In a forum conducted by the National Nutrition Council-NCR on August 19, 2021, participants from the 17 local government units composed of nutrition action officers, local nutrition program coordinators and members of the local nutrition committees, and representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) were encouraged to build linkages or partnerships to scale up nutrition actions in the first 1000 days in Metro Manila particularly during this pandemic.

The pandemic has caused disruption of services including nutrition and many Filipinos are faced with the problems and issues on unemployment, food security, food accessibility, and access to health and nutrition programs for children including pregnant women. If these issues are left unsolved, the nutrition situation may worsen.
With these challenges, collaboration and partnership among LGUs and NGOs are much needed to effectively implement the PPAN’s nutrition-specific and sensitive programs, particularly the critical nutrition interventions in the first 1000 days. The first 1000 days is the critical period of a child’s growth and development starting from conception until the child’s second birthday. The PPAN or the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition is the country’s framework in improving the nutrition situation.

NNC-NCR Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Milagros Elisa V. Federizo in her presentation, emphasized the importance of investing in the First 1000 Days.  She stressed the need for NGO-LGU collaboration in strengthening the First 1000 Days program and the convergence of nutrition services for better impact. According to NPC Federizo the nutrition programs and services for pregnant and lactating mothers and children 0-2 years old must be scaled up and integrated with other programs and services.

“With your help, dear partners from the NGOs and LGUs, we can make a difference in the lives of our children by helping them get the best nutrition particularly in their first 1000 days of life. Let us work together to eliminate all forms of malnutrition and raise a new Laking 1000 generation of Filipinos achieving their full potential”, said NPC Federizo as she calls for support from these stakeholders.  “We need to scale up nutrition programs – increase beneficiaries, achieve wider area of coverage, and increase budgets and resources. We need to do these to save the lives of children from malnutrition especially in this pandemic”, NPC Federizo added.  

Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC) Chair and Metro Manila Center for Health Development (MMCHD) Regional Director Dr. Gloria Balboa and RNC Vice-Chair and Nutrition Center of the Philippines (NCP) Executive Director Dr. Mary Christine Castro expressed their gratitude to the NGO and LGUs for their participation in the forum. They both encouraged the NGOs and LGUs to work together to improve the nutrition situation in Metro Manila.

During the panel discussion, Ms. Angelu Noorine S. Recato of Children International, Inc., Ms. Carol B. Estuesta of Gems Heart Foundation Outreach Development, Inc. and Executive Director Ma. Elena V. Navarro of Grace Family Helper Project, Inc. shared their nutrition and related programs aligned with the PPAN and what their organization has done or will do to scale up nutrition actions in the First 1000 days. They also shared insights on how other NGOs can help children get better nutrition in their first two years of life.

A map of NCR showing where the NGOs’ programs are currently being implemented was presented by NOIII Meren Francia to enable the participants to see where the NGOs in NCR are. The map also showed the eight (8) LGUs in the region that have stunting prevalence higher than the regional prevalence based on the 2020 Operation Timbang Plus. NGOs were encouraged to consider these LGUs as priority areas for their program/s.

LGUs and NGOs were urged to explore building partnership for the First 1000 Days Program and work together in preventing stunting and other forms of malnutrition particularly during the child’s first 1000 days.  

Written by:
Nutrition Officer III Emerenciana L. Francia and
Nutrition Program Coordinator Milagros Elisa V. Federizo