PGNV pushes for healthy food procurement To protect and promote the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness, Board Member Eunice Galima-Gambol authored and sponsored an ordinance establishing the Healthy Public Food Procurement Policy of the Province of Nueva Vizcaya. This ordinance (No. 2024-258) was passed during the regular session of the 11th Sangguniang Panlalawigan on December 11, 2024 and was approved by Governor Atty. Jose V. Gambito on January 6, 2025.
BM Galima-Gambol stated that, “this ordinance called “Nasustansya a Taraon para ti Umili” will promote the general welfare, health, and safety of the residents, beneficiaries, and employees of the Provincial Government of Nueva Vizcaya (PGNV). This ordinance shall apply to all offices within the Capitol. It also applies to all entities involved in procuring or supplying food to the PGNV, including food suppliers and food concessionaires in PGNV-owned and managed facilities.”
A healthy public food procurement policy is a strategy that aims to improve health outcomes by increasing access to healthier food in public settings. The PGNV shall endeavor to establish a healthy food environment within the province by requiring compliance with the nutrition standards for publicly procured food and encouraging compliance with the nutrition standards for food sold by food concessionaires.
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the Philippines, and a huge number of deaths is attributed to dietary risk factors, including high sodium intake. In 2023, four out of 5 leading causes of mortality among Novo Vizcayanos were cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including myocardial infraction, cardiovascular accident, hypertension, and heart failure. Moreover, the prevalence of high fasting glucose among Filipinos has also been rapidly increasing. High fasting glucose indicates that the body cannot efficiently lower blood sugar levels, which increases the risk of developing type II diabetes mellitus.
“It is stated in Section 16 of Republic Act No. 7160, or the General Welfare Clause, that every local government unit shall exercise the powers necessary, appropriate, or incidental for its efficient and effective governance and those which are essential to the promotion of the general welfare,” BM Gambol added.
BM Gambol further explained that in the exercise of its powers to promulgate procurement policies conferred to it under Section 63 of the Republic Act No. 9184. It also allows procuring entities to introduce additional standards for goods to be procured to provide necessary information for the bidders to make a responsive bid, except to prescribe additional eligibility requirements as a condition for determining bidders’ eligibility.
The healthy public food procurement policy also seeks to strengthen both sustainability and food security by promoting local urban farms and sourcing local ingredients and whole foods by food suppliers, local farmers, fisherfolk, food concessionaires, and other MSMEs through programs in collaboration with the Provincial Agricultural Office, Provincial Integrated Health Office, Provincial Cooperative and Enterprise Development Office, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, and the GO-Nutrition Division. This collaboration encourages local businesses to work with PGNV and create a healthy and sustainable food environment.
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