State of Maternal and Children's Health and Nutrition During Pandemic and Calamities

SECOND STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION
ON THE STATE OF MATERNAL & CHILDREN'S
HEALTH AND NUTRITION
DURING PANDEMIC AND CALAMITIES
3 December 2020
Zoom Webinar

Stakeholder Consultation on the State of Maternal & Children’s Health and Nutrition during Pandemic and Calamities 2
Introduction
This report summarizes the presentations and discussions of the second stakeholder consultation led
by KABAYAN Partylist focusing on the state of maternal and children’s health and nutrition during the
pandemic and calamities in the Philippines. As a continuing advocacy of the party, the consultation is
an initiative to discuss and review concerns regarding maternal and children’s health and its impact on
the country; to serve as a guide in formulating actionable recommendations through policymaking.
With numerous calamities the country went through such as the eruption of the Taal Volcano, the
spread of the COVID-19 virus, and typhoons which devastated different parts of the country,
KABAYAN Partylist, in partnership with the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) and the
Chevening Alumni Foundation of the Philippines, decided to focus its stakeholder discussion for the
year on the health problems faced by mothers and children during these unprecedented times. Last
December 3, 2020, the collective dialogue was held virtually and was attended by representatives from
the different stakeholder groups --- private institutions, academe and the medical community, non-
government organizations, government institutions such as the Department of Health (DOH), the
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Presidential Human Rights Committee,
representatives from various local government units, as well as members of the KABAYAN Partylist
across the country. The discussion was also streamed on social media as part of efforts to reach out to
the greater public and gain larger participation from interested parties in various sectors.
The consultation served as a platform where several experts shared their perspectives, experiences, and
insights regarding the matter. Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire, Undersecretary of Health and
Spokesperson, opened the discussion sharing the State of Maternal and Children Health amidst the Pandemic.
Ms. Mary Grace Blando and Ms. Maricel Gomez from the Department of Social Welfare and
Development discussed the Social Assistance Programs on Maternal and Children’s Health and Nutrition During
the Pandemic and Calamities. Dr. Jewehl Salo, Family Medicine Consultant from the Development
Academy of the Philippines, provided her perspective as a mother with a presentation on Vulnerabilities
on Maternal and Children’s Health during Pandemic. Dr. Jonathan Flavier shared his findings from the study
he conducted, entitled A Study on the Feeding Practices of Young Children and Mothers Observed During the
Pandemic, in San Manuel, Tarlac and Barangay Krus na Ligas, Quezon City. Cong. Stella Quimbo,
Representative of the 2nd District of Marikina City, shared her perspectives on a scenario wherein the
COVID-19 pandemic widened gender and age gaps in health and nutrition

Key Findings
The following were the highlights during the consultation following the panelists’ discussions:
Maternal and child healthcare services have been severely affected
by the COVID-19 pandemic
Department of Health Undersecretary and Spokesperson Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire gave an overview
on how mother’s and children’s health have been at risk due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She shared that the case fatality rate for infants (less than 1 year old) was high, and the number of deaths
among infants was the highest among age ranges 18 years old and below.
She also mentioned that at the onset of the pandemic, some hospitals, primary care facilities, birthing
homes, and other health facilities scaled down their operations. These affected several services and
resources for different procedures that would have been crucial for mothers.
Amidst all of these, the Department of Health has continued to push efforts to ensure good healthcare
among mothers and children through continuous release of guidelines, provisions, and support for
organizations providing healthcare services. Some of these guidelines include Department
Memorandum 2020-0261 which provides guidelines on the continuous provision of maternal health
services within the healthcare provider network; Department Memorandum 2020-0319 which ensures
the continuity of services to deliver quality maternal newborn and child care; Department Memorandum
2020-0237 which provides guidelines for the delivery of essential nutrition services to infants and young
children, pregnant, postpartum, or lactating women; and Department Memorandum 2020-0230 which
provides the guidelines on the implementation of mental health and psychosocial support in the
COVID19 response geared toward the protection and promotion of mental health and psychosocial
well-being.
The COVID-19 pandemic and calamities presented new challenges
to mothers with infants
Dr. Jewehl Gay R. Salo, Family Medicine Consultant at the Development Academy of the Philippines,
shared her perspectives as a mother, and observations surrounding new difficulties faced by mothers
which have potentially affected their ability to provide proper nutrition to their infants.
Dr. Salo said that the pandemic and the natural calamities that affected the country have contributed to
an increase in mental stress among mothers. She noted that in the past year, all types of relief help have
been extended to those most affected by the pandemic and natural disasters. However, psychological
interventions were lacking. She mentioned this is particularly crucial especially for pregnant women and
new mothers, pointing out that when females are of childbearing age, it is a risky time to develop
depression.

