NGOs urged to help fight malnutrition

CEBU, Philippines - Aiming to ensure that government and non-government resources are used efficiently to produce positive nutrition outcomes, the National Nutrition Council Region-7 recently organized the 6th Annual NGO (non-government organization) Forum.

NNC-7 program coordinator Parolita Mission, in her speech, emphasized the NGOs' role in the nutrition advocacy nationwide, particularly in the fight against malnutrition.

Mission urged these groups to be part of local nutrition committees in their areas for sustainable nutrition program implementation.

With the theme "Aligning Government and Non-Government Programs for Viable Nutrition Outcomes," the forum was attended by several representatives from 17 different non-government organizations.

The forum was capped with the wall signing of the pledge of commitment as a show of support to NNC-7's campaign to improve the region's nutrition landscape.

Meanwhile, Senate minority leader Ralph Recto is optimistic on the increase in the funding to combat malnutrition.

Recto based his optimism on the admission by heads of the Department of Education and the Department of Social Welfare and Development, providing meals to malnourished kids that the present P13 per meal allocation is inadequate to bring desired improvements among the underweight children.

Recto has proposed an increase of the per meal budget to P25, arguing that the state prisons' "P17 per value meal" is costlier than the P13 per meal served in public schools and day care centers.

He said his proposal will cost the country an additional P2.5 billion, "an amount that is small compared to the estimated P328 billion annual economic losses caused by childhood malnutrition."

In a separate statement, Recto said the P1 billion of the P2.5 billion will go to the DSWD so it can hike its 2017 budget for supplemental feeding program to P4.42 billion. This will enable the agency to serve one P25 meal to 1.74 million two-to four-year-olds enrolled in day cares for 120 days.

Recto said the balance of P1.53 billion will go to the DepEd to increase its feeding program budget to P5.17 billion, so it can provide one daily meal for 120 days to 1.9 million "severely wasted and underweight" children ages five (kindergarten) to 11 (Grade 6).

In their recent appearance before the Senate to defend their 2017 proposed budgets, officials of both DepEd and DSWD admitted that current funding levels for feeding programs are not enough to reverse the ravages of malnutrition.

"Walang karinderya ngayon na maghahain ng isang ulam at isang kanin sa halagang trese pesos. Wala ring kusinero na magsasabi na maari siyang magpakain ng libu-libong bata sa budget na trese pesos bawat isa," Recto said. (FREEMAN)