j M'). I Ik > i'
NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Third Regular Session 
)
24 SEP-4 P5:14
SENATE
S.B. No. 2813
Introduced by SENATOR IMEE R. MARCOS
AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11037 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
"MASUSTANSYANG PAGKAIN PARA SA BATANG PILIPINO ACT/'
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Article II Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution states that "The State shall protect 
and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among 
them."
According to UNICEF, as of 2014, 95 Filipino children die from malnutrition every 
day. According to a 2021 report of the World Bank, the Philippines have not made any 
improvement in lowering the prevalence of malnutrition in the past thirty years, with 
the Philippines ranking fifth among countries in the East Asia and Pacific region with 
the highest prevalence of stunting. This problem is not just a health concern but also 
an economic concern as well, as the burden brought by childhood undernutrition on 
the Philippine economy was at USD 4.4 billion or around 1.5% of our GDP in 2015.
To address undernutrition. President Duterte signed, in 2018, Republic Act No. 
11037 or the "Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act" which established a 
National Feeding Program for undernourished public-school children in day care 
centers, as well as those in kindergarten to Grade 6. The law was enacted to address 
the problem of undernutrition, with the State recognizing the demonstrated relationship 
between food and nutrition, and the capacity of students to develop and learn.
The National Feeding Program currently caters to undernourished children aged 
3-5 years old in the day care centers and the supervisory neighborhood play program


of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and undernourished 
public-school children from kindergarten to grade six (6) who are enrolled in public 
schools under the Department of Education (DepEd). In 2022, these programs 
successfully provided hot meals to 3.19 million students in public schools and 1.99 
million children in day care centers.
This measure aims to improve Republic Act No. 11037 or the "Masustansyang 
Pagkain para sa Batang PHipino Act" by including the distribution of Nutribuns in the 
school feeding program of the DepEd and the DSWD. The bill also seeks to include the 
inclusion of nutribuns in the food packs which shall be distributed by the DSWD in times 
of disaster.
Nutribuns are an effective and proven approach to fight malnutrition of school 
children by ensuring that children will receive daily the adequate nutrient intake. 
Nutribuns are healthy and fortified, which are all prepared according to the standards 
set by the Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutrition Research 
Institute (DOST-FNRI).
For the abovementioried reasons, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly
sought.
EE R. MARCOS


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Third Regular Session 
)
SENATE
S.B. No.
•r! i: ' c. I
Z4 SEP-4 °5:14
Vlv..
Introduced by SENATOR IMEE R. MARCOS
AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11037 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE 
"MASUSTANSYANG PAGKAIN PARA SA BATANG PILIPINO ACT/' 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
1 
SECTION 1. Section 4 of Republic Act No. 11037 otherwise known as the
2 
"Masustansyang Pagkain Para Sa Batang Pilipino Act" shall be amended to read, as
3 
follows:
4 
"Sec. 4. National Feeding Program. - The National Feeding
5 
Program, hereinafter referred to as the Program, is hereby established to
6 
address undernutrition among Filipino children.
7 
XXX
8 
(b) School-Based Feeding Program. - The DepEd shall implement a
9 
school-based feeding program for undernourished public school children
10 
from kindergarten to grade six (6): Provided, That the Program shall
11 
include the provision of at least one (1) fortified meal to all
12 
undernourished public elementary school children for a period of not less
13 
than one hundred twenty (120) days in a yearf. PROVIDED FURTHER
14 
THAT, THE PROGRAM SHALL ALSO INCLUDE THE
15 
DISTRIBUTION OF NUTRIBUNS TO PUBLIC SCHOOL CHILDREN
16 
FROM KINDERGARTEN TO GRADE SIX (6). THE NUTRIENTS OF
17 
THE NUTRIBUNS SHALL BE BASED ON THE STANDARDS SET BY


1 
THE DEPARTMENT OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - FOOD AND
2 
NUTRITION RESEARCH INSTITUTE (DOST - FNRI).
3 
XX X."
4 
(h) Integrated Nutrition Education, Behavioral Transformation, and
5 
Social Mobilization. - The Program shall be complemented by a public
6 
health, nutrition, and values transformation campaign to promote a
7 
holistic and integrated approach to health and nutrition education.
8 
Orientation-training on the objectives and mechanics of the Program shall
9 
be held among personnel of the NGAs and LCDs concerned, parent
10 
volunteers and the parent-teachers associations (PTAs) to generate
11 
support for the Program. The NGAs concerned shall also endeavor to
12 
mobilize community organizations to continue nutrition education outside
13 
of the school-; and
14 
(i) THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT
15 
(DSWD) SHALL INCLUDE NUTRIBUNS, WHENEVER FEASIBLE,
16 
IN THE DISTRIBUTION OF FAMILY FOOD PACKS TO FAMILIES
17 
AFFECTED BY ANY DISASTER TO ENSURE THAT THE CHILDREN
18 
SHALL HAVE ADEQUATE DAILY NUTRIENT INTAKE. PROVIDED
19 
THAT, NUTRIBUNS, WHENEVER FEASIBLE, SHALL ALSO BE
20 
INCLUDED IN THE SUPPLEMENTAL FEEDING OF THE DSWD TO
21 
CHILDREN ENROLLED IN CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTERS AND
22 
SUPERVISED NEIGHBORHOOD PLAY."
23 
Sec. 2. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of
24 
this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA).
25 
Sec. 3. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) calendar days
26 
after the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Social Welfare and Development
27 
(DSWD) and Department of Education (DepEd) shall formulate the implementing rules
28 
and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.


1 
Sec. 4. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or
2 
other issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby
3 
repealed or modified accordingly.
4 
Sec. 5. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is declared
5 
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall
6 
remain in force and effect.
7 
Sec. 6. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following
8 
the completion of its publication either in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of
9 
general circulation in the Philippines.
Approved,