Another challenge which Dr. Salo noted were challenges faced by mothers and their babies in receiving
proper nutrition, especially with the dependence on relief packages. While she lauded the efforts of
various local government units, Dr. Salo noted that these might not be enough, and that people could
be at risk of food and nutrition insecurity because of lesser access to nutritious food. She also noted
how in some areas, at the height of the pandemic, some families were unable to receive relief goods
which would have affected their health.
She also pointed out difficulties faced by mothers surrounding breastfeeding. With the eruption of the
Taal Volcano in Batangas, affected mothers have become dependent on milk banks to provide for their
babies’ nutritional needs. However, when the pandemic hit, some mothers resorted to using coffee, rice
water, water with sugar, or diluted condensed milk because they didn’t have access to formula milk,
which would have been an option if the distribution of formula milk was allowed. This led the
Department of Health to allow formula milk donations for poor families during the extension of
enhanced community quarantine. However, the National Nutrition Council has since been stringent in
the implementation of the “No Milk Donation” policy. This led to more mothers using alternatives to
milk for their babies
Improving maternal and children’s health needs to consider a
human rights-based approach
Undersecretary Severo Catura from the Presidential Human Rights Committee shared that in order for
the government to be successful in ensuring maternal healthcare and child health, the government must
abide by seven principles following the acronym “PANTHER” which stands for participation,
accountability, non-discrimination, transparency, human dignity, empowerment, and rule of law.
The first principle of “participation” refers to the need to involve all stakeholders, especially women, in
the decision-making process as it affects their rights to maternal care. Second would be “accountability”
which refers to the different laws, policies, programs and projects in place which comprise mechanisms
that make the government accountable in ensuring that mothers and children are receiving the right
healthcare support e. The third principle is “non-discrimination” which ensures that everyone should
have equitable access to healthcare resources, goods, and services.
“Transparency” ensures that the public has access to information and allows for scrutiny of the
government’s various programs and projects, budget, and funding allocations. The next, “human
dignity”, notes that the laws, policies, programs and projects are cognizant of the unique needs of
women and children. “Empowerment” is the next principle which is related to “participation” but
reinforces the idea that it is not enough to involve women in the decision-making process but should
also consider how much value is given to their inputs and participation. Lastly, “rule of law” essentially
deals with how the different policies and programs specific to maternal and childcare impact other

projects. There is a need to be inclusive in the approach (e.g., impact on marginalized communities,
indigenous people, etc.)
There is a need to enhance government, community and
stakeholder’s support to meet nutritional needs of mothers and
children during the pandemic and calamities to prevent the severe
and irreversible economic impact of undernutrition
Dr. Jonathan Flavier shared his findings regarding feeding practices of young children and mothers in
two cities in Metro Manila during the pandemic.
Dr. Flavier noted differences in practices and attitudes among mothers with regard to breastfeeding.
Most of the women surveyed are practicing exclusive breastfeeding, with those practicing mixed feeding
starting with exclusive breastfeeding.
Economic factors are among the major considerations of mothers in deciding whether or not to
continue with exclusive breastfeeding. Those who continue with exclusive breastfeeding noted that it is
an opportunity for them to save on formula milk costs and its preparations. On the other hand, those
who shift to mixed feeding see it as a chance to go out of their homes and earn, in order to help with
household expenses.
In terms of beliefs, there were also differences observed. Mothers who practice bottle feeding
mentioned that they believe formula milk is more nutritious, and they note that their children seem to
favor this over breastmilk. From the study of Dr. Flavier, he noted that this might be attributed to the
lack of breastfeeding promotion activities, and continued support for it. He acknowledges that there
were several mothers surveyed who were able to retain information and the different messages from the
breastfeeding activities in the community they participated in, however, there were several who couldn’t
recall these.
Dr. Flavier highlighted that great support is still needed to encourage more mothers to practice and
continue breastfeeding. Even before the pandemic, there were narratives shared by mothers who
experienced difficulty in breastfeeding such as painful or sore nipples, unwanted weight loss, and loss
of money or income. With the pandemic, these were only further emphasized.

