution. 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill  No._____ 
Introduced by: Congressman BIENVENIDO M. ABANTE, JR. 
“AN ACT 
 ENSURING ZERO HUNGER FOR ALL FILIPINOS” 
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 “Ensuring Zero Hunger 
for All Filipinos.” 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – Consistent with the principles enshrined in the 
Constitution as well as the provisions of the International Covenant on Economic, 
Social and Cultural Rights, Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the Convention 
on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, to which the 
Philippines is a State Party, it is hereby declared the policy of the State to guarantee 
the right to adequate food.  
Article II of the 1987 Constitution states: 
Section 9. The State shall promote a just and dynamic social order that 
will ensure 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.  
Section 11. The State values the dignity of every human person and 
guarantees full respect for human rights.  
Section 21. The State shall promote comprehensive rural development 
and agrarian reform.  
Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural 
Rights provides: 
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1. The States Parties to the present Covenant recognize the right 
of everyone to an adequate standard of living for himself and his 
family, including adequate food, clothing, and housing, and to 
the continuous improvement of living conditions. The States 
Parties will take appropriate steps to ensure the realization of this 
right, recognizing, to this effect, the essential importance of 
international cooperation based on free consent. 
 
2. The States Parties to the present Covenant, recognizing the 
fundamental right of everyone to be free from hunger, shall take, 
individually and through 
international cooperation, the 
measures, including specific programmes, which are needed: 
 
(a) To improve methods of production, conservation, and 
distribution of food by making full use of technical and 
scientific knowledge, by disseminating knowledge of the 
principles of nutrition, and by developing or reforming 
agrarian systems in such a way as to achieve the most 
efficient development and utilization of natural resources; 
 
(b) Taking into account the problems of both food-
importing and food-exporting countries, to ensure an 
equitable distribution of world food supplies in relation to 
need.  
 
SEC. 3. Freedom from Hunger --- Every person has a right to be free from hunger. 
Hunger refers to a condition in which people do not get enough food to eat to provide 
the necessary nutrients for a fully productive, active, and healthy life due to the 
unavailability and inaccessibility of food. It can be acute, such as during a major 
disaster when food supply channels are cut, or chronic, when people are regularly not 
getting enough food to conduct an active life for a long time. It is also a condition of 
starvation, which is not having enough food of any sort to eat, or undernourishment, 
which is having food but of inadequate quality. Every person suffering from hunger 
or malnutrition or at risk of suffering from hunger or undernutrition is entitled to a 
minimum amount of food according to one’s age, sex, health status, and occupation, 
as provided for in Section 13. 
 
SEC. 4. Condition to Remain Free from Hunger. For every Filipino to remain free 
from hunger, s/he must live in conditions that will enable him/her: 
 
a) To feed directly from productive land or other natural resources, or rely 
on well-functioning food distribution, processing, and market systems, or 
both; 
b) To financially acquire a sufficient quantity and quality of food and to 
satisfy other basic needs. 


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c) To be safe from the risk of losing access to food, as a consequence of 
sudden shocks, such as an economic or climatic crisis, or one that is 
brought about by a national health emergency, such as the COVID-19 
pandemic, or one that caused the internal displacement of people, or 
cyclical events, such as seasonal food scarcity; 
d) To have the opportunity of good food utilization through access to an 
adequate diet, clean water, sanitation, and health care, and to reach a state 
of nutritional well-being where all physiological needs are met; and 
e) To access food or a diet that is the most appropriate under given 
circumstances, in terms of their nutritional value and cultural 
acceptability.  
f) 
All Departments and attached agencies, and bureaus shall ensure that 
their rules and regulations, plans and programs, activities, and projects 
are focused on creating and/or maintaining the above conditions. 
 
SEC. 5. Eradication of Hunger by 2030. — The State shall ensure that in two-and-
a-half (2-1/2) years after the effectivity of this Act, the incidence of hunger will be 
reduced by twenty-five percent (25%) from the level recorded at the time of the 
passage of this Act. Provided, That five (5) years after the effectivity of this Act, such 
incidence of hunger will be further reduced by twenty-five percent (25%): Provided, 
further, That in seven and a half (71/2) years, it will be further reduced by twenty-five 
percent (25%): Provided, finally, That by 2030, there shall be zero incidences of hunger. 
  
