A NUTRITION official lauded the Cebu Provincial Government for taking measures to make rice affordable at P20 per kilo and implementing a province-wide feeding program for school children.
Parolita Mission, the regional program coordinator of National Nutrition Council in Central Visayas (NNC 7), acknowledged the program but also pushed for the creation of initiatives that will benefit the infants.
"That would help families in addressing hunger problems because we know that if there is hunger, malnutrition often follows. However, it's crucial to consider our long-term perspective," she stated in a combination of English and Cebuano.
Mission told SunStar Cebu on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, that the best way to address stunting in children under the age of 24 months is to focus on their health and nutritional needs.
She added that it is preferable to give priority to a child's first 1000 days of existence, which include the time from conception to two years of age, which is a crucial time for significant growth and development of their immune system, body, and brain.
This matter was brought up at the October launch of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2023–2028, as Cebu was identified as one of the provinces facing malnutrition problems.