51st Nutrition Month to highlight food security

CEBU, Philippines — With a firm commitment to make access to nutritious and affordable food a reality, the National Nutrition Council in Central Visayas (NNC-7) partnered with the Lapu-Lapu City Government to kick off the 51st Nutrition Month celebration on July 1, 2025.

NNC-7 regional nutrition program coordinator Dr. Parolita Mission said in a press conference last Friday said that this year’s nutrition month has a theme, “Sa PPAN: Sama-sama sa Nutrisyong Sapat Para sa Lahat” with a sub-theme “Food at Nutrition Security, Maging Priority! Sapat na Pagkain, Karapatan Natin!”. This year’s campaign underscores the importance of food and nutrition security as a basic human right.

Mission said they hope to mobilize all sectors to implement the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition. The launch will begin with a caravan from Lapu-Lapu City Hall to the city auditorium, passing through major thoroughfares, followed by a formal launching program.

One of the event highlights is a pledge of commitment from various Regional Nutrition Committee member agencies and local government units to push forward collaborative actions against hunger and malnutrition.

The day will also feature a service fair to bring government and partner services directly to the people.

Diet counseling will be made available by clinical dietitians from local hospitals and members of the Scaling Up Nutrition Academe Network.

To officially open the region-wide campaign, NNC-7 and the Media Information Network for Nutrition and Development conducted the press conference to raise awareness about this year’s goals.

This year’s campaign also introduces the SAPAT Strategies, a call to action framework that stands for Strengthen food policies, Amplify public awareness, Promote sustainable food systems, Activate partnerships without conflict of interest, and Transform food systems

Organizers urge everyone to join the regional efforts in building a healthier, more informed, and resilient community.

Meanwhile, more than 150,000 children in Central Visayas will receive free meals this year under the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Supplemental Feeding Program.

The feeding program will provide hot and alternative meals during snack or meal time for a minimum of five to a maximum of seven days a week for 120 days.

DSWD-7 regional director Shalaine Marie Lucero confirmed that the program will cover 4,000 child development centers across the region. It will also include 263 supervised neighborhood plays and provide milk feeding to about 29,000 children.

Central Visayas has been allotted ?529 million for the program’s 15th cycle, with the budget per child increased from ?15 to ?25. DSWD-7 hopes the increased funding will help reduce nutritional gaps and support children’s health in low-income communities.

“Before ang atoang budget is only ?15 per child and that is low, nakita g’yud na nga dili siya enough to improve the nutritional status of the children,” said Lucero.

“We believe that with this increase in budget there is a greater possibility nga mas better ang nutritional status sa mga bata and we will be able to address malnutrition and other nutrition-related issues,” Lucero added.

Parents and community volunteers will prepare and serve the meals on site using locally sourced ingredients. In accordance to the Pinggang Pinoy Model, each serving of these meals will be made sure that they follow the essential go, grow, and glow food groups.

Food is provided as hot meals and ready-to-eat packs, with milk to supplement children’s daily intake and fight malnutrition.

Lucero also urged local government units to strengthen support for community feeding activities and help ensure smooth implementation.

DSWD-7 aims for at least 80% of children in the region to meet their nutritional needs and achieve a healthy body mass index.

Children who are underweight or whose nutrition remains below standard will receive additional intervention through rural health centers. Their weight and height will be regularly monitored by local health units to track progress and recommend further support if needed. — Raphael Veloso, CNU intern (FREEMAN)