REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 

PROVINCE OF ILOILO 
OFFICE OF THE SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN 
Provincial Capitol, Iloilo City 5000

Sixth Regular Session  

DRAFT ORDINANCE NO. _____________________ 

Proponent: Hon. Carol-V S. Espinosa-Diaz

SECTION I. Title. This Act shall be known as the "Local Nutrition and Food
Mobility Programs to strengthen Immunity and to aid the poverty rate in the midst of the
COVID-19 crisis". 

SEC. 2. Declaration of State Policy. - The right to health is a fundamental

principle guaranteed by the State. Section 15, Article II of the 1987 Constitution
emphasizes that "The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people
and instill health consciousness among them". Moreover, pursuant to various
international human rights instruments and agreements that the State adheres to, the
State guarantees the right to adequate food, care and nutrition to the citizens of the
country.

The State declares its determination to eliminate hunger and reduce all forms of
malnutrition. The State further maintains that ensuring healthy lives, promoting well-
being, ending hunger and food insecurity, and achieving good nutrition for all at all ages
are essential to the attainment of sustainable development.

SEC. 3. Coverage. - This Ordinance covers all barangays within the Province of
Iloilo, wherein the community should be encouraged to eat a healthy meal and a
mixture of vegetables and fruits in a week to aide poverty and hunger rate cause by
COVID-19 pandemic. A team of local Dietitians and Nutritionists will be set up by the
Province to provide a schedule and distribution of fruits, vegetables and other
necessary foods of the best diets to meet the healthy needs and at the same time to
encourage the residents to stay at their respective homes to prevent the spread of the
virus without the worry of being hunger.

Priority shall be given to those who reside in COVID-risk areas that have recently
reported increase in cases of COVID infection, or areas that are isolated due to
distance, inaccessibility to transportation, and weather conditions, unserved and
underserved communities and other areas identified to have high incidences of poverty,
those persons belonging to the vulnerable sector, communities in or recovering from
situation of crisis or armed conflict and recognized as such by a government body.

The Province shall prioritize LGUs, which meet any of the following criteria:

(a) With the highest prevalence of under nutrition and nutrient-deficiency among
the community;

(b) Availability of facilities or capability to implement the program; and

 (c) Prioritizes such program in their locality and willingness to provide
counterpart resources for its implementation; and

(d) With the highest rate of unemployment due to COVID-19 crisis.

SEC. 4. Program Implementation. – The DOH, Local Health Committee, in

coordination with the Province, the Barangay Officialsand other NGAs concerned, shall
be responsible for the implementation of this Act. It shall be implemented at the
barangay level through the rural health units and/or barangay health centers, in
coordination with the Sangguniang Barangay. The Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS)
and the Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) shall be mobilized and provided with
resources and benefits to carry out their tasks.

The LGUs are encouraged to integrate community health and nutrition programs
in the local nutrition action plans and investment plans for health and wellness of their
constituents.The LGUs and other concerned NGAs shall provide appropriate technical
assistance to respective LGU counterparts in the development, formulation, and
implementation of this Act.

SEC.5. Community involvement.The Local government of the province of Iloilo,

through the barangay officials, the barangay health workers, and the barangay social
workers shall, every twice a week, distribute a healthy meal and a mixture of fruits and
vegetables for free to be held in every barangay health centers wherein a
representative of each household who are in need can avail such food assistance and
encourage them to remain in the premises of their homes to avoid the spread of the
COVID-19 virus and to protect the health and well-being of the people.

SEC. 6.  Functions, Roles, and Responsibilities the barangay officials. The

barangay officials together are task to monitor to ensure that residents who are gravely
affected by poverty due to unemployment and isolation will be reached through
thorough information dissemination within the locality through:

(a) Advance and thorough information dissemination to the residents of the

purpose, coverage and schedule of the food mobility within the barangay;

(b) Formulate policies, strategies and approaches for the all member and
residents of the things they need to observe during the distribution of avoid
the crowd and maintain social distancing for the prevention of the spread of
COVID virus;

(c) Coordinate, monitor and evaluate nutrition programs and projects of the local
government to targetbeneficiaries and LGUs to ensure the safety and
affectivity;

(d) Receive grants, donations and contributions, in any form, from willing
sponsors and private institutions and other funding entities for the food
mobility program and projects;
 (e) Coordinate the joint planning and budgeting of member agencies to ensure
funds for relevant food mobility programs and projects; to secure the release
of funds in accordance with the approved programs and projects; and

(f) Call upon any government agency and instrumentality for such assistance as
may be required to implement the provisions of this Act.

SEC.6. Monitoring, Review and Assessment of the Program.The NGAs and

LGUs concerned shall regularly monitor, review and assess the impact and the
affectivity of the program in consultation with them on a weekly basis. 

SEC 7. Appropriations. –Budget for the local food mobilityshall be charged to the
annual appropriations of the Provincial Government. The Provincial Social Welfare and
Development Office must ensure that the Appropriation Ordinance must include the
budget necessary for the training and learning enhancement of all BCWD.

SEC. 8. Penal Provisions.- Any person who violates the provisions of this Act
shall be punished with a fine of not less than Five Thousand Pesos (P5,OOOOO)
and/or imprisonment of not less than two (2) months but not more than one (I) year, or
both at the discretion of the Court. 

If the offender is a public official, he/she shall, in addition to the penalties stated
above, be dismissed from government service. 

SEC. 9. Separability Clause. - Should any provision of this Ordinance be found

unconstitutional by a court of law, such provision shall be severed from this Ordinance. 

SEC. 10. Repealing Clause - All laws, decrees, executive orders, and rules and
regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly 

SEC. 11. Effectivity. This Act shall lake effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in in any newspaper of general circulation in the Province of Iloilo.