SEC. 6. Fully Integrated Whole of Government Approach to Eradicate Hunger. To 
eliminate hunger by 2030, the State adopts a comprehensive whole-of-government 
approach to policy and plan development and implementation, program 
management, and service delivery.  All Departments and their attached agencies and 
bureaus shall work together across portfolio boundaries to achieve an integrated 
government response to eliminate hunger.  In particular, all departments and their 
attached agencies shall: 
 
a) Plan, program, and budget in conjunction with each other; 
b) Collaborate in the review, design, and delivery of policy, programs, and 
services; 
c) Coordinate and communicate through formal and informal channels 
toward more timely and effective implementation of policy decisions; 
d) Implement policies in an integrated manner. 
e) Share information and data, and cooperate in knowledge management; 
f) 
Effectively align policies, programs, activities, and projects; 
g) Share reporting duties; and 
h) Engage with civil society organizations, businesses, and the private sector, 
and ensure their active participation in policy, plan, and program design 
and implementation. 
 


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SEC. 7. Commission on the Right to Adequate Food. – There is hereby created a 
Commission on the Right to Adequate Food, hereinafter referred to as the 
Commission, which shall be attached to the Office of the President.  
 
The Commission shall be the primary policy-making and coordinating body to 
guarantee the full exercise of the right to adequate food. It shall exercise monitoring 
and oversight functions, apply human rights principles, conduct an objective impact 
assessment on all government policies, programs, and projects prior to adoption and 
implementation, work in close cooperation and coordination with relevant 
government agencies, and in consultations with civil society organizations and the 
private sector. And use all available resources [of the government and private bodies 
or organizations] for the efficient and effective implementation of this Act.  
 
It shall formulate a NATIONAL FOOD POLICY [NFP] and implement 
programs of action to eradicate hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and 
promote sustainable agriculture. [in coordination with relevant government agencies 
and consultation with civil society organizations and the private sector.  
 
The Commission on the Right to Adequate Food will have the following 
powers: 
 
a) Receive complaints of violations of the right to adequate food from 
individuals and groups; 
b) Investigate, motu proprio, or upon complaint by any party, all forms of 
violations of the right to adequate food; 
c) Adopt operational guidelines and rules of procedure, and cite for 
contempt for their violation, in accordance with the Rules of Court. 
d) Provide appropriate legal measures for the protection of the right to 
adequate food of all persons within the Philippines, as well as Philippine 
citizens residing abroad, and provide for preventive measures and legal 
aid services to the underprivileged whose right to adequate food has been 
violated or needs protection. 
e) Establish a continuing program of research, education, and information to 
enhance respect for the primacy of the right to adequate food; 
f) 
Recommend to Congress effective measures to promote the right to 
adequate food, to harmonize existing laws affecting the right to adequate 
food, to ensure their complementation, and the availability of remedies 
for violations and compensation to victims of violations of the right to 
adequate food; 
g) Monitor the Government’s compliance with its obligations in regard to 
the right to adequate food; 
h) Request the assistance of any Department, bureau, office, or agency in the 
performance of its functions; 
i) 
Appoint officers and employees in accordance with the law; and 
j) 
Perform such other duties and functions as may be provided by law. 
 


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The Commission shall be composed of a Chairperson and two (2) Members 
who must be natural-born citizens of the Philippines and, at the time of their 
appointment, at least forty-five (45) years of age, and must not have been candidates 
for any elective position in the elections immediately preceding their appointment. At 
least one (1) of them must be a member of the Philippine Bar.  
 
The Chairperson and the Members of the Commission shall not, during their 
tenure, hold any other office or employment. Neither shall they engage in the practice 
of any profession, or in the active management or control of any business which, in 
any way, may be affected by the functions of their office, nor shall they be financially 
interested, directly or indirectly, in any contract with, or any franchise or privilege 
granted by the government, any of its subdivisions, agencies, or instrumentalities, 
including government-owned or controlled corporations or their subsidiaries. 
 
The Chairperson and the Members of the Commission shall be appointed by 
the President and shall not be reappointed to another term.  From among the 
Members, one shall serve as the Chairperson and shall hold office for ten (10) years, 
another Member shall be appointed as Commissioner for seven (7) years, and another 
shall be appointed Commissioner and shall serve for five (5) years, without 
reappointment. A Member who shall be appointed to fill a vacancy shall serve only 
the unexpired portion of the term of the predecessor. In no case shall any Member be 
appointed or designated in a temporary or acting capacity.  
 
