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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
Second Regular Session

House BILLNo. 6556

Introduced by Representative Sharon S. Garin

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Food security, as defined by the United Nations’ Committee on World Food Security,
is the “condition in which all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access
to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for
an active and healthy life.” This modern definition of food security is a two-pronged concept
which not only considers an adequate food supply of a country, but also the people’s access
to such food supply. Food security remains one of the main goals of any country. In the
Philippines, we have yet to achieve such goal, but this bill is a step in the right direction

Aside from ensuring food security, this bill also seeks to address the health issue of
Filipinos. It follows that a food secure Philippines, would also naturally lead to a healthier
populace as more Filipinos will have access to adequate and nutritious food.

Right now, under-nutrition still remains a serious problem in the Philippines. This is
especially troubling for children where chronic under-nutrition can lead to stunting and
wasting and cause damage to health, physical growth, and brain development. Stunting is the
condition wherein a child’s height is below the normal level of other children his, wasting on
the other hand is when a child is too thin for his height. Simply put, there is a reduced rate
physical development. Stunting in the first two years is often irreversible, and children
affected are impaired for life and have lower chances of finishing school and becoming
highly-productive adults. In the Philippines, studies have shown that 3.6 million of children
0-5 years are underweight; and 4 million are stunted.

This bill seeks to address this problem of hunger and malnutrition, especially in
children who are among the most vulnerable. To this end, it creates a National Feeding
Program which is geared towards children aged 0-13. To facilitate this feeding program, this
bill also mandates a percentage of supplies needed for the feeding program to come from
small-scale suppliers and shall be exempt from regular procurement process. Finally, to
ensure the effective implementation of this act, the National Food Security Council is created
to act as the coordinating body.

This bill is anchored in our commitment to food security, coupled with the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, which states that “everyone has the right to a standard of living


adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food,” and the
Constitutional declaration that the “State shall protect and promote the right to health of the
people and instill health consciousness among them.”

In view of the foregoing, passage of this bill is earnestly sought.



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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OR REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 6556

Introduced by Representative Sharon S. Garin

AN ACT
CREATING A SYSTEM OF FOOD DISTRIBUTION FOR ADDRESSING THE
NUTRITIONAL NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE PROVIDING FOR ITS PROCUREMENT
PROCESS AND 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. Short Title — This Act shall be known as the "National Food Security
Act"

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy — It is, hereby, declared a policy of the State to
develop, create, and implement a nationwide feeding program to alleviate poverty and hunger
in the country. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, ratified by the Philippines, states
everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of
himself and of his family, including food. Furthermore, the Constitution states "The State
shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness

among them."

National Feeding Program
SEC. 3. National Feeding Program — There is, hereby, established a National
Feeding Program which shall aim to alleviate hunger and malnutrition for children ages 0 -

13 years old,


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SEC. 4. Creation of a National Hunger Targeting System — The Philippine Statistics
Authority (PSA) in coordination with the Department of Social Welfare and Development
(DSWD) and Department of Health (DOH) shall establish a nationwide database that
identifies groups and/or individuals that have the least access to proper nutrition. The
database shall identify the most vulnerable groups and/or individuals to be listed as
beneficiaries.

SEC. 5. Infant Feeding Program — The DOH, in Consultation with DSWD, shall
create a system of distribution through the Barangay Health Workers of food packets for
those targeted by the system created in this Act. The said food packets shall supplement the
nutritional and dietary needs of children ages 0 - 1 year olds.

SEC. 6. Supplementary Feeding Program — The DSWD shall ensure that children
ages 2 - 5 receive the proper nutrients and diet while under their care. Beneficiaries shall be
given meals that will meet their nutritional needs. The DSWD may consult with the National
Nutrition Council (NNC) to meet the proper nutritional and dietary needs of the children. The
following shall be the beneficiaries:

a) Children 2 - 4 years old in the Supervised Neighborhood Play (SNP) Area

b) Children 3 - 4 years old enrolled in Day Care Centers (DCC), and

c) Children 5 years old not enrolled in the Department of Education (DepEd) preschool
system but enrolled in DCCs.

SEC. 7. Elementary Feeding School Program — The DepEd shall ensure that
students from Kindergarten to Grade 4 are given the proper meals during school hours. Such
meals should contain the proper nutritional and dietary needs of students. The DepEd shall
consult the NNC nutritional and dietary specifics.

Chapter II
Procurement


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SEC. 8. Procurement of Produce — The Government is, hereby, mandated to ensure
that 30% or more of the supplies needed to implement the National Feeding Program are
procured from Small-Scale Producers.

SEC. 9. Registry of Small-Scale Producers ~The DA shall keep and regularly update
a list of Small-Scale Producers. It shall use Registry for Basic Sectors in Agriculture
(RSBSA), Regional Field Office (RFO) list of beneficiaries, the Bureau of Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources's National Program for Municipal Fisherfolk Registration (BFAR Fish R)
for fisherfolk, and any other list it may deem necessary to keep the registry up to date.
Furthermore, the DA is required to coordinate with the DSWD to cross-match and Compare
the registry with the DSWD's National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction
(NHTS-PR) to avoid duplication and redundancy,

SEC. 10. Procurement process for Small-Scale Producers ~ For the purposes of this
act, procurement from Small Scale producers shall be exempted from the procurement
Process as stated in Republic Act No. 91.84, otherwise known as the Procurement Law.
Provided, small scale producers shall undergo Negotiated Procurement Participation under
the guidelines of the Government Procurement Policy Board (GPPB) and specified under this
act.

