SINABI ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr., na gumagawa ang goboyerno ng ‘urgent, decisive, at multisectoral action” para tugunan ang problema sa malnutrisyon sa bansa.
Sa naging talumpati ng Pangulo sa 2024 NATIONAL NUTRITION AWARDING CEREMONY sa Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria sa Lungsod ng Quezon, araw ng Biyernes, Marso 7, sinabi nito na naglunsad ang kanyang administrasyon ng ilang pangunahing government programs para masiguro na ang mga filipino, lalo na ang mga bata ay makatatanggap ng tamang nutrisyon.
Hindi naman kasi lingid sa kaalaman ng Punong Ehekutibo ang masamang epekto ng malnutrisyon sa ‘cognitive development at kinabukasan ng mga mga batang Filipino.
“While we have made significant progress, it cannot be denied the Philippines continues to face complex nutritional challenges. Malnutrition exists at alarming levels across different stages of life throughout our country and it has multivarious effects,” ang sinabi ni Pangulong Marcos.
Tinuran pa ng Pangulo na binago ng Department of Health (DOH) ang polisiya nito para mapahusay pa ang serbisyo ng departamento pagdating sa ‘preventive at curative phases ng healthcare.’
“We have, first of all, changed the policy wherein we have moved, shifted – not changed but shifted the policy of the Department of Health where we are trying to improve our services in terms of the preventive phase of healthcare. And the curative phase, of course, I think is very clear. But the preventive phase, and that includes nutrition,” ayon sa Pangulo.
Aniya, maging ang Department of Agriculture (DA) ay kumikilos para tiyakin na ang mga Filipino ay hindi lamang nakakukuha ng sapat na pagkain kundi nakatatanggap ng tamang nutrisyon.
“Furthermore, even in the Department of Agriculture, we have stopped talking about simply food supply. We have now started talking about nutrition. It is not sufficient that we have this – that we have enough – everything to eat. If the family, especially the child, are not still eating the right things. And that is why we have a program with DSWD that addresses that problem,” ang sinabi ng Pangulo sa kanyang naging talumpati.
Winika pa ng Chief Executive na Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) ay naglunsad din ng bagong cash grant sa ilalim ng Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) binansagan bilang First 1,000 Days of Life para protektahan, ilayo ang mga bata mula sa pagkabansot at malnutrisyon.
“After that, we have feeding programs in school, we have feeding programs that allow – that make sure… Mayroon tayong bagong sistema ngayon pagka ‘yung – binibigyan natin na kasama sa feeding program mayroon silang booklet at parang sinasabi sa bawat linggo ito ‘yung dapat na makuha kayong carbohydrates, pero dapat mayroon din kayong gulay na ganito, dapat mayroon din kayong… So, ‘pag inubos mo na ‘yung isa, kailangan ‘yun na lang ‘yung natitirang kukunin niyo. That way, we somehow balance,” ang sinabi pa rin ni Pangulog Marcos.
“So, nutrition is the key. And that is why this is such an important event because we have seen the initiatives of the local governments,” dagdag na wika nito.
“In that way, we somehow balance. So, nutrition is the key because we have seen the initiatives of the local government,” ang sinabi p rin ng Pangulo sabay sabing P350,000 ang ilalaankada buwan para sa mahigit na 68,000 4Ps households na may mga buntis at mga batang may edad na 0 hanggang 2.
Sa kabilang dako, sinabi pa ni Pangulong Marcos na ang Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program ng DSWD ay naglalayon na bawasan ang insidente ng voluntary hunger sa hanay ng low-income households.
“These efforts align with the goals of the Philippine Development Plan, which sets the target of achieving zero hunger by 2028, as part of our commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth,” ayon sa Chief Executive.
Subalit, hindi aniya nag-iisa ang National Government sa laban na ito. Sa pamamagitan ng suporta at kaukulang pagsisikap ng lokal na pamahalaan at kani-kanilang chief executives, kumpiyansang sinabi ng Pangulo na “we can achieve more and cover more ground in this fight that we have started.”
Inatasan naman ni Pangulong Marcos ang DILG na tiyakin na ang ‘healthcare at nutrisyon’ ay kasama bilang priority indicator sa Seal of Good Local Governance.
“We are looking again at the criteria that — as being examined when granting the Seal of Local [Governance] and I insisted that healthcare be part of that: healthcare in terms of nutrition, healthcare in terms of vaccination, in terms of access to health services. These are the things that are very, very important. We really must take to heart the very painful lessons of the pandemic,” ang bahagi pa rin ng talumpati ng Pangulo.
“Huwag natin… Nahirapan tayong lahat sa pandemya. Lahat tayo — we have all suffered losses to our families, of our loved ones. And so, let not that pain that we suffered through go to waste. Let us use that and learn the lessons of the pandemic and build up our healthcare system, build up our nutritional system. It’s the only way to go,” anito.
Pagtiyak aniya ito na ang whole-of-nation approach ay isinusulong habang sumusulong ang gobyerno sa layunin nito na i-promote ang kalusugan at nutristyon ng ‘future Filipino generations.’
Muli ay hinikayat ni Pangulong Marcos ang lahat ng local chief executives na “commit to providing your counterpart investments in nutrition, especially for nutritionally at-risk pregnant mothers, for the First 1,000 Days of Life of children and beyond.”
Mahalaga aniya na ang sapat na ‘health at nutrition interventions’ ay pinagsama sa Annual Investment Plan ng bawat isang local government unit.
“Investing in human capital is the key to securing our nation’s future. Therefore, let us intensify our commitment to breaking the cycle of intergenerational malnutrition by looking after the welfare of our people—especially pregnant women, mothers, and their children,” ang litaniya ni Pangulong Marcos.
Lalo pa aniyang paigtingin ang mga magagandang gawain para masugpo ang problema sa malnutrisyon.
“Mga kababayan, ang pagkakaroon ng sapat na nutrisyon ay hindi lamang nakukuha sa pagkain nang tama, kundi pati rin sa pagsigurong mayroon tayong malinis na kapaligiran, ligtas na komunidad, at matiwasay na pamumuhay,” ayon sa Pangulo.
“Patuloy tayong magtulungan at pairalin ang disiplina sa lahat ng oras upang makamit natin ang isang tunay na mapayapa, malusog, at masaganang Bagong Pilipinas,” aniya pa rin. (Daris Jose)