CEDAW/C/PHI/5-6 households are reportedly using iodized salt, but the impact of iodized salt intake on women and girl children cannot be ascertained. f. RA 8980, or the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Act of 2000, institutionalizes a comprehensive policy and national system for early childhood care and development that provide for the basic holistic needs of young children from birth to age six. With the enactment and implementation of this law, raising a child is no longer the sole responsibility of mothers. The community, the national and local government and other institutions are now to assist in providing the basic needs of children. g. Two bills in Congress (HB 4110 and SB 2325 or the Reproductive Health Care Act of 2002) seek to establish an Integrated National Policy and Program on Reproductive Health that recognizes women’s reproductive rights, gender equality and ensures universal access to reproductive health, services, information and education. The bills also seek to push for the expansion of the coverage of the National Health Insurance Program to a wider population especially the poor and to a full range of sexual and reproductive health services and products. 451. Investments in health affect the well being of the population, especially women, as they are primarily responsible for their family’s health. An adequate health infrastructure requires personnel, equipment, medicines and supplies, and education of the public on utilization of health services. Public health and sanitation also requires investments in garbage disposal, sewerage disposal and safe water supply system for every household. Aware of the implication of a healthy population to the overall economic and social well being of the country, the government has been pursuing an integrated health policy and program for various population subgroups, such as women, infants and children, elderly, school children, the poor and rural sector, and health workers. Among the key policy initiatives are: a. The health department’s Ten-Year Investment Plan (1996-2005) embodies the overall goals and strategies for the health sector and seeks to assure the sustainability of national health programs, support the process of devolution, rationalize sector spending and enhance institutional capabilities in management and planning. About 30 percent of the investment package for this plan was set aside for the improvement of women’s health, some of the projects for which are still being implemented. Presently, the Health Sector Reform Agenda, which updates and improves on the Plan, is the basis for investments in health sector. The Agenda aims to improve the effective coverage of national and local public health programs, increase access to health services especially by the poor, and reduce financial burden on individual families. b. The Medium-Term Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition, 1999-2004, aims to increase the proportion of children with normal weight, and reduce the prevalence of proteinenergy malnutrition among children, chronic energy deficiency among adults, and micronutrient deficiencies and the prevalence of overweight among children and adults. c. The reorganization of the health department in 2000 unified the management of foreignfunded health programs and projects under the Bureau of International Health 122