Ensuring every child's right to food for a better life and a better future

The right to adequate nutrition and healthcare remains out of reach for many children in the Philippines. In 2021, nearly three in ten children under five were stunted, which means almost 3 million children are missing out on the nutrients they need to survive and thrive. Without proper nutrition, these children will continue to face challenges that could jeopardize their health, learning, and future potential.

The Philippine Government, through the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP), is working to change this reality for children. With $178 million from the World Bank and technical support from UNICEF, the Department of Health and Department of Social Welfare and Development are joining forces to combat stunting, wasting, and other forms of malnutrition across 235 municipalities.

In recent months, visits to communities in Quezon, Leyte, and Davao revealed valuable opportunities for the project to enhance support for local governments in collecting and using child nutrition data. For example, in Barangay Castilla, Palo, recent data showed nearly half of children under five were classified as overweight, which highlights the need for targeted interventions that local governments can design with the help of community leaders. Access to accurate data empowers local leaders to pinpoint the specific challenges children and mothers are facing, and design effective, targeted programme that directly benefit their communities.

These visits also underscored that barangay health workers, nutrition scholars, community volunteers, and development workers—who often serve as the first line of support for families—are our greatest allies in safeguarding the health and wellbeing of our children. Providing these dedicated individuals with adequate resources and training ensures they can meet the unique needs of the most vulnerable children and families.

Every child deserves the right to food for a better life and a better future. Proper nutrition helps children grow up healthy, take part in their education and community, and supports a healthier society.

"At UNICEF, we’re dedicated to building strong systems that ensure children have optimal nutrition they need, for their growth and development ," said Alice Nkoroi, UNICEF Philippines Nutrition Manager. "Through our support to DOH on the PMNP, we help local communities strengthen their health services, improve planning, and build the skills of health workers and community leaders. By supporting these efforts, we make sure that children across the country have access to the right nutrition to survive and thrive."

As we look back on our efforts, it is clear that urgent action is needed to improve child nutrition in the Philippines. Child nutrition extends beyond healthcare and requires commitment from all sectors of society—government, communities, the private sector, and educational institutions—to ensure that every child has the support they need for healthy growth and a successful future.

For every child, a better life and a better future.

UNICEF, through the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP), is dedicated to ensuring all children receive nutritious diets, essential nutrition services, and nurturing care during their First 1,000 Days and beyond. With $178 million from the World Bank, the project works with local governments in 275 municipalities across Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. The Department of Health and the Department of Social Welfare and Development are leading this project to provide a coordinated package of nutrition services and promote healthy practices at the household level to improve nutrition for every child.