PASAY CITY—The Senate Committee on Health and Demography accelerated a sweeping dual health agenda on July 28, targeting both the country's severe malnutrition crisis and a critical shortage of regional medical access. 

Chaired by Senator Risa Hontiveros, the panel tackled legislative measures to establish a powerful National Nutrition Commission while simultaneously advancing plans to construct and upgrade hospitals across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. 

The twin initiatives aim to systematically bridge the gap in medical equity, ensuring that modern healthcare facilities and structured nutritional support reach the country’s most vulnerable populations.

During the hearing, Hontiveros aggressively pushed for structural reforms to replace the current fragmented system, where agencies frequently operate in silos and the existing National Nutrition Council lacks enforcement teeth. 

The proposed commission would provide centralized leadership and strict accountability, mandate the establishment of permanent nutrition offices in every province, city, and municipality, and secure continuous funding for grassroots programs. 

Lawmakers emphasized that moving away from ad-hoc initiatives toward an institutionalized, nationwide health framework is the only way to permanently dismantle generational malnutrition.

Highlighting the urgency of the reform, Hontiveros underscored that proper nutrition must be treated as a fundamental human right rather than a temporary handout.

“Ang wastong nutrisyon ay hindi kawang-gawa. Karapatan ito. At ang tunay na sukatan ng batas na ito ay hindi ang bagong pangalan ng ahensya o dami ng bagong posisyon. Ang sukatan ay kung mas kaunti ang batang nagugutom, mas malusog ang mga pamilya, mas naaabot ang mga komunidad, at mas suportado ang ating nutrition workers. Mula sa selebrasyon, tungo tayo sa seryosong pagpapatupad. Mula sa pangako, tungo tayo sa pananagutan,” Senator Hontiveros stated.

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