Section 4. National Feeding Program.— The National Feeding Program, hereinafter referred to as the Program, is hereby established to address undernutrition among Filipino children.
The Program shall have the following components and coverage:
Supplemental Feeding Program for Day Care Children.— The DSWD, in coordination with the LGUs concerned, shall implement a supplemental feeding program for undernourished children with ages three (3) to five (5) years. The Program shall be administered in day care centers or in any other facility which can be used for such purpose: Provided, That the Program shall include the provision of at least one (1) fortified meal for a period of not less than one hundred twenty (120) days in a year: Provided, further, That in the preparation of fortified meals, the DSWD shall work in collaboration with recognized parents’ organizations;
School-Based Feeding Program.— The DepED shall implement a school-based feeding program for undernourished public school children from kindergarten to grade six (6): Provided, That the Program shall include the provision of at least one (1) fortified meal to all undernourished public elementary school children for a period of not less than one hundred twenty (120) days in a year;
Milk Feeding Program.— The NGAs shall coordinate with the Department of Agriculture (DA), 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 in accordance with Republic Act No. 8172, otherwise known as the “Philippine Food Fortification Act of 2000”, utilizing, as far as practicable, locally produced milk in order to enhance its nutritional content and, at the same time, help boost livelihood opportunities for local dairy farmers and the local dairy industry;
Micronutrient Supplements.— The NGAs, in coordination with the DOH, shall provide micronutrient supplements to the Program beneficiaries including the use of iodized salt in accordance with Republic Act No. 8172, otherwise known as the “Salt Iodization or ASIN” law;
Health Examination, Vaccination and Deworming.— The NGAs, in coordination with the DOH and LGUs concerned, shall conduct simultaneous health examinations, including, but not limited to, deworming and vaccination, as the case may be, to Program beneficiaries;
Gulayan sa Paaralan.— The NGAs shall encourage their respective component units to devote a portion of their land or space for the cultivation of vegetables and other nutrient-rich plants as identified by the NNC: Provided, That component units lacking in, land shall adopt modern gardening technologies with the assistance of the DA, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the city or municipal agricultural officers. Parents shall also be encouraged to maintain a similar program in their own backyards;
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH).— The NGAs, in coordination with the DOH and LGUs, shall establish and maintain water and sanitation facilities, promote good hygiene and safe food preparation in all of its component units especially in areas devoted for the preparation of fortified meals under the Program; and
Integrated Nutrition Education, Behavioral Transformation, and Social Mobilization.— The Program shall be complemented by a public health, nutrition, and values transformation campaign to promote a hohstic and integrated approach to health and nutrition education. Orientation-training on the objectives and mechanics of the Program shall be held among personnel of NGAs and LGUs concerned, parent volunteers and the parent-teachers associations (PTAs) to generate support for the Program. The NGAs concerned shall also endeavor to mobilize community organizations to continue nutrition education outside of the school.