Hontiveros: First 1,000 Days Law ‘best holiday gift’ to mothers, infants

Sen. Risa Hontiveros. INQUIRER.NET PHOTO/CATHY MIRANDA

MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Risa Hontiveros hailed the passage of the First 1,000 Days Law as the “best holiday gift” to mothers and infants.

Republic Act 11148 or the “Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act,” signed by President Rodrigo Duterte November 29, seeks to provide health and nutrition services to children during the first 1,000 days of their lives.

READ: Duterte signs ‘First 1,000 Days’ Law

Hontiveros, who sponsored and co-author the measure, said it was “heartening to see our national leaders stand as one in the cause of promoting healthy nanays, healthy bulilits and a healthy citizenry.”

“Since Christmas revolves around the story of the infant Jesus, the new law is the best holiday gift that we can give Filipino mothers and their children so that they may live healthy, fulfilled and meaningful lives with their loved ones,” she said in a statement on Thursday.

The new law “aims to provide comprehensive, sustainable multi-sectoral strategies and approaches to address health and nutrition problems of newborns, infants and young children, pregnant and lactating women and adolescent females, as well as multi-factoral issues that negatively affect the development of newborns, infants and young children, integrating the short, medium and long-term plans of the government to end hunger, improve health and nutrition, and reduce malnutrition.”

Hontiveros said the challenge now is the immediate and effective implementation of the new law.

“I call on government to build upon this achievement by giving this law the funding, attention and resources it requires. The state must be true to its mandate and promise of protecting mothers and their young children, whose development will determine the future of our nation,” she said. /je