DepEd Order No. 13, s. 2017: Healthy Food and Beverage Choices in Schools

DepEd Order No. 13, s. 2017, dated March 14, 2017 and signed by Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones, sets the Policy and Guidelines on Healthy Food and Beverage Choices in Schools and in DepEd Offices. It tells schools and offices what their canteens may sell. It sorts foods and drinks into GREEN, YELLOW, and RED categories, and it restricts the marketing of unhealthy food to learners. School heads, canteen teachers and staff, PTAs, and parents will find here the rules that shape what children eat in school.

On this page 11 sections

Key points

• Every school must develop its own healthy menu. The menu must be nutritious, affordable, and compliant with the guidelines, and it needs the approval of the Schools Division Superintendent (SDS).
• Foods and drinks are sorted into three categories:
  • GREEN: always available.
  • YELLOW: served carefully, once or twice a week only.
  • RED: not sold in canteens at all.
• Packaged products are judged by their Nutrition Facts label. If a product has even one nutrient in the RED range, it may not be sold.
• Canteens may not sell foods and drinks high in fat, sugar, or salt (sodium).
• Safe drinking water must be readily available. Condiments such as soy sauce and fish sauce are served only on request.
• Learners should not bring unhealthy food and drinks to school. Schools must advise parents to pack healthy baon (food from home).
• No marketing of unhealthy food is allowed in schools, DepEd offices, or school events. This includes ads, sponsorships, and promotions.
• Schools have three months to replace or remove refrigerators and other equipment that carry the logo or brand of unhealthy foods and drinks.
• The order modifies Policy Statements 4.4, 4.5, and 4.6 of DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2007, the Revised Implementing Guidelines on the Operation and Management of School Canteens.
• Personnel who violate the guidelines face administrative action. The order took effect immediately upon publication on the DepEd website.

Why DepEd issued this order

The order cites the World Health Organization’s warning about the double burden of malnutrition. This means undernutrition and overweight or obesity exist side by side in the same population.

The 8th National Nutrition Survey (DOST-FNRI) found the following among Filipino children aged five to ten:

• 29.1% were underweight
• 29.9% were stunted
• 8.6% were wasted
• 9.1% were overweight

The order links overweight to diets high in sugar, fat, and oil, low in vegetables and whole grains, and to inactive lifestyles. It names schools as good places to change eating habits. It also follows a June 2016 WHO regional workshop that urged countries to restrict the sale and marketing of foods high in sugar, salt, and fat in schools.

Who it covers

The guidelines apply to:

• all public elementary and secondary schools
• learning centers
• DepEd Central, Regional, and Division Offices

Private schools are encouraged (“enjoined”) to adopt them.

Key terms

• Healthy diet: a balanced intake that does all of the following:
  • keeps energy balanced and weight healthy
  • limits total fat
  • shifts fat intake from saturated fat toward unsaturated fat and away from trans fat
  • increases fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts
  • limits free sugars and salt
• Unhealthy diet: food intake high in saturated or trans fat, sodium, or sugar. Such a diet is a major risk factor for heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity-related conditions.
• Energy balance: energy taken in equals energy used, so body weight stays stable.
• Calorie: a measure of the energy in food.
• Free sugars: sugars added to food and drinks by the manufacturer, cook, or consumer. The term also covers sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices, and fruit concentrates.
• Fat: the most concentrated form of energy, at about 9 kcal per gram. The recommended daily intake is 15 to 30% of total energy.
• Unsaturated fat: the “better” fats, found in fish, nuts, seeds, and plant oils. They may help lower blood cholesterol.
• Saturated fat: fat that is solid at room temperature and comes mostly from animal products. Examples are butter, lard, meat fat, shortening, palm oil, and coconut oil. It tends to raise blood cholesterol.
• Trans fat: fat that can be natural or artificial. Artificial trans fat is made by adding hydrogen to vegetable oils. It is found in donuts, cakes, pie crusts, and biscuits.
• Low fat: not more than 3 g of fat per 100 g of solid food, or 1.5 g per 100 ml of liquid.
• Low sodium: not more than 120 mg of sodium per 100 g of food.

Food standards for canteens

Canteens must follow the healthy diet definition above. They must offer more foods with unsaturated fats and limit foods with saturated and trans fats.

