CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (PIA)--Targeting to gather over 1,000 breastfeeding mothers all over Mindanao, the Modern Nanays of Mindanao (MNM) invites mothers and families to join the Hakab Na 2021, August 8 via Zoom at 1:00 p.m. in celebration of the National Breastfeeding Awareness month.

"Hakab Na is an event where mothers simultaneously breastfeed their baby for 1 minute to raise awareness and normalize breastfeeding in communities. Different regions with budding support groups celebrate independently and this year we aim to bring all these support groups in Mindanao together," MNM Founder Nadine Casiño said. 

She added that in this time of pandemic, heightening awareness on breastfeeding is essential noting that the crisis caused separation of babies at birth, isolation of mothers because of COVID-19, and cessation of breastfeeding from misconceptions of vaccination.

"We should do our best to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. The pandemic should not keep us apart, instead it should bring us together to unite in a common goal," Casiño said. 

Furthermore, Hakab Na 2021 aims to inspire mothers to start their own breastfeeding peer support groups if they have none available in their location yet, raise awareness about breastfeeding and its issues in the region, and gather supporters and champions to build enabling breastfeeding communities. 

MNM has been hosting the Hakab Na since 2013 and they have gathered an average of 300 mothers every year in Cagayan de Oro City. 

This year, breastfeeding experts from the Department of Health (DOH)-10 and National Nutrition Council (NNC) will grace the said event. 

To join the event, interested participants will just need to register to Bit.ly/HakabNaMindanao2021. Hakab Na 2021 will also be played live via Modern Nanays of Mindanao Facebook page. (RTP/PIA-10)