Governor Vi cites importance of milk drinking in 'Laki sa Gatas' launch

MANILA, Philippines - Parents can all help nurture the future of the country if they get their children to practice proper nutrition, particularly milk drinking.

This was the message that Batangas Gov. Vilma Santos-Recto emphasized during the launch of Laki sa Gatas, the nutrition education advocacy initiated by Bear Brand Powdered Milk Drink. 

The launch saw the Laki sa Gatas caravan visiting the Ponciano Bernardo Elementary School in Quezon City and likewise holding a media briefing at the Mandarin Suites of Gateway Mall.

Joining her in the launch events were Nestlé Philippines Inc. (NPI) chairman and CEO Nandu Nand-kishore, Nestle Indochina chairman and CEO John Miller, and NPI Dairy Health and Nutrition Solutions Business executive manager Eugene David.

“Schoolchildren who are not properly nourished cannot learn their lessons well. If they come to school hungry, they would find it difficult to listen and understand what is being taught to them,” Santos-Recto said.

She said this is the reason why she strongly supports Laki sa Gatas.

“I believe that educating our children as well as our mothers and teachers on the value of proper nutrition is very important. Health has always been my number one priority as governor,” she said.

Addressing malnutrition

Nandkishore, meanwhile, explained that one of the reasons why they launched Laki sa Gatas four years ago is to help address the country’s malnutrition problem.

“Many Filipino children are either underweight or under-height, and the flipside to it is that these malnourished children tend to be obese when they reach adulthood. This is because their body tries to make up for what it has lost when they were younger,” he said.

Nandkishore added that milk is one of the most affordable and nutritious beverages available that could help address the problem of malnutrition.

“A glass of Bear Brand Powdered Milk Drink, for example, is only P8,” he said.

Changing a habit

David, meanwhile, said that what Laki sa Gatas aims to do is to change Filipino’s nutritional habits.

“We believe in small beginnings. It may seem like a daunting task, but we have a good starting point. The first step is to change a habit, and with it comes an understanding,” he said.

When the Laki sa Gatas caravan visits a school, a nutrition education session is held for schoolchildren, mothers, and teachers.

The children’s session includes numerous fun and educational activities for Grades 2 and 3 pupils. Mothers, meanwhile, participate in a workshop on proper nutrition, which includes lessons on healthy meal preparation and the many nutritional benefits that milk-drinking gives.

Teachers, on the other hand, are encouraged to be more observant of the pupils’ health as this is crucial in their learning and participation in classroom activities.

Since 2006, Laki sa Gatas has visited 2,989 schools across the country and has reached out to 1,418,806 kids, 517,402 moms, 33,286 teachers, and 1,763 barangay nutrition scholars to date. It would have visited 3,000 schools by this month and reached out to 1.5 million kids by October.

Santos-Recto summed it up: “Remember that time when milk was part of our baon and we were encouraged by our parents to drink milk before we go to bed? That is what Laki sa Gatas is trying to do. We could all help our children fulfill their dreams by giving them good health. And good health starts with as easy as drinking not just one, but two glasses of milk a day.”