The Chairperson and the Members of the Commission shall receive the same 
salary, benefits, privileges, and emoluments as a Cabinet Secretary and 
Undersecretary, respectively.   
 
SEC. 8. Representation and Participation of People's Organizations, Civil Society, 
Business, and Private Sector. — The whole-of-government approach requires genuine 
and meaningful participation of people’s organizations, civil society, business, and the 
private sector. To this end, all departments and their attached agencies and bureaus 
shall involve civil society and other stakeholders in the review, reform, formulation, 
and implementation of policies, plans, programs, activities, and projects to end hunger 
by 2030.   
 
To guarantee public participation, the Commission on the Right to Adequate 
Food shall ensure that: 
 
a) All persons can freely and meaningfully participate in all forms of public 
discourse, as well as access information and exercise freedom of 
association, in relation to the formulation and implementation of policies 
pertaining to the right to adequate food.  
b) Civil society and other stakeholders actively participate in the institutions 
that oversee the realization of the right to adequate food, as well as in 
formulating capacity-building mechanisms and special measures for 
disadvantaged groups;  


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National public hearings are conducted every two (2) years, at which the Government 
is required to report on the progress made with the implementation of this Act, and 
the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the country. 
 
SEC. 9. Priority Attention. — Priority attention shall be given to the following 
individuals, groups, and communities, who are particularly vulnerable to hunger and 
starvation:  
 
a) Physiologically and clinically vulnerable persons, such as those afflicted 
with COVID-19 and others with co-morbidities; children, particularly 
those from zero to twenty-three (23) months of age; pregnant women and 
lactating mothers; persons with disabilities; chronically-ill persons and 
older persons (senior citizens);   
b) Geographically disadvantaged persons such as persons living in remote 
and isolated, very poor, or underdeveloped areas; and  
c) Economically vulnerable persons, such as landless people, street children, 
urban poor, unemployed persons, indigenous peoples, ethnic, linguistic, 
or religious minorities, and internally displaced persons. 
 
SEC. 10. Planning, Programming, and Budgeting. — Policies, laws, rules, 
regulations, plans, programs, activities, and projects shall be directed towards 
achieving four objectives: (a) guarantee stable and sustainable food supply for current 
and future generations; (b) ensure affordable food; (c) secure adequate nutrition, and 
(d) assure food safety and consumer protection. The National Economic and 
Development Authority (NEDA) shall develop and issue Planning Guidelines that 
incorporate the whole-of-government approach and focus on achieving these 
objectives. When issuing annual budget calls, the Department of Budget and 
Management (DBM) shall incorporate the whole-of-government approach to achieve 
these objectives and eradicate hunger by 2030. 
 
SEC. 11. Review and Rationalization of Existing Policies, Laws, Rules, Regulations, 
Plans, Programs, Activities, and Projects. — Policies, laws, rules, regulations, plans, 
programs, activities, and projects relevant to the eradication of hunger shall be 
reviewed and rationalized to comply with the integrated policy and planning 
objectives. 
 
a) To guarantee stable and sustainable food supply for current and future 
generations, the following Departments and agencies, with the 
participation of civil society organizations, business and the private 
sector, shall jointly review, and if necessary, jointly rationalize all policies, 
laws, rules, regulations, programs, activities and projects related, but not 
limited, to (i) agricultural and fisheries production,  (ii) trade in 
agricultural and food products, (iii)  drought, crop failure and disaster 
management, (iv) market system including small-scale local and regional 
markets, particularly marketing, storage, transportation, communications 


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and distribution system, (v) watershed management, control of 
deforestation and enhancement of national forest cover, (vi) sustainability 
of productive resources and natural assets for food generation or 
production, (vii) weather variability and climate change, (viii) monitoring 
of food stocks for food storage and distribution, including measures 
against spoilage, food leakage and corruption, (ix) security of land tenure, 
including mechanisms for adequate resettlement, compensation and 
rehabilitation for persons, families, groups or communities forcibly 
evicted, (x) farmers’ rights to save, reuse, exchange and sell seeds and 
plant genetic resources, including safeguards for domestic seeds and 
plant varieties against importation and use of terminator seeds, seed 
pricing standards, seed databanking, (xi) agricultural research, training 
and technology, (xii) investments in agriculture and public spending on 
agriculture, fisheries, agrarian reform, and environmental protection (xiii) 
agrarian reform, land demarcation and land distribution, (xiv) 
environmental protection, and (xv) domestic and international food aid 
and disaster relief: 
 
