National feeding program law signed

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has signed into law Republic Act 11037, which institutionalizes a national feeding program for undernourished children in public daycare, kindergarden and elementary schools in a bid to fight hunger and undernutrition among Filipino children.

Duterte signed the “Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act,” which also outlines the provisions for the government’s National Feeding Program to address undernutrition among Filipino children.

The components include a supplemental feeding program for daycare children which will be spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in coordination with local government units. The program, which covers children aged three to five years, will provide at least one fortified meal for a period of not less than 120 days a year.  

Another component is the school-based feeding program, under the Department of Education, aimed at looking after undernourished public school children from kindergarden to grade six.  They will be fed for a period of not less than 120 days in a year.

The milkfeeding program will be coordinated by national government agencies (NGAs) with the Department of Agriculture, the National Dairy Authority, the Philippine Carabao Center and the Cooperative Development Authority for the incorporation of fresh milk and fresh milk-based food products in the fortified meals and cycle menu.

Under the law, the NGAs shall create a five-year plan to fully implement the program. The program will be made available for schools or daycare centers with the highest prevalence of undernutrition, and nutrient-deficiency, among children aged three years up to Grade 6.

 It is provided that the concerned schools should have available facilities or the capability to implement the program.  It also mandates that the locality is willing to provide counterpart resources for the implementation.

The law also calls for the creation of the National Nutrition Information System that will harmonize all existing national and local nutrition databases from the NGAs, local government units and other relevant agencies of government.  The same system will also be used to monitor the health and nutrition of all Filipino children, especially those covered by the program.

To encourage private groups and/or corporation to help the government, a tax exemption will also be available for donors.