SEC. 11. Negotiated Procurement Participation — Small Scale Producers shall enter
a Negotiated Procurement with the government under the guidelines of the GPPB when the
following conditions are met:

a) DA Validation — certification from the DA and/or any of its tasked agency that the
individual or family is indeed included in the Registry of Small scale farmers;

b) Produce/Product Sustainability — when participants have the ability to continue to
meet the demand for their produce or product for prolonged periods of time, with or

without government intervention;


1 c) Community Enrichment — when there is a viable means of improving the wellbeing of

2 the community where the small scale farmers are situated. This seeks to extend the
3 benefits that may arise from the contract between the small Scale farmers and the
4 government. The goal is to achieve positive outcomes such as like poverty reduction,
5 access to education, equitable distribution and management of natural resources,
6 climate change adaptation/mitigation, disaster risk reduction, gender equality, disease
7 reduction, and job generation, among others.

8 SEC. 12. Support Services for Small-Scale Producers under the Department of

9 Agriculture — The DA shall institute the following benefits for Small-Scale Producers as

10 contained in their registry:

uu a) Training on Production, Harvesting, Procurement Process of this Act, and any other
2 topic the DA sees fit;

3 b) Subsidized Farm Equipment;

14 ©) Facilities for storage and harvesting:

15 4) Capacity Building for Small-Scale Farmer,

16 €) Access to Crop insurance;

v7 f) Access to Credit/low interest rates.

18 SEC. 13. Support Services for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries who are Small-Scale

19 Producers ~ The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) shall institute the following benefits
20 for Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries who are Small-Scale Produces as contained in their list of

21 beneficiaries.

22 a) Training on Production, Harvesting, Procurement Process of this Act, and any other
23 topic the DAR sees fit;

24 b) Subsidized Farm Equipment,

25 c) Facilities for storage and harvesting;


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d) Capacity Building for Small-Scale Farmer;
e) Access to Crop Insurance;
f) Access to Credit/low interest rates

Chapter IL
Food Council

SEC. 14. National Food Security Council — A National Food Security Council,
hereafter referred to as Council, is hereby created as an attached and independent agency to
the Office of the President.

SEC. 15. Mandate of the Council — The Council is mandated to act as the check and
balance organization for the food security system. It shall oversee the effective distribution,
procurement, and targeting of beneficiaries as mandated in this Act. It shall also serve as a
coordinating body for the different departments involved is the implementation of this Act.

SEC. 16. Chairperson of the Council — The Chairperson of the Council shall be
appointed to a six year term by the President of the Philippines. No person may be
Chairperson if he has not met the following criteria

a) Ten (10) years of Work experience in a CSO involved in Food Security;

b) Has no relatives, to the second degree of consanguinity, in the government;
c) Has good moral character;

d) No pending Cases;

SEC. 17. Membership of the Council — The Council shall consist of the following

members:
a) Representative from the Department of Agriculture (DA);
b) Representative from the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR);
c) Representative from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD);
d) Representative from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG);

e) Representative from the Department of Education (DepEd);


1 f) Representative from the Department of Health (DOH);

2 2) Representative from the National Nutritional Council (NNC);

3 h) Representative from the Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutrition
4 Research Institute (DOST-FNRD);

5 i) Four (4) Representatives from Civil Society involved in Food Security or hunger
6 alleviation;

7 j) Four (4) Representatives from Small-Scale Producers group.

8 SEC. 18. Representatives from Civil Society involved in Food Security or Hunger

9 Alleviation — The Representatives for Civil Society shall be appointed by the President of the
10 Philippines upon the recommendation of the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC). No

11 Representative may be appointed or recommended if he has not met the following criteria

2 a) Five (5) years of service under a Civil Society Organization involved in Food Security
13 of Hunger Alleviation;

4 b) Has no position in any government agency or office;

15 c) Has no relatives, to the second degree of consanguinity, in the government;

16 d) Has good moral character;

v7 ) No pending cases

18 SEC. 19. Representatives from Small-Scale Producers Group — The Representatives

9 for Small-Scale Producers shall be appointed by the President of the Philippines upon the
20 recommendation of the Department of Agriculture. No Representative may be appointed or

21 recommended if he has not met the following Criteria:

22 a) Five (5) years as a practicing Small-Scale Producer;

23 b) Has no position in any government agency or office;

24 c) Has no relatives, to the second degree of consanguinity, in the government;
25 d) Has good moral character,


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) No pending Cases;

SEC. 20. Appropriations — The funds needed to implement this Act shall be included
in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 21. Implementing Rules and Regulations — Within sixty (60) days from the
appointment its members, the Council shall promulgate such rules and regulations necessary
for the effective implementation of this Act.

SEC. 22. Separability Clause — If any provision of this Act is subsequently declared
invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall
remain in full force and effect.

SEC. 23. Effectivity — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,