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National Nutrition Council, abbreviated as NNC, is an agency of the Philippine government under the Department of Health responsible for creating a conducive policy environment for national and local nutrition planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and surveillance using state-of the art technology and approaches.
History
The creation of the Philippine Institute of Nutrition (PIN) as a first attempt to institutionalize a national nutrition program.
In 1958, PIN was reorganized into the Food and Nutrition Research Center (FNRC) under the Science and Development Board.
In 1960, the National Coordinating Council on Food and Nutrition (NCCFN), a loose organization of government and nongovernment agencies and organizations involved in nutrition and related projects, was organized.
In 1971, Executive Order No. 285 was promulgated, mandating the National Food and Agriculture Council (NFAC) to coordinate nutrition programs in addition to coordinating national food programs, thus, superseding the NCCFN.
In 1974, Presidential Decree No. 491 (Nutrition Act of the Philippines, June 24, 1974), which created the National Nutrition Council (NNC) as the highest policy-making and coordinating body on nutrition, was promulgated.
In 1987, Executive Order No. 234 (Reorganization Act of NNC, July 22, 1987) was promulgated, reaffirming the need for an intersectoral national policy-making and coordinating body on nutrition. It expanded the membership of the NNC to include the Departments of Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Labor and Employment (DOLE), Trade and Industry (DTI), and National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). The Department of Social Welfare and Development was named chair of the NNC Governing Board.
In 1988, Administrative Order No. 88 named the Department of Agriculture as the NNC Chair of the NNC Governing Board.
In 1995, Republic Act 8172, An Act Promoting Salt Iodization Nationwide, designated the NNC together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and a representative each from the medical profession and the salt industry, as the Salt Iodization Advisory Board (SIAB). The SIAB is the policy-making body and coordinating body for the salt iodization program.
In 2000, Republic Act 8976, Food Fortification Act of 2000, designated the NNC as advisory body on food fortification. As such, the NNC shall set policies on food fortification, i.e. what foods to be fortified with what micronutrient.
In 2003, NEDA-Social Development Committee through Resolution No. 1 Series 2003, Expanding the Function and Composition of the Multisectoral Committee on International Human Development Commitments, designated the NNC as lead agency for fighting hunger and malnutrition.
In 2005, Executive Order No. 472 named the Department of Health as the chair of the NNC, with the DA and DILG as vice-chairs. It also called the NNC to re-orient its operations to be more client-oriented and to prioritize addressing hunger and malnutrition, and authorized NNC to generate and mobilize resources.