Administrasyong Marcos, inilunsad ang PH Multisectoral Nutrition Project

PINANGUNAHAN ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ang paglulunsad ng  Philippine Multi-sectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP) na may temang “Better Bodies and Minds.”

Sa naging talumpati sa nasabing event sa Manila Hotel, sinabi ni Pangulong Marcos  na committed ang kanyang administrasyon na mamuhunan sa  110-million strong population ng bansa, kinokonsiderang “main drivers” ng ekonomiya.

Binigyang- diin ni Pangulong Marcos na kailangang  hasain ng gobyerno  ang mga mamamayan para maging “industrious, potent at productive Filipinos”, na malakas at matatag, matiisin sa kahirapan upang mabuhay ng matagal at i-enjoy ang buhay.

“This is the reason why this Administration has put a high priority and considered it of strategic importance that lies in the areas of food security, health care, and education, amongst others,” ayon sa Pangulo sabay sabing Ito ang dahilan kung bakit kinuha niya ang posisyon bilang Kalihim ng Department of Agriculture, tugunan ang pangunahing hamon.

“Sometimes we do not think about it and therefore do not often realize it, but lodged at the very core of all this is the aspect of good nutrition for our people. On the one hand, we have acknowledged the harrowing state of affairs that hunger and food inadequacy continue to be of paramount national, and for that matter, international concerns,” ayon sa Punong Ehekutibo.

Ang  PMNP,  isang four-year project, pinangunahan ng Department of Health (DOH) at Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), ay nakatuon tungo sa pag-adopt ng “bold multi-sectoral approach” para makamit ang  nutrition-specific at nutrition-sensitive interventions sa iba’t ibang  local government units (LGUs).

Tinukoy ang kamakailan lamang na Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS), na binigyang diin ang mataas na  insidente ng pagkabansot sa hanay ng health issues sa mga kabataang Filipino, sinabi ng Pangulo na dapat talakayin ng pamahalaan ang  malnutrition, naugnay sa “long-term adverse developmental impacts.”

Ang panganib, ayon sa Pangulo ay malaking epekto sa “learning ability, academic performance, all the way to productivity and employment opportunities” sa  mga tao at may bitbit din itong  hereditary implications.

“Like the problem of food security, these related nutritional issues are also critical and fundamental to the Philippine socio-economic development,” ayon sa Pangulo.

Aniya, ang  major nutrition project ay ang “strategic government intervention, adopting a multi-sectoral community participatory approach”.

Ang inisyatiba, nang pinagsama-samang DOH,  DSWD, DA,  National Nutrition Council, Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) , at maging ang LGUs mula Luzon patungo ss Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), ay mahalaga dahil ang naturang  approach ay nakitang effective method para sa multifaceted problem.

Kinilala rin ng Pangulo ang World Bank para sa pagbibigay ng mahalagang funding assistance upang gawing reyalidad ang proyekto.

Tinukoy ang international financial institution, sinabi ng Pangulo na ang mamuhunan sa nutrisyon ay may pangako ng “highest returns”, ginagawa itong “one of the best value-for-money development actions.”

“The project  would deliver services straight to the LGUs needing intervention, in the form of primary healthcare support and nutrition services, including Early Childhood Care and Development services, on top of access to clean water and sanitation, technical information, training and financing, among other facets,” aniya pa rin.

Sa kabilang dako, binigyang diin ng Pangulo ang kahalagahan ng partisipasyon ng LGU para maisakatuparan ang proyekto ng walang  partnership sa local governments, “we do not get to what is often referred to as the last mile.”

Upang kagyat na matugunan ang malnutrition sa bansa, muling tinawagan ng pansin ng Pangulo ang DOH  makipag-collaborate sa ibang  government agencies pagdating sa  “harmonizing and effecting sound diet and nutritional policies and practices for the people.”

“The government must continue to exert the best efforts to ensure well-orchestrated and coordinated strategy to implement not only the PMNP but all related nutritional programs throughout the country, so as to be able to get a maximum effect for all government efforts,” ayon sa Chief Executive.

Samantala, pinasalamatan naman ng Pangulo ang mga mambabatas para sa tulong ng mga ito sa nutrition project sa pamamagitan ng pagtulong sa administrasyon na i-develop at ilagay sa  law policies na makatutulong na lipulin ang malnutrisyon at ingat ang antas ng primary health care at nutrisyon sa Pilipinas.

“As the country continues to face persistent threats of hunger and malnutrition, rest assured that this Administration is working conscientiously to find effective and cross-cutting solutions to address these and other paramount social problems and concerns,” ayon kay Pangulong Marcos. (Daris Jose)