• Sugar: free sugars should make up less than 10% of total daily energy. WHO suggests going below 5% for extra benefit.
• Sodium: the daily intake should be at least 500 mg and not more than 800 mg (PDRI, 2015). Salt should stay under 2 g a day, or less than half a teaspoon.
• Salt reduction: canteen staff should reduce salt gradually, so learners and personnel get used to less salty food. Processed and canned foods, which are naturally high in sodium, should be limited.
• Pinggang Pinoy: this plate-based food guide is promoted for building balanced meals. It means:
  • plenty of vegetables and fruits
  • moderate energy- and protein-rich foods
  • less fatty and sugary food
  • more water and fewer sugary drinks
  • regular physical activity

Packaged foods: GREEN, YELLOW, and RED cut-offs

Packaged products are judged by their Nutrition Facts label, as required by DOH Administrative Order No. 2014-0030. The cut-offs below are per serving.

Nutrient	GREEN	YELLOW	RED
Saturated fat	Less than 3 g	More than 3 g to 5 g	More than 5 g
Trans fat	None	None	Any amount
Added sugar	Less than 10 g (2 tsp)	More than 10 g but less than 20 g (2 to 4 tsp)	More than 20 g (more than 4 tsp); total carbohydrates count if there is no dietary fiber
Sodium	Less than 120 mg	More than 120 mg to 200 mg	More than 200 mg

What each category means:

• GREEN foods should always be available. They have a wide range of nutrients and are low in bad fats, sugar, and salt.
• YELLOW foods have some nutrients but also large amounts of fat, sugar, or salt. Serve them only once or twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays), in smaller servings, and keep them less prominent on the menu.
• RED foods should not be served in school canteens. Whether children eat them outside school is up to their parents.

Every manufactured product with Nutrition Facts must be checked using the Nutrition Facts Assessment Table:

1. Write the product’s saturated fat, trans fat, sugar (or total carbohydrate if there is no dietary fiber), and sodium per serving, as shown on the label.
2. Compare each amount with the GREEN, YELLOW, and RED criteria.
3. Only products whose nutrients all fall under GREEN or YELLOW may be sold.
4. If even one nutrient falls under RED, the product may not be sold.

Non-packaged foods: sample food lists

Canteen-cooked food and common Filipino snacks often have no Nutrition Facts label. For these, the order introduces food lists that guide school heads and canteen teachers. Locally available natural foods are preferred over processed products.

GREEN foods and drinks should always be available (Table 4):

YELLOW foods and drinks should be served carefully, once or twice a week, in smaller servings. Canteens should also make them healthier whenever they can (Table 5):

RED foods and drinks are not recommended on the canteen menu (Table 6):

Planning a healthy menu

• An item that fits easily into GREEN may be on the menu. An item that fits into RED must not be sold.
• An item that is neither clearly GREEN nor RED is likely YELLOW. Serve it once or twice a week, in smaller servings.
• Canteen-cooked dishes such as pancit, champorado, arroz caldo, and mami may fall between GREEN and YELLOW, depending on the ingredients.

To make dishes healthier, canteens can:

• steam, boil, saute, pan fry, or bake instead of using a lot of oil
• remove visible fat from meat and skin from poultry before cooking
• use oil sparingly
• use less salt
• use low-fat products such as skimmed milk, low-fat spread, low-fat cheese, and light mayonnaise
• use iodized salt, which supports children’s mental development, in line with RA 8172 (the ASIN Law)
• use less MSG, soy sauce, fish sauce, ketchup, and other condiments
• avoid artificial flavors and use garlic, onion, turmeric, ginger, pepper, chili, and other natural herbs and spices instead
• skim excess fat and oil from soups and stocks

Making healthy food easier to get

• Make safe drinking water readily available.
• Do not keep soy sauce, fish sauce, and similar condiments on dining tables. Serve them only on request.
• Advise parents and guardians to pack healthy baon. Elementary, secondary, and senior high learners should not bring unhealthy food and drinks to school.
• Schools and offices may run local healthy-eating days:
  • “Meatless Monday” for protein sources other than meat
  • “Vegie-Tuesday” for vegetables
  • “Native Wednesday” for native foods
  • “Fibrous Thursday” for fiber-rich foods
  • “Fishy Friday” for fish
• Follow DepEd Order No. 10, s. 2016 on the WASH in Schools (WinS) Program in canteens and eating areas. This means:
  • clean, safe, and free drinking water
  • handwashing facilities
  • safe food handling
  • clean plates, glasses, and utensils
  • proper waste segregation
  • a clean, well-lit, well-ventilated, and safe eating area
• Post signs saying that only healthy food and drinks are served. Also post nutrition messages such as the Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos, the Ten Kumainments, and Pinggang Pinoy.

