Most Ifugao children still malnourished

BAGUIO CITY — Most Ifugao children are still malnourished, the government-run Philippine Information Agency (PIA) said recently.

The recorded malnutrition rate of 7.77 percent in 2005-2006 is still a cause for alarm even if it has dropped significantly from 10.83 percent in 2003-2004.

In response to the high prevalence of malnutrition among school children and pre-schoolers, the provincial government, through the Provincial Nutrition Council (PNC), launched last week the "Barya Mo, Kalusugan Ko" project, which aims to raise funds to augment the nutritional food supplement of high-risk barangays under the Health and Nutrition Status Improvement and Poverty Alleviation Program (HENSI-PAP).

Joyce Niwane, of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), claimed that the innovative project of the PNC is intended to uplift the nutritional status of Ifugao children.

Collection boxes or cans will be distributed to provincial government offices, national government agencies, non-government organizations, cooperatives, banks and big business establishments within Lagawe, Lamut, Banaue and Kiangan towns.

Niwane said this will be a continuous endeavor for as long as it is effective in raising funds for direct malnutrition intervention and until the malnutrition problem is solved.

According to PIA-Cordillera director Helen Tibaldo, the decrease in the malnutrition rate in Ifugao is due to the implementation of the province’s various programs on health and nutrition.