CAMARINES Sur 3rd District Representative Gabriel Bordado Jr. filed a bill that seeks to modernize the School Health and Nutrition Program of the Department of Education.

In filing House Bill 7287 or the proposed School Health and Nutrition Modernization Act, Bordado stressed that nutrition plays a crucial role in building and securing a thriving economy.

“The state of health and nutrition of the population directly impacts a nation’s development, the performance of its labor force, and the learning capabilities of its students,” he said in his explanatory note.

He lamented that malnutrition remains a prominent problem that is inadequately addressed in the Philippines.

“The Philippines ranks fifth among ten countries in the East Asia and Pacific region with the highest prevalence of stunting and is among the ten countries in the world with the highest number of stunted children,” the lawmaker said.

Bordado added the alarming problem has dire implications on economic development and has cost the country billions of pesos in losses every year.

He added that schools are pivotal in promoting the people’s right to health so they are perfect avenues where the importance of health care and nutrition could be instilled into young students, teachers, and other academic personnel.

“The School Health and Nutrition Program of the Department of Education, which is designed to promote, protect and maintain the health and nutritional well-being of the various sectors of elementary and secondary educational institutions, needs to be modernized and upgraded to maximize its contribution to quality basic education,” Bordado said.