Iloilo City – Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Ms. Carina Santiago, together with officers of the Communicators’ Network for Nutrition in Region 4A (CNN4A) in CALABARZON, and the Promo-Nutricom from MIMAROPA , jointly supported the national launching of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017 -2022, in this city.

The five-year plan targets to address malnutrition problem in the country, particularly stunting.

DOH Secretary Paulyn Jean Ubial cited the report of former Socio Economic Planning Secretary Ceilito Habito in his opinion column indicating that 33.4% of Filipino children is stunted or suffers chronic malnutrition in 2015.

 “It is shameful to admit but we have one of the highest stunting rates in Southeast Asia. Other countries are only averaging less than 20%,” Ubial said in her speech. 

Under the PPAN, Ubial said that they target to reduce the stunting rate to 21% as this could also help save the economy of the country.

“In 15 to 20 years, these stunted children will enter the workforce. And instead of driving the engine of economy, they will become a burden to society. Because malnutrition permeates into the next generation, the cycle continues. The Philippines will never get out of the quagmire of poverty, ill health, poor nutrition without targeted intervention,” she said.

She enjoined all stakeholders such as the local government units, barangay health workers, and barangay nutrition scholars, among others, to work together to achieve the goal.

“Health and nutrition is everyone’s concern. Everyone in the community must be involved,” she said.

Meanwhile, the regional media groups of Calabarzon and Mimaropa through the stewardship of RNPC Santiago buckled down to work planning and formulating programs and strategies to promote PPAN through the mass media.