The city government of Makati regards children as their “richest human resource” and providing them the right nutrition is a good investment in the future of the city. With this in mind, the City Nutrition Committee (CNC) strives to improve the nutritional status of children by planning and implementing an integrated nutrition program based on the priority actions of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN).
Cognizant of the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity not only in the city but in the entire region, the CNC decided to put emphasis on improving the dietary practices of children and their families. The CNC implements a program to prevent and control overweight and obesity in all public elementary schools in the city. Prior to its implementation, the teachers and nurses were trained on the program components and in assessing the nutritional status of school children. The school children are engaged in Larong Pinoy to make them physically active. They are also taught how to eat healthy and practice healthy lifestyle.
The city government also invests in building the capacities of its health and nutrition workers. Health center staff were trained on proper hand washing and nutrition assessment using anthropometric and biochemical methods.
The City Nutrition Office produced process flow charts on nutrition counseling as part of noncommunicable disease (NCD) risk assessment. All city hall employees are made to undergo nutritional status assessment every year and seek nutrition advice from the nutritionist-dietitians, if needed.
Pregnant mothers are assessed to identify those who are nutritionally-at risk and need nutrition interventions. Growth monitoring of children 0-71 months old is regularly done by the Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNSs). Parents and caregivers were taught how to interpret the weight and height of their children using the growth chart. The CNC also actively promotes the First 1000 Days and implements various activities to reduce the number of infants with low birthweight and ensure that the children are given the best nutrition during their first two years of life. The city boasts of having the first LGU-funded and maintained Human Milk Bank in the country. Makati City continues to have a strong Infant and Young Child Feeding Program, being a pioneer in the region in establishing community-based breastfeeding support groups.
The Makati Health Department, an active member of the CNC, also produced research papers on the Implementation of the Community-based Human Milk Bank and Determinants of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Stratification Among City Government Employees.
These are just some of the nutrition initiatives of the CNC it its desire to continuously reduce all forms of malnutrition. Despite having the resources for its various nutrition programs, the CNC still collaborates with NGOs and other stakeholders following the principle of Public-Private Partnership to ensure that investments in nutrition is sustained.
Written by: Ms. Soccoro Alma F. Gammad, Nutrition Officer IV of Makati City
* Makati City was the recipient of the LGU with Continuous Improvement in Nutrition Program Management Award during the 2017 Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony (RNAC) on July 28, 2017 at Novotel Hotel, Quezon City.
* Article was included in the 2017 RNAC Souvenir Program