1. Department of Agriculture (DA) 
2. Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) 
3. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 
4. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 
5. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 
6. Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) 
7. Department of Energy (DOE) 
8. Department of Finance (DOF) 
9. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) 
10. Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD) 
11. Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) 
12. Department of Budget and Management (DBM) 
13. Department of Science and Technology (DOST) 
14. Department of National Defense (DND) 
15. National Economic and Development Agency (NEDA) 
16. National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) 
17. Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) 
18. National Youth Commission (NYC) 
19. Climate Change Commission (CCC) 
20. National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) 
 
b) To ensure affordable food, the following Departments and agencies, with 
the participation of civil society organizations, business and the private 
sector,  shall jointly review, and if necessary, jointly rationalize all policies, 
laws, rules, regulations, programs, activities and projects related, but not 
limited, to (i) regulation and monitoring of volatility/stability of food 
prices, (ii) chronic food poverty, (iii) mobilization of domestic public and 
private savings, (iv) unfair competition/ uncompetitive practices in the 


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market, (v) adequate consumer protection against fraudulent market 
practices, misinformation and unsafe food, (vi) climate change adaptation 
and mitigation, (vii) transportation costs, traffic, ports and highways, (viii) 
oil price monitoring, (ix) food supply monitoring, (x) taxes on 
consumption, (xi) protection of labor and access to labor, including 
standards for living wage and decent standard of living, (xii) social 
transfer scheme, subsidies, or food safety nets, and (xiii) public feeding 
programs: 
 
1. Department of Agriculture (DA) 
2. Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) 
3. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 
4. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 
5. Department of Energy (DOE) 
6. Department Of Finance (DOF) 
7. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) 
8. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 
9. Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) 
10. Department of Health (DOH) 
11. National Nutrition Council-Department of Science and Technology 
(NNC-DOST) 
12. Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) 
13. Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD) 
14. Department of Education (DepEd) 
15. Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 
16. National Economic and Development Agency (NEDA) 
17. National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) 
18. Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) 
19. National Youth Commission (NYC) 
20. Climate Change Commission (CCC) 
21. Philippine Information Agency (PIA) 
22. Philippine News Agency (PNA) 
 
c) To secure nutrition adequacy, the following Departments and agencies, 
with the participation of civil society organizations, business and the 
private sector, shall jointly review, and if necessary, jointly rationalize all 
policies, laws, rules, regulations, programs, activities and projects related, 
but not limited, to (i) the minimum amount of food entitlement for each 
individual, including exact quantity of calories, proteins and 
micronutrients according to age, sex, health status and occupation of a  
person, (ii) breastfeeding and breast milk substitutes, (iii) hidden hunger 
(undernutrition and malnutrition) and chronic food poverty, (iv) nutrition 
education and awareness, (v) public nutrition programs, (vi) public 
nutrition supplement programs, (vii) food labeling, (viii) food 
fortification, (ix) genetically modified organisms or genetically 
engineered food products, (x) climate change adaptation and mitigation, 


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and (xi) food cultural acceptability programs (including, among others, 
labeling, distribution programs for indigenous peoples and ethnic, 
linguistic or religious minorities): 
 
1. Department of Health (DOH) 
2. National Nutrition Council-Department of Science and Technology 
(NNC-DOST) 
3. Food Nutrition and Research Institute-Department of Science and 
Technology (FNRI-DOST) 
4. Department of Science and Technology (DOST) 
5. Department of Education (DepEd) 
6. Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) 
7. Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD) 
8. Department of National Defense (DND) 
9. Department of Energy (DOE) 
10. National Economic and Development Agency (NEDA) 
11. Climate Change Commission (CCC) 
12. National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) 
13. National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) 
14. Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) 
15. National Youth Commission (NYC) 
16. Philippine Information Agency (PIA) 
17. Philippine News Agency (PNA) 
 
