Enhanced health promotion program, activities eyed

City officials adopted the provisions and principles of Republic Act (RA) 11037, otherwise known as the ‘Masustansyang Pagkain Para Sa Batang Pilipino Act’, in the city and for the city government to issue and implement effective health promotion policies, programs and activities relative to the said law.

Under Resolution No. 273, series of 2022, local legislators stated that the city government shall work to progressively ensure the implementation of the necessary programs laid down in the aforesaid Act.

Further, the city government shall integrate resource requirements for the implementation of this law and shall assist the national government agencies in the efficient and effective implementation of the program pursuant to existing rules and regulations and shall be authorized to use a portion of the special education fund or the 20 percent development fund as provided for in Republic Act (RA) 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, as amended, to augment the appropriations available under the national budget.

Section 2 of RA 11037 states that the State recognizes the vital role of the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well being 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 under nutrition among Filipino children.

The said law further provides and mandates the implementation of the national feeding program that will cover the supplemental feeding program for day care children, school-based feeding program, milk feeding program, micronutrient supplements, health examination, vaccination and deworming, Gulayan sa Paaralan, water, sanitation and hygiene and integrated nutrition education, behavioral transformation and social mobilization.

Moreover, the law adds that the national government agencies shall create a 5-year plan to fully implement the program provided the concerned agencies shall prioritize the implementation of the program in the local government units and public day care or elementary schools that have the highest prevalence of under nutrition and nutrient-deficiency among children aged 3 up to Grade 6 level, with available facilities or capability to implement the program and which prioritize such program to provide counterpart resources for its implementation.

On the other hand, the law mandates the local governments to assist the agencies in the efficient and effective implementation of the program pursuant to existing laws, rules and regulations and shall be authorized to use a portion of their funds for the said purpose. – Dexter A. See