LGUs encouraged to strengthen efforts against malnutrition
Local government leaders were urged to strengthen their response against malnutrition, amid findings that a quarter of Filipino children under the age of 5 are stunted in growth.
At the Nutrition Leadership and Governance Executive Masterclass of the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP) during the National Mayors' Forum 2025 at SMX Aura on Wednesday, Health Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said that the Philippines is experiencing the 'triple burden' of malnutrition despite recent progress.
'The impact of this trilemma is significant. This is not just about statistics. It is a stolen future. It is a child who cannot concentrate in school, a young adult unable to reach their full potential, a community forever weighed down by what could have been. And this is not simply a health issue; it is a governance issue,' said Herbosa.
He said that there was a 26.7% prevalence of stunting and 5.5% wasting in Filipino children, particularly in those under the age of 5.
The World Health Organization defines stunting as impaired growth and development of children due to "poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation." It is generally characterized by having a low height for one's age. Wasting, meanwhile, is when a child is too thin for their height.
In the Philippines, most children under five, as well as pregnant and lactating women, were found to have micronutrient deficiencies, while other statistics show that there was overnutrition in some parts of the population.
Herbosa added that based on United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) data, undernutrition takes away P82.1 billion or 1.5% of the Philippine GDP annually.
However, recent interventions in nutrition have shown positive results with P986 or USD$17 in economic returns for every dollar invested as of 2024, he added.
Nutrition in focus
The PMNP was launched by DOH and DSWD in 2023, with nutrition at the center of its eight priority health programs, particularly PuroKalusugan for primary care strengthening.
With over 200 local government authorities in attendance, the forum will teach executives to lead their municipality using PMNP data, innovate with the best practices of successful areas, and commit to certain pledges for change.
Herbosa called for a pledge for collaborative action for healthcare and nutrition in local budgets, concrete actions to replicate best practices, and building partnerships for stronger implementation. He urged local government leaders to aid in the program's goal to reduce stunting to 13.5%.
'As mayors, you are the guardians at the gates. You are the leaders who can rewrite this story… This goal cannot be achieved by the national government alone. It requires your leadership, in planning, budgeting, implementation, and above all, mobilizing your communities with conviction and compassion,' he said.
'Today, I say to you: Let us not lose sight of our purpose. Let no child's future be stunted. Let no mother's hope be wasted. Let no purok be left behind. Ang kalusugan ay kayang isulong ng matatag at may malasakit na pamumuno. [Health can create a strong and merciful leadership.] This is the foundation of a nation where no one is hungry, no child is forgotten, and every Filipino thrives,' he added.
The PMNP has established an Information System to digitize the monitoring and delivery of essential government services to sectors in need to support the critical period of a child's first 1,000 days.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian was also present at the event, along with World Bank Group Division Director Zafer Mustafaoglu.
The National Mayors' Forum 2025 is a two-day event that will be held until Thursday with the participation of different local leaders nationwide. — BM, GMA Integrated News
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