d) To assure food safety and consumer protection, the following 
Departments and agencies, with the participation of civil society 
organizations, business and the private sector, shall jointly review, and if 
necessary, jointly rationalize all policies, laws, rules, regulations, 
programs, activities and projects related, but not limited, to (i) measures 
against contamination or adulteration of food, (ii) control of 
contamination from agricultural, industrial or other pollutants in the 
production of food, (iii) safety standards for food production, processing, 
storage, distribution and preparation, (iv) monitoring and regulation of 
food processing and food handling technologies, (v) monitoring and 
control of emerging food-borne pathogens or microorganisms, (vi) 
monitoring of misuse and abuse of pesticides and herbicides, (vii) 
monitoring and surveillance of food and water-borne diseases, (viii) 
regulation and monitoring of preparation and serving of street-vended 
food, (ix) monitoring, regulation and standards for water quality for 
irrigation and ingestion (drinking), (x) food regulatory powers, (xi) food 
safety and consumer protection advocacy, education, research and 
implementation of related laws and regulations (xii) effective and 
integrated food control system including complementary measures for 
agriculture and fisheries (fresh produce), the food industry including food 
manufacturers and establishments, food distribution and retail outlets, 
and the food service sector including restaurants, caterers, street vendors 


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and consumers, (xiii) monitoring, supervision and regulation of  
genetically modified organisms or genetically engineered food 
production, storage, distribution and marketing and impact on health, 
environment (including potential for genetic contamination or genetic 
pollution of plant species), soil, and issues arising from intellectual 
property ownership associated with creating new crops and food, 
labeling, and pre-market testing, (xiv) hidden hunger (undernutrition and 
malnutrition) and chronic food poverty, (xv)climate change adaptation 
and mitigation, and (xvi) justiciability and accountability measures, 
including measures to address smuggling, cartels, price manipulation, 
corruption, food poisoning, contamination or adulteration of food 
products, contamination of productive resources and natural assets, land 
conflicts, conflicts over productive resources and natural assets: 
 
1. Department of Agriculture (DA) 
2. Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) 
3. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 
4. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 
5. Department of Energy (DOE) 
6. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) 
7. Department of Social Work and Development (DSWD) 
8. Department of Health (DOH) 
9. Department of Justice (DOJ) 
10. Department of Education (DepEd) 
11. Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 
12. Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) 
13. Department of Budget and Management (DBM) 
14. Department of Science and Technology (DOST) 
15. Department of National Defense (DND) 
16. Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) 
17. Department of Tourism (DOT)  
18. Food Safety Regulatory Coordination Board and Food Safety 
Regulatory Agencies of the Department of Agriculture (DA), 
Department of Health (DOH), and Department of the Interior and 
Local Government (DILG) 
19. National Economic and Development Agency (NEDA) 
20. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 
21. National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) 
22. Climate Change Commission (CCC) 
23. National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) 
24. National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) 
25. Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) 
26. National Youth Commission (NYC) 
27. Philippine Information Agency (PIA) 
28. Philippine News Agency (PNA) 
29. Local Water Utilities Administration (LWUA) 


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SEC. 12. Targets and Indicators. — The State shall also ensure that, by 2030, land 
devoted to food production will be increased to fifty percent (50%) of all prime 
agricultural land in every region, and, within the same period, the State shall ensure 
that the following indicators will considerably and steadily increase: 
 
a) Percentage of developed ancestral lands; 
b) Percentage of rural population with access to productive resources; 
c) Share of budget spent on programs aimed at creating access to productive 
resources; 
d) Percentage of budget spent on agri research, agri extension, irrigation, 
training, technology, credits, and rural development; 
e) Percentage of rural female-headed households, or rural women, with 
legal title to agriculture lands; 
f) 
Percentage of public budget allocation for social transfer programs to 
those unable to feed themselves; 
g) Coverage of marginalized and disadvantaged populations taking part in 
social transfer programs; 
h) Percentage of marginalized and disadvantaged populations covered by a 
public nutrition supplement program; 
i) 
Percentage of the population aware of available food and nutrition 
programs; and 
j) 
Coverage of school feeding programs. 
 
 
SEC. 13. Standards on the Minimum Amount of Food. —  Within one (1) year from 
the effectivity of this Act, the Commission, in consultations with the DSWD, NNC, 
and the DOH, shall issue guidelines on the minimum amount of food for persons who 
are suffering from hunger or undernourishment, or are at risk from suffering from 
hunger or undernourishment, but who cannot take care of their own needs due to 
reasons beyond their control ( like the effect and impact of the COVID 19 pandemic), 
including but not limited to children whose parents die due to the pandemic or 
disappear or otherwise, no longer able to take care of them, the elderly, and persons 
with disabilities. The guidelines shall include: 
 
a) The exact quantity of calories, proteins, and micronutrients, to which the 
minimum amount of food will correspond, according to the age, sex, health status, 
and occupation of the person. 
b) A simple and accessible application or certification procedure for the 
minimum amount of food entitlement with transparent, fair, and non-discriminatory 
eligibility  
or certification criteria. And 
c) A relief mechanism to ensure that such individuals are provided with their 
minimum food requirement.  
 
