Senator Sherwin Gatchalian wants the local government units (LGUs) to lead efforts against malnutrition, undernutrition, and stunting, especially among poor families.
A study by state think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) found that one in three Filipino children below five years old are stunted or too short for their age.
Stunting adversely affects the economy and national development, it also emphasized.
In a briefing last month, Action for Economic Reform Executive Director Filomeno Sta. Ana III noted that P40 billion is needed to increase the grants to beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipinong Program to help them combat malnutrition and mitigate the impact of inflation.
The UNICEF also estimated that the economic cost of stunting is P174.4 billion every year.
“Sa pagsugpo natin sa malnutrisyon, mahalaga ang pakikilahok ng ating mga local government units, lalo na’t sila ang mas malapit sa ating mga kababayang nangangailangan ng tulong,” said Gatchalian, chair of the Senate basic education panel.
“Isinusulong natin na bigyan natin ng mas malawak na papel ang ating mga LGUs sa paghahatid ng mga programa sa nutrisyon at early childhood care and development upang maabot natin ang bawat isa sa mga kababayan nating nangangailangan ng tulong,” he added.
The senator filed the proposed Basic Education and Early Childhood Care and Development Alignment Act (Senate Bill No. 2575), which tasks LGUs to implement early childhood care and development (ECCD) programs.
The measure provides that LGUs shall include allocations from the Special Education Fund and the Gender and Development Fund in implementing ECCD programs.IMT
