EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
)
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
ta
First Regular Session 
) 
'Bn f f'i. -  Mi.np
S E N A p^ 
S.B. NO. o O o
Introduced by Senator Maria Lourdes Nancy’Srfeinay
*19 
JUL 17 
P2-44
AN ACT
PROVIDING FREE FOOD FOR CHILDREN IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND DAY 
CARE CENTERS FROM PRODUCTS OF FARMERS PURCHASED BY THE 
GOVERNMENT 
OTHERWISE 
KNOWN 
AS 
THE 
"SCHOOL 
FEEDING 
PURCHASED FROM LOCAL FARMERS PROGRAM"
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article II, Section 13 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides:
"The State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation­
building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, 
spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being."
Article XIII, Section 5 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides:
"The State shall recognize the right of farmers, farmworkers, and 
landowners, as well as cooperatives, and other independent 
farmers' organizations to participate in the planning, organization, 
and management of the program, and shall provide support to 
agriculture through appropriate technology and research, and 
adequate financial, 
production, 
marketing 
and 
other support 
services."
According to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), "even short-term 
hunger can adversely affect a child's ability to learn." This holds true since 
undernutrition disrupts a child's mental and physical development leading to poor


productivity, concentration, critical thinking, creativity, and negatively affecting 
their social abilities. It also makes a child more vulnerable to diseases, 
disabilities, and even death.
Due to the lack of resources and information regarding healthy and affordable 
meal preparations, parents are unable to provide their children nutritious meals. 
Therefore, student performance and retention is affected because they attend 
classes with an empty stomach or is given junk food as an alternative.
Parents are expected to provide the basic needs of their children which include 
clean, sufficient, and nutritious food. However, the government must also 
support and educate its people, especially the poor who are most vulnerable to 
hunger.
Moreover, creating a sustainable and competitive agricultural industry ought to 
be the main focus of the government. Generating sustainability and steady 
growth across an industry that regularly faces challenges ranging from 
transportation and sustainability to volatile weather.
In addition, local farmers' agricultural products are essential to the Philippine 
economy as well as the country's food security. In 2017, the Philippine Statistics 
Authority (PSA) reported that 10.26 million Filipinos were employed in agriculture 
alone. Due to this, it will be beneficial for agricultural sector if the government 
will utilize the produce of local farmers for the program.
The proposed bill seeks to provide free nutritious food for children in public 
schools and day care centers, sourced from local farmers. Investing in children's 
nutrition is a priority of the Philippine Government to ensure that nutritional 
deficiency will not be an impediment to the mental and physical development of 
Filipino children. The bill also seeks to further the growth of the local agricultural


• 
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sector by utilizing their harvest as raw materials for the proposed school based 
feeding program.
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this measure is earnestly sought.
MARIA LOURDES NA m y  S. BINAY 
Senator


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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES
First Regular Session
SENATE 
S.B. NO.
••• • V •
'19 
JUL 17 
P2 -44
Introduced by Senator Maria Lourdes Nanc^ S. Binay 
^
AN ACT
PROVIDING FREE FOOD FOR CHILDREN IN  PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND DAY 
CARE CENTERS FROM PRODUCTS OF FARMERS PURCHASED BY THE 
GOVERNMENT 
OTHERWISE 
KNOWN 
AS 
THE 
"SCHOOL 
FEEDING 
PURCHASED FROM LOCAL FARMERS PROGRAM"
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representatives o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
Section 1. Short W e. -  This Act shall be known as the "School Feeding 
Purchased From Local Farmers Program."
Sec. 2. Declaration o f Policy. -  It is the policy of the State to feed our 
children and secure their education. It is also the policy of the State to free our 
people from poverty by providing a guaranteed market for the products of our 
farmers, thereby promoting full employment in the agricultural sector, presently 
the sector with the highest poverty incidence.
Sec. 3. Breakfast Feeding Program. -  A breakfast feeding program shall 
be mandatory in all public day care centers, preschools, and elementary schools. 
This breakfast feeding program shall be administered by the Secretary of the 
Department of Education.
School breakfasts shall be made available free of charge to school children 
in all public day care centers, preschools, and elementary schools. Feeding shall 
be done in the morning, preferably before the start of classes.


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School breakfasts must meet the applicable recommendations of the Food 
and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI). The decisions about what specific food 
to serve and how they are prepared shall be made by the school authorities, 
based on guidelines to be issued by the Secretary of the Department of 
Education.
Sec. 4. Gudranteed Market for Farmers Fund. -  A Guaranteed Market for 
Farmers Fund shall be established which shall be administered by the 
Department of Education. Five Billion Pesos (P5/000,000,000.00) shall be 
appropriated from the National Treasury for this purpose upon the effectivity of 
this Act. For every succeeding year thereafter, such amount shall be increased by 
increments of at 
least 
Five 
Billion 
Pesos 
(P5,000,000,000.00) 
shall 
be 
appropriated from the National Treasury for this purpose upon the effectivity of 
this Act. For every succeeding year thereafter, such amount shall be increased by 
increments of at least Five Billion Pesos (P5,000,000,000.00).
Sec. 5. Guaranteed Market for Farmers. -  Farmers, identified by the 
Department of Agriculture and 
the 
Department of Social 
Welfare and 
Development under the National Household Targeting Survey to be living in 
poverty, shall be given a guarantee that their produce shall be purchased by the 
government. The maximum amount to be allocated for each farmer shall be 
determined so as to ensure that their net income shall not fall below the poverty 
threshold for their respective localities/regions.
Sec. 6. 
Technical Training and Assistance. -  The Secretary of the 
Department of Education, in consultation with the Secretary of the Department 
of Health, the Director of the FNRI, and the Director-General/Secretary of the 
Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), shall develop a 
program to provide the food service personnel of public day care centers, 
preschools, and elementary schools with technical training and assistance to
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prepare healthy meals. The same personnel shall be responsible for security the 
produce of the identified farmers from the respective localities.
Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -  Within ninety (90) days 
from the approval of this Act, the Secretary of the Department of Education, the 
Secretary of the Department of Health, the Secretay of Social Welfare and 
Development, the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Director of 
the FNRI, the Director-General/Secretary of the TESDA, and other appropriate 
government agencies, shall promulgate the rules and regulations to impiement 
the provisions of this Act. Such rules and regulations shall take effect fifteen (15) 
days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.
Sec. 8. Separability Clause. -  If any provision, or part hereof, is held 
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not 
otherwise affected shall remain valid and subsisting.
Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. -  Any iaw, presidential decree or issuance, 
executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation 
contrary to or inconsistent with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, 
modified, or amended accordingly.
Sec. 10. Effectivity Clause. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,