QUEZON CITY (PIA) -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. officially launched the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP) on March 29 at the Manila Hotel, signaling the government's commitment to address the high prevalence of malnutrition in the country.

The PMNP is a program aimed at improving the nutritional status of children under the age of five and pregnant and lactating women through a multisectoral approach that involves health and nutrition services, food security and livelihood, water, sanitation and hygiene, and behavior change communication.

The project is a collaboration between various government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and World Bank.

In his speech, President Marcos emphasized the importance of addressing malnutrition and high incidence of stunting in the country. He noted that like the problem of food security, these related nutritional issues are also critical and fundamental to our socio-economic development.

"Therefore, as we aim for food security, we must also pursue with the same vigor and consistency the remedies to this grave problem of [malnutrition]. In fact, whatever solutions we adopt in these two areas, they must be strategically related and mutually reinforcing," President Marcos said.

The launch of the PMNP was attended by various government officials, representatives from NGOs and international organizations, led by the Department of Health (DOH), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

“PMNP offers a new beginning for innovations to be integrated with established strategies. It is a product of our collective efforts to shape programs built around the needs of Filipino mothers and children. From previous feeding programs and nutrient provision services, we are now expanding our approach to cover disparities in other sectors affecting nutrition,” DOH officer-in-charge Ma. Rosario Vergeire said.

The P10 billion-project, funded through a loan from World Bank will be implemented in the next three years. The project aims to reach 2.4 million children under the age of five and 3.3 million pregnant and lactating women. What is unique with PMNP according to Secretary of Welfare and Development Rex Gatchalian is that it employs holistic and multisectoral approach and because it is community-driven, it will be owned by the mayors and people's organizations.

“We believe that the [PMNP] and the community-driven development approach hold great promise for improving the nutritional status of women and children in the Philippines. We are confident that we can achieve sustainable and long-lasting improvements in the well-being of Filipino families by empowering them to take ownership of their nutrition challenges,” DSWD Sec. Gatchalian said during the project’s launch.

For his part, NEDA Sec. Arsenio Balisacan emphasized that the PMNP’s overall objectives are aligned with the strategies espoused in two chapters of the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028, Subchapter 2.1 (Boost Health) and Subchapter 3.1 (Ensure Food Security and Proper Nutrition). PMNP supports the PDP's vision of a "matatag, maginhawa, at panatag na buhay para sa lahat", or a stable, comfortable, and secure life for all Filipinos.