Opening Remarks
Cong. Ron P. Salo
Representative, KABAYAN Party-list
KABAYAN Partylist has always been proactive in advocating for maternal and child health. Naniniwala
tayo dito sa KABAYAN Partylist na sa nanay lahat nagsisimula. We recognize their irreplaceable and the
valuable role of mothers in the wellbeing of their families, leading to the success and prosperity of our
nation. That’s why we made it a priority in KABAYAN.
Last year, we initiated this stakeholder series in the hope of understanding the challenges of mothers
and understanding how we, in the government, can find ways to address these challenges. The
consultation focused on maternal health. We scrutinize our in-depth defined gaps between healthcare
policies and programs on one hand, and the real-life struggles and experiences of mothers on the other,
to provide the best health care for their children.
Perhaps on learnings during our consultations last year, the most important input gained during the site
consultations is that the government needs stakeholders’ participation in order to promote better
maternal and child wellbeing. We are again here for the continuation of the first consultation and we
hope to gather inputs for possible legislative measures for better health for mothers and children and
for the country's welfare, with the pandemic and viruses, disasters that confront us people.
First, there is the eruption of the Taal Volcano, followed by the pandemic in which we are still in today,
the various typhoons that affected our country, and a fact to consider is that there are still many people
in evacuation centers. We have decided to focus our stakeholder discussion on the challenges that
mothers and children face related to health during these challenging times. We hope to understand the
challenges our mothers faced during pandemics and calamities and comfort them by providing primary
aid and ensuring better health and nutrition for themselves and their children. We hope to review
whether our government policies and programs have considered these new factors, whether
mechanisms are in place to assist them during changing weather and whether these policies are
implemented properly.
Finally, we hope to arrive at a conclusive analysis that is also evidence-based and inclusive of the
perspectives of different stakeholders. We shall do this by having transparent, objective, and intellectual
discussions on the issues of challenges confronting our mothers and their children without being bound
by a specific set of beliefs, notions, or perspectives.

Review of the 2019 Consultation and the Continuing
Advocacy in 2020 Dialogue
Undersecretary Severo S. Catura, Presidential Human Rights Committee
To frame this year’s discussion, Undersecretary Severo Catura started by presenting a review of the key
takeaways of the 2019 stakeholder consultation which includes (1) how the government needs
stakeholder participation to promote better maternal health and well-being in our communities, (2)
how maternal health plays an important role in achieving optimum nutrition for their family and
children, (3) how mothers should be empowered to make the right choices to allow them to balance
their health and well-being with the needs of their children, and (4) how men and boys are part of the
solution, highlighting that maternal health is everyone’s concern and, noting that breaking our concept
of gender roles leads to empowering Filipino women.
Along with this, Usec. Catura proposed a human rights framework addressing maternal and children’s
health under difficult circumstances, where he emphasized the government’s duties to promote,
protect, and fulfill the human rights of every Filipino. Additionally, he cited the essential elements of
the right to maternal health which include availability, accessibility, acceptability, and quality.
According to Usec. Catura, availability means the government must ensure that health services and
goods must remain sufficiently available to its citizens. On the other hand, accessibility may be further
categorized as being physically accessible, economically accessible, and ensuring access to the right
information. The third element, which focuses on acceptability, states that health facilities, goods, and
services must respect medical ethics, while the last element, quality, means that health facilities, goods,
and services must be scientifically and medically appropriate and of good quality.
Usec. Catura concluded his remarks by reiterating that maternal health, together with a child’s health,
is a human right. He shared his office’s human rights-based approach in improving maternal and child
health which follows the acronym PANTHER:
a) Participation or the involvement of all stakeholders, especially women, in decision
making
b) Accountability or the identification of accountability mechanisms in enforcement
c) Non-discrimination or the equitable distribution and access to all goods and services
d) Transparency which allows for public scrutiny and access to information
e) Human dignity which prioritizes attention to sector’s unique needs
f) Empowerment or how much value we give to women’s inputs,
g) Rule of Law or dovetailing policies, programs, and projects

