Whereas Clauses. WHEREAS, malnutrition is seriously affecting millions of our people;

WHEREAS, malnutrition retards mental and physical development of our children, weakens their resistance to infections resulting in unnecessary loss of human lives through high infant and child mortality rates;

WHEREAS, studies indicate that infants and young children, pregnant women and nursing mothers are most vulnerable to malnutrition;

WHEREAS, there is a multiplicity of government agencies engaged in various aspects of nutrition activities;

WHEREAS, there are various food programs in the country such as the Green Revolution, Masagana 99, Palayan ng Bayan, Masaganang Maisan and others which are aimed at providing for food sufficiency;

WHEREAS, there is a close interlinking relationship between food, education and nutrition;

WHEREAS, Executive Order 285, series of 1971, vested in the National Food and Agriculture Council the responsibility to coordinate all nutrition programs in the country;

WHEREAS, coordination has proven to be of great value in integrating the food and nutrition efforts of the various agencies;

WHEREAS, one of the objectives of the New Society is to bring about social, economic, and political reforms to eventually improve the quality of life of every Filipino;

WHEREAS, the nutrition program, being concerned with human resource development, is a vital and integral part of social reform and economic development;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution do hereby adopt, approve and make as part of the law of the land, the following: