PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law a measure that seeks to institutionalize a national feeding program for undernourished children in public day care, kindergarten and elementary schools.
Duterte on June 20 signed Republic Act (RA) 11037, which was tiltled "Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act," in an effort to combat hunger and undernutrition among Filipino children.
"The State recogizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social-well being," the President said in the newly-signed law.
"In recognition of the demonstrated relationship between food and nutrition, and the capacity of students to develop and learn, the State shall establish a comprehensive national feeding program that will address the problem of hunger and undernutrition among Filipino children," he added.
Under RA 11037, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) was formed to harmonize all existing national and local nutrition and poverty databases that identify individuals, groups, and localities with highest magnitude of hunger and undernutrition.
The law mandated the national government agencies to create a five-year plan to fully implement the national feeding program in public schools that have the highest prevalance of undernutrition and nutrient-deficiency among aged three up to grade six level.
It further directed the national government to encourage the private sector, such as parent-teachers associations, private corporations, and peoples and nongovernment organizations, to participate in the implementation of the anti-hunger initiatives.
Duterte's RA 11037 also tasked local government units (LGUs) to assist the national government in the efficient and effective implementation of the program.
The newly-signed law provided that any donation or bequest made to the national government or LGUs shall be exempt from donor's tax.
In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the signing of RA 11037 was a "clear proof" that Duterte was determined to safeguard children from the ill effects of undernourishment and subsequently enhance their learning capacities.
"It is a testament that the Duterte administration recognizes the importance of good nutrition to our children’s ability to develop into physically and mentally healthy individuals," Roque said.
"We aim to combat hunger and undernutrition among the youngest members of our society, for we consider it a sin for the government to be unable to spend billions worth of budget while around six million Filipino youths suffer from acute malnutrition," he added.
RA 11037 was a consolidation of Senate Bill 1279 and House Bill 5269 passed by the Senate and the House on March 20, 2018. (SunStar Philippines)