Law Summary
Key Definitions
- Defines terms such as Act, Central Kitchen, Children, Community-Based Facilities, Cycle Menu, ECCD Service Providers, Kindergarten, Elementary Education, Fresh Milk and milk-based products, Fortified Meal, Health Examination, NGAs (DepEd and DSWD), Philippine Dietary Reference Intake, Public Day Care Centers, Undernourished Child, including detailed classifications of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies.
National Feeding Program Components
- Supplemental Feeding Program for Day Care Children (3-5 years), administered by DSWD with locally sourced ingredients whenever possible, fortified meals for at least 120 days annually.
- School-Based Feeding Program for Kindergarten to Grade 6 public school children, implemented by DepEd aimed to improve nutritional status and educational outcomes, with modalities like the Central Kitchen Model involving local and indigenous food resources.
- Milk Feeding Program coordinated with DA, NDA, PCC, and CDA to incorporate fresh and locally produced milk and milk products into fortified meals, fostering local dairy industry and compliance with food fortification laws.
- Micronutrient Supplementation coordinated with DOH to provide essential supplements and iodized salt adhering to national guidelines.
- Health Examinations, Vaccinations, and Deworming services for Program beneficiaries led by NGAs in collaboration with DOH and LGUs, including school health cards and regular monitoring.
- Gulayan sa Paaralan initiative encouraging schools and day care facilities to grow nutrient-rich plants, supported by DA, LGUs, and other stakeholders.
- Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) programs for food safety, proper hygiene, and sanitation facilities managed by NGAs and LGUs, with regular campaigns, inspections, and training.
- Integrated nutrition education, behavioral transformation, and social mobilization involving training, community engagement, and coordination with organizations such as PTA and Sanggunian Kabataan.
Implementation Prioritization
- NGAs to create a five-year plan focusing on localities with highest undernutrition prevalence, existing facilities, and willingness to provide counterpart resources for the program.
National Nutrition Information System (NNIS)
- NNC designated as focal agency to harmonize nutrition data from NGAs, LGUs, and agencies.
- NNIS supports identification of nutritionally depressed areas and monitoring of feeding program beneficiaries, updating databases biannually.
Role of Local Government Units (LGUs)
- LGUs assist NGAs in implementation and may use funds from Special Education Fund and development funds to augment budgets.
- Responsibilities include overseeing program implementation, supporting local food production by linking farmers with procurement, integrating feeding budget into local plans, conducting training, and resource mobilization.
Private Sector Participation
- Encourages private sector involvement including PTAs, corporations, NGOs with a formal agreement specifying roles and compliance with laws banning certain partnerships.
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting
- NGAs in coordination with LGUs, NNC, and stakeholders regularly monitor program compliance and impact.
- Annual reports on implementation status are submitted to the Office of the President and Congress.
Tax Exemptions
- Donations to NGAs or local agencies for the feeding program are exempt from donor's tax with approval from relevant agencies.
- Inclusion of feeding program projects in the National Priority Programs enables full tax deductions for private sector donations.
Procurement of Goods and Services
- DBM, GPPB, and COA tasked to establish streamlined community-based procurement procedures within 90 days for efficient program rollout.
- Existing procurement guidelines may be reviewed and amended to accommodate community participation.
Institutional Guidelines
- NGAs must formulate institutional guidelines to ensure efficient implementation.
- Other government agencies recommended to produce supporting policies.
Appropriations and Implementing Details
- Initial implementation costs sourced from current NGA appropriations, with continuous funding to be included in annual budgets.
- NGAs authorized to issue additional policies and amend IRR jointly.
Final Provisions
- Includes severability clause, repealing inconsistent rules, and effectivity provisions requiring publication and registration.
- The IRR takes effect 15 days after publication and must be registered with the Office of the National Administrative Register.