Senate approves bill expanding national nutrition programs

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate approved on third reading on Monday a bill expanding the national nutrition programs under Republic Act No. 11037, or the Masustansyang Pagkain Para Sa Batang Pilipino Act.

Senate Bill No. 2272, or the Expanded National Nutrition Program, sponsored by Sen. Bam Aquino, is among the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac) priority bills.

It amends RA No. 11037 to implement universal feeding programs in public schools for kindergarten to Grade 3 students.

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“This Expanded National Nutrition Program will address one of the most critical reforms needed in our education system… We cannot solve the education crisis if we do not tackle one of its root causes—undernutrition, which stands as a major barrier to effective learning among Filipino students,” Aquino said.

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The amendments also require that the National Nutrition Program have a “life-stage approach,” thereby providing that not only undernourished children will benefit from the program but also vulnerable learners from childhood to high school.

Moreover, the bill mandates the Department of Health, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Education, National Nutrition Council, and Department of the Interior and Local Government to keep track of children’s nutrition at all developmental stages.

The local agricultural and fisheries sectors will benefit from the proposed measure, as it mandates that at least 50 percent of the meals in the feeding programs must be directly procured from local farmers and fisherfolk.

The bill specifies that accredited farmers and fisherfolk must be paid within 15 working days of the delivery of the hot meals, guaranteeing secure livelihoods for the said sector. /mcm