Manila: The Senate is considering creating a stronger national nutrition body to unify scattered government programs and establish clear responsibility when hunger and malnutrition targets are missed. Senator Risa Hontiveros stated that Senate Bill 1576 aims to transform the existing National Nutrition Council (NNC) into a National Nutrition Commission, providing clearer authority, sufficient capacity, and stronger coordination from the national government down to local communities.
According to Philippines News Agency, the proposed commission will be supported by permanent nutrition offices in every province, city, and municipality to enhance the delivery and monitoring of programs at the local level. Hontiveros emphasized that the reform should go beyond a mere change in the agency's name or organizational structure, advocating for a system that truly functions effectively.
Department of Health Undersecretary and concurrent NNC Executive Director Albert Francis Domingo supported the proposed transformation, highlighting that the agency's responsibilities have expanded despite limited staffing. The NNC currently operates with about 120 plantilla positions at its central office while coordinating with 10 member agencies and influencing local government nutrition programs nationwide. Domingo suggested that elevating the institution's leadership to Cabinet level would provide it with the necessary authority to convene agencies, coordinate budgets, and require performance reports.
The urgency of the reform was underscored during the hearing, as stunting among children under 5 years old rose from 23.6 percent in 2023 to 25.3 percent in 2025, placing the country behind its nutrition target. Domingo stressed the importance of focusing nutrition interventions on the first 1,000 days of a child's life, a critical period for physical and brain development.
Furthermore, approximately 45,000 Barangay Nutrition Scholars are currently serving communities nationwide, but the quality and continuity of local nutrition programs remain inconsistent due to varying resources and capacities among local governments. The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) supported the bill's intent but advised Congress to consider the financial capacities of local governments before mandating the establishment of permanent nutrition offices.
DILG Legislative Liaison Noel Sala proposed that the requirement could be mandatory for higher-income local governments but discretionary for poorer ones, as new offices would require plantilla positions and operating expenses. Hontiveros concluded that the success of the proposed commission would be measured by its ability to reduce hunger, improve children's health, reach underserved communities, and provide adequate support to nutrition workers.
