UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS

Co lle g e o f Educ a tio n

De pa rtm e nt o f Ele me nta ry Educ a tio n
Ed uc a tio n

ECED 7291: Health, Nutrition, and Safety Needs

WORKSHEET 2

GUIDELINES:
 This worksheet contains the important policies and legislations related to the health,
nutrition, and safety needs of children. Make sure to study these important policies.
 In the matrix showing the Local Initiatives, some parts highlighted in RED, were purposely
left blank for you to fill-out by researching online sources. You are also encouraged to add
other policies you deem important with regard to children’s overall health and wellness.
 Make sure to cite under Reference all additional sources of information.
 This will then serve as your handout/reviewer for Chapter 3.
 DO NOT MAKE UNNECESSARY and UNLAWFUL CHANGES TO THIS DOCUMENT.

Student’s Name: _______________________________ Section:

___________

Chapter 3: Standards, Guidelines and National Initiatives

In 1989, world leaders came together and made a historic commitment to the world’s
children. They made a promise to every child to protect and fulfill their rights, by
adopting an international legal framework – the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child. 

The Convention recognized that childhood which lasts until age 18 is separate from adulthood. It is a
special, protected time in which children must be allowed to grow, learn, play, develop, and flourish
with dignity.

It has inspired governments to change laws and policies and make investments so that more
children finally get the health care and nutrition they need to survive and develop, and
there are stronger safeguards in place to protect children from violence and exploitation.
 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
Co lle g e o f Educ a tio n
De pa rtm e nt o f Ele me nta ry Educ a tio n
Ed uc a tio n

It has also enabled more children to have their voices heard and participate in their
societies. 

Please refer to the video link of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a
Child found in the course site.

Local Initiatives Related to Children’s Health, Nutrition, and Safety Needs

Instructions: The descriptions of some policies or programs in this list have been purposely left
blank
for you to fill out to be used as your reference.

PH Government Policies/ Brief Description

Programs
Presidential Decree No. 491, s. The month of July should be designated as NUTRITION MONTH,
1974 for the purpose of creating greater awareness among our people
Section 7 on the importance of nutrition.

Presidential Decree 603 Article 1: Declaration of Policy – The Child is one of the most
(enacted on December 10, 1974) important assets of the nation. Every effort should be exerted
to promote his welfare and enhance his opportunities for a
useful and happy life.

“This Code defines the rights, responsibilities, and

opportunities of children to ensure and to enable their fullest
development physically, mentally, emotionally, morally,
spiritually, and socially, and in conditions of freedom and dignity
appropriate to their corresponding developmental stage.”

Article XV, Section 3 of the 1987 The State shall defend:

Philippine Constitution “The right of children to assistance, including proper care and
nutrition, and special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse,
cruelty, exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to their
development.”

Republic Act No. 6972 Barangay-Level Total Development and Protection of Children
(enacted in 1990) Act

This law requires all local government units to set up a

day care center in every barangay. Day-care centers are
 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
Co lle g e o f Educ a tio n
De pa rtm e nt o f Ele me nta ry Educ a tio n
Ed uc a tio n

mandated not only to provide for the children’s learning needs

but also to attend to their health and psychosocial needs.
 Comprehensive day care services for 3 to 5-
year-old children
 Intellectual, mutual, mental, and psychosocial
stimulation, wholesome play and recreation
 Monitoring of birth registration,
immunization, growth, and nutrition status
 Sanctuary for the abused, neglected,
exploited
 Care for children of working mothers

Republic Act No. 8980 The ECCD Act or Early Childhood Care and Development Act
(enacted on Dec. 5, 2000) This law identifies the growing importance of providing preschool
education and addressing young children’s other needs. It also
recognizes parents as the children’s primary caregivers and
teachers.

ECCD in the Philippines provides for the needs and

upholds the indivisible rights of 6-year-old children with the full
range of holistic services for optimum growth and development.
 Health
 Nutrition
 Safe and hygienic environment
 Psychosocial stimulation
 Cognitive development

School-Based Feeding Program  To address undernutrition and short-term hunger

(SBFP) among public school children by at least 70
(launched in 2012 to replace the percent at the end of 120 feeding days
Breakfast Feeding Program of  It also aims to increase classroom attendance by
DepEd) 85 percent and improve the children’s health and
nutritional values and behavior
 Complementary activities include deworming,
Gulayan sa Paaralan Project, livelihood training
for parents, waste segregation and management