Specific support measures will be designed and adopted to prevent or compensate for 
the disadvantages that identified vulnerable persons or groups suffer from, with 
regard to the enjoyment of their right to food. 


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SEC. 14.  Food Emergencies. — Whenever a situation arises in which access to 
food is endangered, as that caused by natural events like drought, floods, storms, 
earthquakes, or crop failures resulting from pests or diseases, or by a human agency 
such as internal or international armed conflict, or a national health emergency such 
as the COVID-19 pandemic,  the Commission on the Right to Adequate Food, in 
coordination with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council 
(NDRRMC) shall ensure that: 
 
a) Information on potential or brewing food emergencies is shared speedily 
among all Departments and agencies, and with the general public; 
b) Food emergency responses sufficiently cover both early warning 
responses and disaster preparedness in case of a crisis, and food responses 
are organized and managed efficiently and effectively; 
c) Food aid is free from spoilage, and leakage and is protected against theft 
and corruption; and 
d) Requests for international assistance are initiated in case of necessity and 
the distribution of food to intended recipients is properly supervised and 
coordinated. 
 
 
The Department of National Defense (DND), the Department of Justice (DOJ), 
and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall ensure strict 
compliance with Republic Act No. 9851, or the “Philippine Act on Crimes Against 
International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other  Crimes Against  Humanity" 
and other relevant laws, when responding to food emergencies. 
 
SEC. 15. Information Dissemination. —  All government agencies, under the 
direction of the Commission on the Right to Adequate Food, in coordination with the 
Philippine News Agency (PNA) and Philippine Information Agency (PIA), are 
mandated to: 
 
a) Inform the population about the rights established in this Act and the 
implementing rules and regulations adopted upon its entry into force, as 
well as about any other measure taken for the purpose of facilitating and 
promoting the realization of the right to adequate food. 
b) Use the most appropriate ways and methods of disseminating information 
by providing information through all media formats, and in local 
languages, notably in the most marginalized areas and among populations 
with a high rate of illiteracy. 
  
SEC. 16. Education and Awareness Program. — The Commission on the Right to 
Adequate Food, in coordination with the DepEd, Commission on Higher Education 
(CHED), and TESDA, shall ensure that: 
 
a) The school curriculum includes material related to food and nutrition 
education, the right to adequate food, and human rights principles. 


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b) Relevant adult education and training programs shall include materials 
related to food and nutrition, the right to adequate food, and human rights 
principles. 
 
SEC. 17. International Cooperation. —  The Commission on the Right to Adequate 
Food, in coordination with the CHR and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), 
shall: 
 
a) Ensure that activities undertaken in other countries, including those by 
private actors, do not infringe on the enjoyment of the right to adequate 
food by people in the concerned countries, in coordination with DA, DTI, 
DOH, and NEDA, and other relevant agencies;  
b) promote international cooperation and provide assistance to ensure the 
realization of the right to adequate food in other countries, if in a position 
to do so; and  
c) ensure that international and other agreements that the Philippine 
Government enters into take into account the guarantee of the right to food. 
The Commission on the Right to Adequate Food, in coordination with the 
CHR and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), shall ensure that 
international bilateral and/or multilateral agreements which the Philippine 
Government may enter into take into account the State’s objective to 
eliminate hunger by 2030.  Before entering into any international 
agreement, the DFA, with the participation of relevant Departments, civil 
society, business, and the private sector, shall carefully evaluate the 
proposed agreement to determine its impact on the eradication of hunger 
and propose necessary amendments or revisions to align the agreement 
with the State’s objective to eliminate hunger by 2030. 
 
SEC. 18.  Periodic Review and Public Reporting. — Periodic reviews shall be 
undertaken to ensure compliance with set targets. In the implementation of this Act, 
priority will be given to identified areas with a chronically malnourished population. 
In measuring the incidence of hunger, the key primary data sources will include 
national nutrition surveys and household surveys of the Philippine Statistics 
Authority (PSA), namely the Family Income and Expenditure Survey and the Annual 
Poverty Indicators Survey, with global hunger indices as benchmarks.  
 
