By Junex Doronio
CONCERNED THAT ONE OF EVERY THREE FILIPINO children are undernourished, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benhur Abalos has urged local government units (LGUs) to focus on the health and nutrition of children.
Abalos on Sunday made the call as he noted that November marks the 31st National Children’s Month (NCM).
“Dapat nating tutukan ang nutrisyon. Isa sa bawat tatlong Pilipinong bata ay undernourished, apektado ang kanilang brain development. Once na apektado ang utak ng bata sa first 1,000 days, mahihirapan na silang makabawi, apektado ang pag-aaral ng bata. Kaya ito ay pagtulungan natin,” Abalos said in a statement.
Abalos in his DILG Memorandum Circular (MC) No. 2023-152, directed the provincial, city, municipal, and barangay LGUs to spearhead and support various activities aligned with the month-long NCM celebration with the theme “Healthy, Nourished, Sheltered: Ensuring the Right to Life for All.”
Abalos said the recommended weekly activities shall be anchored on survival rights for the first week, developmental rights for the second week, participation rights and National Play Advocacy Week in the third week, and protection rights week or juvenile justice and welfare consciousness week in the fourth week.
On the issue of “bloodless anti-drug war” and recognizing the pivotal role of children and youth in the government’s priority campaign against illegal drugs, Abalos also encouraged the youth to be active partners for the Buhay Ingatan, Droga Ayawan (BIDA) holistic advocacy campaign.
Meanwhile, during the “DILG sa DZRH” radio TV program, Abalos asked the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary and Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) Executive Director Angelo M. Tapales to work with the DILG in addressing the perennial problem of child beggars on the city streets, especially with the upcoming Christmas season.
(ai/mnm)