DepEd Order No. 40. S. 2012 DepEd Child Protection Policy

Policy and Guidelines on Protecting Children in School from
Abuse, Violence, Exploitation, Discrimination, Bullying, and
other Forms of Abuse.
(See link in the course site for more details about this policy)

Republic Act No. 10410 (2013)

The State recognizes the age from zero (0) to eight (8) years as the first crucial stage of
educational development. The responsibility to help develop children in their formative
 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
Co lle g e o f Educ a tio n
De pa rtm e nt o f Ele me nta ry Educ a tio n
Ed uc a tio n

years shall be as follows:

1. Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council – 0 to 4 years old; and
2. Department of Education (DepEd) – 5 to 8 years old.

Republic Act No. 10620 (2013)

The law requires compulsory labeling for all toys and games in accordance with the
appropriate provisions on safety labeling and manufacturer’s markings found in the
Philippines National Standards to ensure the protection of children against potential
hazards to their health and safety.

Republic Act No. 10627 (2013)

The law seeks to prevent and address bullying in elementary and secondary schools.
 
Note: Bullying shall refer to any severe or repeated use of a written, verbal, or electronic
expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at another
student that has the effect of actually causing or placing the latter in reasonable fear or
physical or emotional harm or damage to his property; creating a hostile environment at
school for other student; infringing on the rights of otherstudents at school; or materially
and substantially disrupting the education process or the orderly operation of a school.

DepEd Order No. 10, s. 2016 Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools (WinS)
Program

Hand-washing with soap is one of the key elements of DepEd’s

comprehensive Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in Schools
(WinS) Program, stipulated in DepEd Order No. 10, s. 2016, which
advocates correct hygiene and sanitation practices among
schoolchildren, and promotes an environment conducive to
learning to keep learners safe and healthy.
Republic Act 11037
(signed June 20, 2018) The law mandates the DSWD and the DepEd to implement the Supplementary Feeding
Program (SFP) and the School-Based Feeding Program for undernourished children in
public day care, kindergarten and elementary schools to combat hunger and
undernutrition among Filipino. Children.
Note: 
SFP – children attending day care centers aged 3 to 5. They will receive one fortified meal
for a period of not less than 120 days.
School-Based Feeding Program – undernourished public-school children from
kindergarten to grade 6. They will receive one fortified meal for a period of not less than
120 days.
Republic Act 11148
(signed Nov.29, 2018) The law seeks to provide health and nutrition services to children during their early days of
development. Under this law, the Department of Health, National Nutrition Council and
Department of Agriculture, in coordination with relevant government agencies, shall
develop a comprehensive and sustainable strategy for the first one thousand (1000) days
of a child’s life to address the health, nutrition, and developmental problems affecting
infants, young children, adolescent females, and pregnant and lactating women.

Republic Act 11229 In order to guarantee the safety and welfare of infants and children and prevent traffic-
(signed February 2019) related deaths and injuries, the law requires motor vehicle owners to use Child Restraint
Systems (CRS) when traveling with children.
 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
Co lle g e o f Educ a tio n
De pa rtm e nt o f Ele me nta ry Educ a tio n
Ed uc a tio n

References:

Leviste, J.V. (2010). How to teach the Filipino preschool. Manila, Philippines: Rex Bookstore,
Inc.

Republic Act 10410. (2013, March 26). Retrieved from

https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2013/03/26/republic-act-no-10410/

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WaSH) in Schools (WinS) Program Online Monitoring
System for All Public Schools. (2018, December) Retrieved from
https://depedpines.com/2018/12/water-sanitation-and-hygiene-wash-in-schools-wins-
program-online-monitoring-system/

Laws,Rules, and Issuances for Cases Involving Family, Domestic Relations, Women, and
Children. (2004, February 24). Retrieved from http://sb.judiciary.gov.ph/libdocs/gad/Laws,
%20Rules%20and%20Issuances%20for%20Cases%20Involving%20Family,%20Domest.pdf

Duterte signs “Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay” Act . (2018, December 28). Retrieved
from http://www.nnc.gov.ph/index.php/39-featured-articles/2952-duterte-signs-kalusugan-at-
nutrisyon-ng-mag-nanay-act.html

Republic Act 11229. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. (2019, December
22). Retrieved from https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2019/02feb/20190222-RA-
11229-RRD.pdf

Republic Ac 11037. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. (2018, June 20).
Retrieved from https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/downloads/2018/06jun/20180620-RA-
11037-RRD.pdf