Mabalacat City Government opened its new breastfeeding station through the initiative of City Mayor and Chairperson of City Nutrition Committee, Honorable Crisostomo C. Garbo, City Administrator Atty. Emmanuel Ignacio and the City Nutrition Office (CNO), located at the Business One Stop Shop Area of the City Hall. The breastfeeding station is adequately provided with the necessary equipment and other items that a breastfeeding mother would need such as a comfortable chair, wash area, refrigerator to store milk, breast pump, among others.

The facility was established not only that it is required by law, but is intended for City Hall employees who need to express their breastmilk during work hours and for walk-in clients who need a private space to breastfeed their infants or express their breastmilk. A CNO staff and breastfeeding counselors are assigned at the station to assist nursing mothers.

Republic Act 10028 or Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009 mandates the establishments of lactation stations in workplaces, provision of breastfeeding breaks for working breastfeeding mothers, establishment of human milk banks in health institutions, inclusion of breastfeeding in curriculum of schools and declaring August of each year as Breastfeeding Awareness Month. The law also provides for the necessary support services to enable breastfeeding mothers to combine family obligations with work responsibilities. Lactation accommodation will also help breastfeeding moms to ease their transition in returning to work following the birth of their child. Having a breastfeeding lactation will encourage, protect, and support the practice of breastfeeding in the workplace and sustain it throughout the first 1,000 days of life of a child.

Exclusive breastfeeding is necessary from birth up to six months while continued breastfeeding is promoted for the next 550 days covering six to 24 months with timely and age appropriate introduction of complementary foods.

Congratulations to the City Nutrition Committee of Mabalacat City Government!

Author: NO II Rose Anne M. Cuyco