MAP Launches Campaign Against Child Malnutrition and Stunting

The Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) has launched a campaign to combat child malnutrition and stunting in the country. MAP aims to complement the Philippine Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP) with its initiatives, as it strives to improve the overall nutritional status of Filipino children.

MAP President and BDB Law Founding Partner, Atty. Benedicta “Dick” Du-Baladad, stated that the private sector can have a greater impact in the fight against malnutrition and child stunting. MAP hopes to expand its role beyond fund generation and philanthropy to shared responsibility in addressing malnutrition in the country by participating in the programming and governance of nutrition strategies and interventions.

Child stunting is a significant threat to the country’s future, according to Dr. Cielito ‘Ciel’ F. Habito, Governor-in-Charge for MAP’s Cluster on Resilience and Recovery. The Philippines ranks fifth in the world for child stunting, with poor nutrition, repeated infections, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation leading to growth and development impairment in children. These factors can lead to adverse consequences that limit a child’s ability to reach their full mental, physical, and economic potential.

MAP has a diverse ecosystem and can potentially influence its network of employees in the delivery of support services like nutrition literacy. MAP will reach out to agencies overseeing the national malnutrition program, such as the Department of Health, the National Nutrition Council, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development, to pursue ways on how the private sector can further support the PMNP in reversing child stunting trends in the country.

To address malnutrition and child stunting, a strong focus on governance involving coordinated actions by many actors across sectors and levels of government is required. The recent infusion of resources from the World Bank is expected to boost the PMNP with timely and critical support. MAP is committed to harnessing the contributions that various industries and sectors can extend to intensify the efforts towards reducing child stunting. The organization recommends tripartite partnerships – business sector, government, and community – for a whole-of-society approach in fighting malnutrition and its adverse effects.