Drilon champions child nutrition

This is the first batch of children beneficiaries of the “Mingo Meals for Nutrition Program” launched in in Calinog, Iloilo by former Senate President Franklin M. Drilon. These children are members of the indigenous communities in the highlands of Calinog. They are underweight and suffering from stunting.
This is the first batch of children beneficiaries of the “Mingo Meals for Nutrition Program” launched in in Calinog, Iloilo by former Senate President Franklin M. Drilon. These children are members of the indigenous communities in the highlands of Calinog. They are underweight and suffering from stunting.

CALINOG, Iloilo – Alarmed by the growing malnutrition among Filipino children, former Senate President Franklin M. Drilon led the launching of the “Mingo Meals for Nutrition Program” in Calinog, Iloilo, a vital initiative aimed at enhancing the well-being of children.

Drilon has secured a substantial P3.6 million donations from the private sector, which will be used to feed around 500 children for an entire year.

The first batch of children beneficiaries are members of the indigenous communities in the highlands of Calinog in Iloilo. These children are underweight and suffering from stunting or pagkabansot, according to Drilon.

The Mingo Meals for Nutrition Program, a collaboration among private sector individuals and organizations, seeks to provide children with nutritional support to combat malnutrition.  

“Through this program, we want to create a positive impact on the health of these children living in impoverished communities,” Drilon emphasized.

This endeavor is made possible through the generous support of Daewoo Philippines and the unwavering dedication of the Negrense Volunteers for Change.

Malnutrition has reached alarming levels in the country, according to Drilon. He cited a study by the United Nations Children’s Fund which found out that 95 children succumb to the effects of malnutrition daily, a stark reality that demands immediate action.

The World Bank said that malnutrition has remained a serious problem in the country for nearly 30 years with one in every three Filipino children aged five years old and below suffering from stunting as one of the severe effects of malnutrition, he noted.

The country ranks fifth in the East Asian and the Pacific region with the highest prevalence of stunting, he added.

Drilon has pledged his unwavering commitment to raise additional funds to combat child malnutrition and ultimately save lives.

“We can improve the lives of our children by improving their health. We should raise a generation of well-nourished children prepared to thrive in an increasingly competitive world,” Drilon said./PN

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