DSWD, DOHunite to battle stunting through multisectoral nutrition project

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (center), Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian (center left), and Health Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergreire (center right) along with other officials launch the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project at the Manila Hotel on Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Photo from DSWD’s Facebook.

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) have teamed up to launch a multisectoral nutrition program to tackle malnutrition and stunting in the Philippines.

According to the DSWD, the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP) intends to unify nutrition interventions to eliminate growth deficiency in designated areas countrywide.

The social welfare and health departments and local government units (LGU) will jointly implement the program.

“We believe that the [PMNP] and the community-driven development approach hold great promise for improving the nutritional status of women and children in the Philippines. We are confident that we can achieve sustainable and long-lasting improvements in the well-being of Filipino families by empowering them to take ownership of their nutrition challenges,” said Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian during the program’s launch.

The DSWD will implement the program through the Kapit-Bisig Laban Sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services program, which allows locals to identify their community problems and design, implement, implement and manage their solutions.

According to DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergreire, the PMNP will be implemented in the next three years.

“The PMNP is a commitment to streamline human capital investments. It may take a long time for us to reap the results of our investment in community health and nutrition, but these are worthwhile investments for the improvement of our society. Healthy and properly nourished women and children are pillars of a properly healthy and nourished community,” Vergeire said in a speech.

Vergeire said 81 percent, or 190 municipalities, have already entered a tripartite agreement with the DOH and the DSWD for the PMNP.

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