Presentations
State of Maternal and Children Health amidst Pandemic
Undersecretary Maria Rosario Singh-Vergeire, MD, MPH, CESO IV
Public Health Services Team of the Department of Health (DOH)
DOH Undersecretary Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire reported on the government’s findings on how
Filipino mothers and children are affected by the pandemic. She shared that the case fatality rate for
infants who are less than one year-old is higher compared to the overall case fatality rate of all age groups
combined. The number of deaths is also the highest for infants who are less than one year-old, among
the age ranges of 18 years old and below.
DOH Undersecretary Vergeire’s presentation discussed how the closing of schools also affected
children’s health, especially their mental health. This was also observed among mothers who gave birth
during the pandemic. The government stated rules and guidelines that prioritize maternal health and
well-being are in place in service centers. Vergeire also discussed the continuous immunization and
vaccination programs, as well as the continuity of essential nutrition services in various communities as
long as COVID-19 measures allow.
When asked about milk donations amid calamities, Dr. Vergeire reiterated that it is at the discretion of
the Secretary of Health to accept donations of milk covered by EO51. During the COVID-19 pandemic
and recent calamities, the government was steadfast in preventing LGUs and organizations from
accepting milk donations. Dr. Vergeire mentioned that even private individuals who wish to donate
must coordinate with the secretary of health before doing so. She also emphasized that breastfeeding
mothers with COVID-19 are still allowed to breastfeed their infants while following prevention and
control measures. Erring on the side of caution, the government used milk banks to provide milk to
children whose mothers have COVID-19 to prevent further transmission. Dr. Vergeire added that there
are various groups of mothers in communities, who provide breastmilk to children of mothers who
cannot expel their milk or are sick.
According to Dr. Vergeire, if there are no milk banks available in evacuation centers, the DOH will only
reconsider accepting milk donations if there are exceptional circumstances. They would assess,
reconsider, and provide the exceptions. However, the regular process is that DOH does not allow
donations of infant formula as they are committed to promote breastmilk as the best food for babies.

Social Assistance Programs on Maternal and Children’s Health and Nutrition
during the Pandemic and Calamities
Ms. Mary Grace Z. Blando, RSW Social Welfare Officer III and
Ms. Maricel Grace Gomez, Division Chief of Family Devt Division, Pantawid
Pamilyang Pilipino Program
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)
The discussion focused on the social assistance programs of the DSWD, in relation to maternal and
children's health and nutrition during calamities and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. DSWD
reported that there were over 4,000 cases of violence against women and children and 45 cases of online
exploitation of children from January to April 2020.
Ms. Mary Grace Blando reiterated that the DSWD envisions Filipinos to be free from hunger and
poverty with their mission to lead in the formulation, implementation, and coordination of social welfare
policies and programs for and with the poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged. She noted that their
programs such as the Bangsamoro Umpungan sa Nutrisyon, highlights the importance of healthcare for
malnourished children and pregnant and lactating women.
Ms. Blando also shared that the DSWD continues to provide assistance to survivors of calamities by
providing financial assistance in evacuation centers, facilitating supplementary feeding programs, and
educating mothers on proper nutrition and parenting.
On the other hand, Ms. Maricel Gomez highlighted the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or the 4Ps,
and how it continues to support pregnant women with prenatal services, postpartum care and visits,
and essential newborn care for infants. She noted that pregnant and lactating mothers, children, and
infants are highly prioritized during calamities and the ongoing pandemic, to avoid any further risks and
fatalities.
Ms. Gomez highlighted the importance of DSWD’s family development sessions, which prioritizes the
well-being of the members of families by shedding awareness on their responsibilities and DSWD’s
programs that may help families during the pandemic and calamities.
A Mother’s Perspective on the Lockdown Experience: Understanding
Vulnerabilities on Maternal and Children’s Health during Pandemic
Dr. Jewehl R. Salo, Family Medicine Consultant
Development Academy of the Philippines
Back on her second year as part of the maternal and child health stakeholder consultation, Dr. Jewehl
Gay Salo highlighted the perspective of mothers amidst the community quarantines brought about by