SEC. 19. Monitoring and Evaluation System. —There shall be an integrated 
monitoring system that shall ensure that all government agencies at all levels, under 
the supervision of the Commission on the Right to Adequate Food, shall: 
 
a) Collect data related to food and nutrition security, using monitoring 
methodologies and processes consistent with human rights principles as 
established by this Act; 
b) Disaggregate collected data by age, sex, income, bracket, civil status, and 
ethnicity;  


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c) Monitor progress achieved in the realization of the right to adequate food; 
and 
d) Establish or identify an early warning mechanism for food supply 
shortages and emergencies. 
 
SEC. 20. Penal Provisions. – The penalty of prisión correccional shall be imposed 
on any public or private actor who causes the starvation or denial of access to food of 
any particular individual or group, as through the commission of any of the following 
acts:  
a) blockade 
b) Refusal to implement a food-related program 
c) discrimination in implementing a food-related program; 
d) Negligence in implementing food-related programs, resulting in death; 
e) obstructing access to food in times of pandemic, calamity, or war; 
f) 
theft, corruption, or black marketeering of food being given as 
humanitarian aid, in times of calamity or war;  
g) distribution of expired or unsafe food at a school feeding program or other 
feeding programs, in times of calamity or war; 
h) contamination of food or water sources, through mining activities, aerial 
spraying of plantations, or any other similar means; and 
i) 
other analogous acts.  
 
Provided That, the penalty is imposable without prejudice to any other criminal, 
civil, or administrative liability under Philippine law; Provided Further, That if the act 
committed is food blockade during armed conflict, the penalty imposable shall be 
without prejudice to the application of Republic Act No. 9851, or the “Philippine Act 
on Crimes against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide and Other Crimes 
against Humanity,” and other relevant laws. 
 
SEC. 21. Civil and Administrative Liabilities. –  Any public officer or employee 
who directly or indirectly obstructs, defeats, violates, or in any manner impedes or 
impairs any of a person’s rights guaranteed under sections 5, 6, 7, and 9 of this Act 
shall be liable for damages. Any violation of a provision of this Act, whether 
committed by public or private actors, will similarly give rise to liability for damages. 
 
It is hereby declared a ministerial duty on the part of the Government to ensure 
the enjoyment of the rights guaranteed in this Act and to perform the duties provided 
for in this Act, as the primary duty bearer. Appropriate cases may be filed before the 
courts to compel compliance with the provisions of this Act. These cases shall be 
without prejudice to the liability for damages, as well as administrative liability that 
may be incurred.  
 
SEC. 22. Appropriations. – There shall be an allocation in the annual budget 
specifically for the purposes of the implementation of the right to adequate food, in 
accordance with priorities set by the Commission on the Right to Adequate Food. The 


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allocation shall be aimed at the progressive realization of the right to adequate food 
over the long term.  
 
SEC. 23. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The Commission on the Right to 
Adequate Food shall issue the necessary rules and regulations to implement the 
provisions of this Act within sixty (60) days from its effectivity. In the formulation of 
these rules and regulations, the Commission shall take the lead and shall coordinate 
with the CHR, DOJ, DA, DAR, DSWD, DOH, DTI, DPWH, NEDA, NNC, and NAPC, 
and with the active participation of people’s organizations and human rights 
nongovernmental organizations.  
 
SEC. 24. Rationalization of Policies. – All existing policies, laws, decrees, 
executive orders, memorandum orders, memorandum circulars, administrative 
orders, and ordinances shall be rationalized and interpreted in a way that shall 
guarantee the realization of the right to adequate food as provided for by this Act.  
 
Concerned Cabinet secretaries and other executive authorities shall report on a 
regular basis to the Commission on the Right to Adequate Food on legislative and 
regulatory measures that have been formulated and adopted, and the time frames 
within which they are envisaged to achieve their objectives in order to achieve zero 
hunger.  
 
SEC. 25. Separability Clause. – If any part or provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provisions not affected thereby shall 
remain in full force and effect. 
 
SEC. 26. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, executive orders, memorandum 
orders, memorandum circulars, administrative orders, ordinances, or parts thereof, 
which are inconsistent with the right to adequate food and the provisions of this Act, 
are hereby deemed repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SEC. 27. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
 
Approved,