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

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill No. e708

Introduced by DIWA Party-list Representative Pepito M. Pico

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Ithas been called a "miracle vegetable" and a "super food", but for many Filipinos malunggay
-- internationally known as moringa -- is simply a common backyard plant. However, each year
seems to bring about a newly discovered potential use for malunggay, from promoting
lactation, to alleviation of gout, to the reduction of blood glucose for diabetics. Even on its
own, malunggay is packed with nutrition and vitamins, its leaves containing the likes of
calcium, magnesium, protein, potassium, chlorophyl, polyphenol, vitamins C, A, B and B2,
and the amino acids, arginine and histidine.'

While at present it is an underutilized resource in our country, it is clear that it would redound
to the benefit of the Filipino people if the plant and its industry will be given more attention
and support, not only on the health benefits of malunggay, but most importantly the economic
gains. It is clear that as more and more uses of malunggay are discovered (the first international
symposium on the plant and its benefits was held last year, here in Manila) the demand for it
will definitely increase. This bill — a refiling of House Bill 4173 filed by former DIWA Party-
list Representative Emmeline villar and as a counterpart of Senate Bill No. 319 with the support
of its author, Senator Cynthia Villar- aims to promote the development of the malunggay
industry; to create the malunggay development fund; as well as to launch a national malunggay
month,

PEPITO M. PICO
Representative, DIWA Party-list

* http://entertainment.inquirer.net/174969/malunggay-as-a-superfood
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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

House Bill No. ses

Introduced by DIWA Party-list Representative Pepito M. Pico

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR THE MALUNGGAY INDUSTRY,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Title - This act shall be known as the "Malunggay Development Act."

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy - It is hereby declared the policy of the State: to
continuously develop the promising malunggay industry as an agribusiness and a major source
of pharmaceutic properties through improvement of research and development; to promote it
as a means of livelihood for poverty alleviation; to maximize its utilization for health and
nutrition; and discover its other potential co-products.

SECTION 3. Development of the Malunggay Industry - The Department of Agriculture
(DA), in consultation with the Department of Science and Technology, state universities and
colleges, farmer groups, local government units, and the private sector, shall formulate
necessary measures, programs and projects for the advancement and industry-wide
development of malunggay, as follows:

Industry-Wide Development

‘a. Appropriate land usage for malunggay to increase and sustain its productivity and
agricultural output.

b. Organize systematic programs that could improve production of malunggay through its
seeding, cultivation, harvesting, and proper processing.

c. Augment and initiate intensive scientific research and studies over the propagation of
moringa oleifera to maximize and verify its nutritional and medicinal properties, and to
diversify its other possible uses.

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d. Disseminate information regarding malunggay/s uses and benefits, along with its
products, to stir awareness through the public through the use of advertising, mass
media, and information technology.

e. Share information on agricultural and manufacturing practice to determine market
opportunities for potential stakeholders.

f. Collaborate with different organizations whose incorporators are concerned with
promotion of information and statistics on malunggay industry.

g. Explore possibility of malunggay as a useful agricultural input (fertilizer) and animal
feed to the farming sector, which can lessen their expenses over commercialized ones.

h. Survey malunggay's potential as an organic wonder in the international markets and
prepare it as one of Philippines’ major commercial products.

i. Develop the malunggay food industry and incorporate its different parts through food
preparation, various recipes and diet because of its healthy contribution to the people's
well-being.

j. Create malunggay communal fields and gardens for those in the marginalized or rural
areas as to address their problems in food and health care and to somehow attain self-
sufficiency in the rising needs of today's populace.

k. Initiate alternative livelihood projects involving malunggay for poverty alleviation and
development of new products derived from them.

1. Invest in the biofuel potential of malunggay oil as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel
for the country's power generation.

SECTION 4. National Malunggay Month - In recognition and providing importance to the
health, social, agricultural, and environmental value of the malunggay plant, the month of
November will be declared as the National Malunggay Month.

SECTION 5. Malunggay Development Fund (MDF) - To provide for the funding
requirements for the production, marketing, and processing of malunggay, it is hereby created
a Malunggay Development Fund (MDF), with an initial amount of Fifty Million Pesos (P50,
000, 000.00) to be taken from the existing budget of the Department of Agriculture. Thereafter,
the MDF shall be sourced from the amounts be appropriated in the General Appropriations Act
in the year following its enactment into law.

SECTION 6. Repealing Clause - All laws, orders, decrees, rules and regulations, or any part
thereof, which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed or modified
accordingly.

SECTION 7. Effectivity Clause - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in any newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines.

Approved,

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