Thursday, February 22, 2007 'Hidden hunger' stalks many Filipinos
THE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has called on governors and mayors nationwide to help address the increasing problem of "hidden hunger" in the country, by encouraging the sale and consumption of vitamin-enriched foods in their respective communities and allocating funds to help carry out the government's Food Fortification Program.
In a memorandum, the DILG urged local chief executives to support the implementation of Republic Act 8976, or the Food Fortification Act, by encouraging their respective constituencies, through the sale and preparation of food in canteens operated by the local government units (LGUs), school systems, day care centers and markets as well as those distributed during disaster relief programs, to consume products fortified with vitamins and minerals.
These foods, the DILG said, include fortified flour, sugar, rice, cooking oil and other products with the Department of Health's Sangkap Pinoy seal that will provide additional nutrients needed to attain good health and compensate for the loss of vitamins and minerals due to food processing and storage.
"We encourage our local chief executives to closely cooperate with the DOH in implementing our Food Fortification program, which will help address the increasing problem of micronutrient malnutrition in the country," DILG Secretary Ronaldo Puno said.
Surveys conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute reveal that the Filipino diet is still inadequate in vitamins and minerals such as iron, Vitamin A, thiamine, riboflavin and iodine and lacks vitamin C, calcium and folate.
Statistics also show that four out of every Filipino children suffers from micronutrient malnutrition, or what is often referred to as hidden hunger This type of malnutrition refers to micronutrient deficiency, particularly the lack of vitamin A, iron and iodine The hardest hit are preschool children below 6 years old and mothers of reproductive health.
As part of their tasks under the Food Fortification Act, Puno also urged local officials to assist in monitoring foodstuff mandated to be fortified in public markets, stores and food service establishments.
"It must be noted, however, that while most flour and cooking oil have already been fortified, there is a limited supply of fortified rice and sugar and thereby, such scarcity in the supply of these staple foods must also be given due consideration since it may lead to higher prices," the DILG memorandum stated.
The DILG likewise urged LGUs to set aside funds to effectively carry out the Food Fortification Act at the local level and closely coordinate with the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAR) in implementing this law.
In the implementing rules and regulations of RA 8976, agencies mandated to implement this law, like LGUs should allocate part of their budget for the Food Fortification Program/
Section 8 of RA 8976 likewise states that LGUs, "through their health officers, or agricultural officers or nutritionist-dietician or sanitary inspectors shall assist in the monitoring and checking that foods mandated to be fortified like rice, refined sugar, wheat flour and cooking oil are properly fortified and labeled indicating specific micronutrient it is fortified with."
