Breast Milk is the best food to ensure a child’s health and survival, especially for infants. It contains antibodies that aid in preventing several prevalent pediatric ailments, and it is secure and hygienic. When the child is sick, breastfeeding should continue for it has all the nutrients needed by the baby, and breastmilk will deliver healthy antibodies to the infant which boosts the baby’s immunity to everything from the common cold to more serious conditions.
Research shows that breastfeeding offers protection from asthma, eczema, diabetes, obesity, leukemia, tooth decay, ear infections, persistent diarrhea, and much more. Studies also show that breastfeeding reduces your child’s risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) as well as other causes of infant death, and even is linked to higher IQ. On top of that, breast and ovarian cancer risks are lower for those mothers who breastfeed.
However, even with the benefits, the global breastfeeding rate has increased very little in the past two decades while sales of formula milk have doubled. In the Philippines, the exclusive breastfeeding rate remains slow at 34% and the early initiation of breastfeeding is only 57%. So, the World Health Organization has set a target to increase exclusive breastfeeding to at least 50% by 2025.
On the other hand, to protect and promote breastfeeding in the Philippines, Executive Order 51 was made which is popularly known as the Philippine Milk Code of 1986 which regulates the marketing of infant milk formula, other milk products, foods, and beverages, as well as feeding bottles and teats. It also seeks to safeguard and support breastfeeding and guarantee that breast milk supplements and substitutes are utilized appropriately with sufficient information, marketing, and distribution.
Therefore, by being aware of the EO 51 Section 6 provision, we may both track down violators and defend breastfeeding:
(1) No advertising, promotion, or other marketing materials, whether written, audio, or visual, for breastmilk substitute shall be printed, published, distributed, exhibited, and broadcast unless such materials are duly authorized and approved by an inter-agency committee.
(2) Manufacturers and distributors shall not be permitted to give, directly, or indirectly, samples and supplies of products or gifts of any sort to any member of the general public, including members of their families, to hospitals and other health institutions, as well as to personnel within the health care system.
(3) There shall be no point-of-sale advertising, giving of samples, or any other promotion devices to induce sales directly to the consumers at the retail level, such as special displays, discount coupons, premiums, special sales, bonuses, and tie-in sales.
(4) Manufacturers and distributors shall not distribute to pregnant women or mothers of infants any gifts or articles or utensils which may promote the use of breastmilk substitutes or bottle feeding, nor shall any other groups, institutions, or individuals distribute such gifts, utensils, or products.
(5) Marketing personnel shall be prohibited from advertising or promoting in any other manner the products either directly or indirectly, to pregnant women or mothers of infants.
Hence, any person who violates the provisions of EO 51 shall be punished by a penalty of two (2) months to one (1) year imprisonment or a fine of not less than One Thousand Pesos (P1,000.00) nor more than Thirty Thousand Pesos (P30,000.00) or both.
The National Nutrition Council CARAGA wishes to remind everyone that breast milk is still the best source of nutrition for the majority of babies and advises continuing breastfeeding while introducing complementary foods until a child is 24 months old and/or older. #DMOIISMMontenegro
References:
Benefits of Breastfeeding for You & Baby. (n.d.). Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/15274-benefits-of-breastfeeding
Breastfeeding. (2019, November 11). https://www.who.int/health-topics/breastfeeding
E.O. No. 51. (n.d.). https://lawphil.net/executive/execord/eo1986/eo_51_1986.html
Supporting and sustaining breastfeeding during the pandemic | University of the Philippines Manila. (n.d.). https://www.upm.edu.ph/node/3930
UNICEF, WHO urge Philippine government to improve public investment in support for breastfeeding, child and maternal health programmes. (n.d.). https://www.unicef.org/philippines/press-releases/unicef-who-urge-philippine-government-improve-public-investment-support