Limits on marketing unhealthy food

No form of marketing is allowed in schools and DepEd offices. Schools and school activities must not be used to market unhealthy food and drinks to children. The order names three common types:

• Advertising: for example, branded vending machines, refrigerators, ice boxes, signs, umbrellas, and tents.
• Sponsorship: for example, of sports events, school programs, equipment, aprons and caps, notebooks, and pens.
• Promotion: for example, cartoon characters, branding, free samples, tie-ins, celebrity endorsements, and discounts or vouchers given as rewards.

Marketing of RED foods and drinks is banned in DepEd offices, schools, and school events. This covers:

• print materials such as posters, leaflets, brochures, and comics
• outdoor ads such as billboards and tarpaulins
• point-of-sale ads
• vending machines and refrigerators
• branding
• internet-based (new) media
• characters
• free samples
• special events such as sports activities and feeding programs

Manufacturers whose products meet the policy may give support as corporate social responsibility. Such support must not include marketing and must not carry any brand name or logo.

School officials are encouraged to work with local government units on ordinances that limit the marketing of unhealthy food within at least 100 meters of the school.

Training, partnerships, and healthy weight

Capacity building

• DepEd offices train Regional and Division personnel. These personnel then train Home Economics (HE) and TLE teachers.
• Schools orient learners, parents, and guardians, so healthy eating carries over into the home.

Partnerships

Partners in the School Health and Nutrition Program are welcome, with these limits:

• No donations, sponsorships, or financial involvement with tobacco companies.
• No funding, sponsorship, training, incentives, or gifts from makers of infant formula and milk substitutes, as the Milk Code (EO 51) requires.
• No partnership that may create a conflict of interest with this policy.

Promoting healthy weight

• Regional and Division Offices are encouraged to run healthy diet and physical activity programs.
• Schools are encouraged to give children safe chances to be active. WHO recommends at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily for ages 5 to 17.
• Healthy diets, wellness, and physical activity are to be built into the K to 12 curriculum and school events.
• School nurses manage overweight and obesity cases through health talks and more physical activity.

What schools and offices need to do

Schools

• Form a technical working group (TWG) made up of the school head, the teacher in charge of the canteen, the canteen cooperative chair, and the PTA.
• Plan the school’s healthy menu according to the guidelines.
• Make sure only healthy food and drinks are available.
• Regulate the selling and marketing of unhealthy food in school.
• Advocate with LGUs to regulate the marketing of unhealthy food outside school.

Schools Division Offices

• SGOD forms a TWG with the OSDS and CID.
• Review policies and train school personnel.
• Encourage canteens and offices to serve healthy food daily and at meetings and activities.
• Advocate with LGUs.
• Monitor school compliance.

Regional Offices

• ESSD forms a TWG with the ORD, QAD, FTAD, HRDD, and CLMD.
• Review policies and train Division and school personnel.
• Encourage canteens and offices to serve healthy food.
• Monitor and give technical help to Division Offices and schools.

Central Office

• The Bureau of Learner Support Services-School Health Division (BLSS-SHD) is the focal unit. It organizes a TWG.
• Issue related policies.
• Encourage the Central Office canteen and offices to serve healthy food.
• Train Regional and Division personnel.
• Monitor implementation and give technical help.

Monitoring and evaluation

• Central, Regional, and Division Offices gather feedback and review the policy from time to time.
• Regional monitors check compliance quarterly.
• Division monitors check compliance monthly.

Penalty, amended rules, and effectivity

• Penalty: personnel who violate the guidelines are dealt with administratively under DepEd Order No. 49, s. 2006, the Revised Rules of Procedure of the Department of Education on Administrative Cases.
• Amended rules: Policy Statements 4.4, 4.5, and 4.6 of DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2007 are modified by this order.
• Effectivity: the order took effect immediately upon publication on the DepEd website.

Frequently asked questions