Lubao LGU resumes Milk Giving for Poor, undernourished Children

Story by Albert B. Lacanlale

Photos by Jovy Ivan P Matias

LUBAO, Pampanga—Undernourished children from poor families continue to be cared for by the local government unit here amid the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

The LGU, thru the Municipal Nutrition Council (MNC) chaired by Mayor Esmeralda G. Pineda, facilitated the distribution of milk supplements for severely wasted or underweight children ages 24 months to 58 months.

“The LGU targets only those children who are no longer dependent on breast milk because we want to encourage breastfeeding,” said Jovy Ivan Matias, team leader of the milk distribution.

The recipient toddlers were identified by the rural health units to have been dependent on infant formula milk since birth.

Matias said the municipal government only purchases milk supplement based on the list provided by the RHU in coordination with the nutrition council.

The program targets 333 children from the three rural health units of Lubao who will each receive three packs of 1.2-kilogram powdered milk that could last for three months.

The recipient-children were assessed during the Operation Timbang conducted by the Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) and midwives in January and February this year.

Requests from parents to include their children to receive the free milk cannot readily be granted since the distribution should only be based on the list of identified infant formula dependent since birth, as verified by the RHU.

Third distribution of the milk supplements will be held in July in time for the celebration of Nutrition Month.