Bill proposes meatless Mondays in school canteens

Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño wants to make sure your children are getting enough roughage. He filed House Bill 6311 which seeks to require canteens in public and private schools to serve only vegetable dishes on Mondays.

 

The “Luntiang Lunes” bill aims to encourage the consumption of vegetables among elementary and high school students.

 

“Dietary patterns are established and consolidated in childhood and adolescence,” the lawmaker said in the measure.

 

The concept of “Meatless Monday” originated in the United States during World War I, when the U.S. Food Administration urged families to eat more greens every Monday to contribute to the war effort. The campaign was revived in 2003 by a civil society group to address health issues among Americans.

 

Under Casiño’s bill, the Department of Education is directed to order cafeterias in both public and private elementary and high schools to serve only plant-based meals, particularly indigenous vegetables, every Monday.

 

The measure, however, still allows students to bring their own packed lunch, and does not require them to buy the vegetable dishes served in the canteens.

 

Casiño said that aside from health benefits, the bill will also lessen greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change and environment degradation.

 

The bill is currently pending before the House committee on basic education and culture. It must get a majority vote from all the panel’s members for it to be sent to the plenary for debate. — DVM, GMA News