The National Nutrition Council R02 reminded Local Nutrition Committees (LNCs) to strictly implement Executive Order No. 51 or the Milk Code of the Philippines during the Enhanced Community Quarantine.

In a live interview with PIA Region, Ms. Maria Gisela M. Lonzaga, Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator, appealed to Chair of LNCs in the region to ensure their strict compliance of the EO 51.

The Milk Code or Executive Order 51, signed by then President Corazon Aquino in 1986 is the law that promotes, protects and supports breastfeeding, in the Philippines.  EO 51 and its revised Implementation Rules and Regulations prohibits the acceptance and distribution of donations of milk formula, powdered milk and other milk substitutes, commercial baby food feeding bottles and artificial nipples and teats to 0-6 months infants. General distribution of these items during an emergency is not allowed.

She emphasized that LGUs must be strict in the compliance of EO 51 particularly in the  non-acceptance and distribution of formula milk in times or emergency.

“Mas mainam pa rin po ang breasfmilk para sa sanggol anim na buwan pababa at nararapat na complementary feeding para sa mga sanggol anim na buwan pataas at patuloy na pagpapasuso,” she emphasized during the interview.

In addition, the Word Health Organization (WHO) and the Department of Health (DOH) rank breastfeeding as topmost preventive child survival measure to reduce under-5 mortality.

Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months and continued breastfeeding with adequate complementary feeding alone were estimated to prevent almost one-fifth of under-5 deaths in developing countries.

Children who are exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of life are 14 times more likely to survive than non-breastfed children.

Lastly, violations of the milk code must be reported. These can be reported to the National Nutrition Council Region 02 and Department of Health Region 02 for proper endorsement and action. ###JNLB