MANILA, Philippines – How can children grow up healthy and perform well in school if they lack the proper nutrients for development?
A Philippine Institute for Development Studies study cited in the Year Two Report of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) showed that only 25% of Filipino children meet the recommended energy intake. Malnutrition is chronic for millions of kids.
“This challenge is particularly acute among children aged 6-12 months in low-income households,” EDCOM 2 said in its report, released on Monday, January 27.
Underweight Filipino children 3 to 5 years old were found to consume 20% less protein, 40% less total fat, and 35% less carbohydrates than recommended.
“This has led to one in four Filipino children under age 5 being stunted, despite laws since 2017, such as [Republic Act No.] 11148 or the Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act, meant to address it,” EDCOM 2 said, noting that the percentage was at 26.7% as of 2021.
Stunting in the country “remained persistently high from 2000 to 2020,” with an economic cost pegged at P174.4 billion per year.
“Despite decades of economic growth, progress in reducing stunting has been alarmingly slow, with only a 1% annual decline compared to 5%–6% in neighboring countries,” EDCOM 2 said.
Unlike the Philippines, countries such as Peru, Bangladesh, and Vietnam have made considerable progress in addressing stunting over the years.
While the government has feeding programs, such as the Supplementary Feeding Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), EDCOM 2 considers these “insufficient.”
“Data show that the DSWD struggles to meet its legal mandate of providing at least one fortified meal to undernourished children aged 3-4 in day care centers for 120 days in a year. Participation rates remain alarmingly low, from less than 10% to less than 30% across regions,” the commission said.
“The DSWD’s budget has also not kept pace with inflation and rising cost of nutrition,” EDCOM 2 noted. In 2023, the budget per hot meal was only P15.
EDCOM 2’s recommendations include maintaining consistency in the delivery and quality of feeding programs, prioritizing high-risk children, and improving the tracking and evaluation of outcomes by going “beyond attendance and participation metrics.”
You can access the full Year Two Report here. – Rappler.com