the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and the vulnerabilities and various dimensions of stress levels on
mothers. She noted that the coronavirus pandemic has added a new layer of mental stress for mothers,
aside from the calamities happening in the country. She mentioned that extra precaution and care is
needed for pregnant and lactating mothers, especially since there has been an increase in the number of
cases in depression on new mothers, domestic abuse against women, maternal death and even
unplanned pregnancies.
Moreover, Dr. Salo reported that the difficulties brought about by the pandemic and natural calamities
have led to mothers feeding their babies coffee, rice water, water with sugar, dilute condensed milk,
because they have no access to formula milk donations. Dr. Salo noted that LGUs are urged to set up
milk banks and breastmilk donation drives for the sake of lactating mothers and the nutrition of their
babies.
She concluded that programs should be more mother-centric because when a mother’s health is
compromised, the child's health is compromised as well.
A Study on the Feeding Practices of Young Children and Mothers Observed
during the Pandemic in San Manuel Tarlac and Barangay Krus na Ligas,
Quezon City
Dr. Jonathan A. Flavier, Chairman of the Board of the Cooperative Movement
for Encouraging NSV (CMEN),
Former Executive Director of the Philippine Center for Population and
Development
Dr. Flavier’s study, which was conducted over the last few months of 2020 in San Manuel, Tarlac and
in Barangay Krus na Ligas in Quezon City at the height of the pandemic, reported that despite having
sufficient policies on maternal and infant health and nutrition, there are still discrepancies with the actual
behavior and activities of mothers in such areas. The study aims to correct information related to the
challenges of mothers, particularly those feeding children less than 24 months old; review the programs
that are able to reach them especially during this time of a pandemic and similar calamities; and ultimately
identify the services that would be needed for their support and assistance.
According to the survey, 71% of the women are exclusively breastfeeding, while 76.5% of the mixed
and bottle-feeding mothers started with breastfeeding. However, the study shows that economic
considerations drive mothers’ decision whether to continue breastfeeding or shift to bottle feeding. For
breastfeeding mothers, they see breastfeeding as an opportunity to save or deflect the cost of expensive
formula milk preparations. For bottle-feeding mothers, non-breastfeeding or bottle-feeding is an
opportunity for them to get out of the house and pursue opportunities for work, etc.

Furthermore, the study showed that there is a need to support working mothers and those who are
homekeeping with regards to breastfeeding and overall housekeeping. Additionally, it reflects that there
are lactation problems or difficulties faced by women who attempt breastfeeding. Dr. Flavier reiterated
that these lactation problems by women must be addressed and supported through counseling and
coaching.
The survey also presented that the majority of bottle-feeding mothers believe that this method is more
nutritious for their child. Dr. Flavier attributes this to the effects of advertisements, which claim that
their children will become geniuses or there are certain enzymes that are important for their baby during
this time. Moreover, there are claims that the formula of breastmilk substitutes are preferred by the child
because of the sweetened flavor that becomes addictive.
Dr. Flavier highlighted in his presentation that breastfeeding activities in the community were largely
absent. The survey also showed that while there are certain messages in breastfeeding counselling that
mothers remember, there is a significant number of respondents who either do not retain the
information that they were given, or do not remember, or do not feel that an answer was even necessary
for them to share.
Dr. Flavier’s research also touched on the priorities of mothers for their nutrition, which shifted from
securing nutritious food at the top of the list to securing groceries for their families during the pandemic.
With regards to the difficulties mothers face during breastfeeding pre-pandemic, this includes painful
or sore nipples, unwanted weight loss, loss of money or income. According to the study, during the
pandemic, over 40% of mothers encountered difficulties mainly in terms of food shortage and limited
sources of income. However, despite these difficulties, the research showed that mothers who were
already breastfeeding before the pandemic continued to breastfeed.
The presentation concluded with Dr. Flavier’s recommendations from the survey and existing policies
on breastfeeding, which include (1) the need for better breastfeeding messages from birth attendants,
(2) manage health worker responsibilities and hire more human resources personnel for health to
provide more opportunities for health professionals to engage with patients, (3) stronger cooperation
with DILG-DOH, LIGTAS COVID, and DSWD, and lastly (4) the need to use evidence to assert the
value of investments in selective support for mothers and families especially during times of calamities
(breastfeeding coaching incentives, medical tools to promote breastfeeding, and establishment of milk
banks).

Does COVID-19 Make Gender and Age Gaps in Health and Nutrition Wider?
Congresswoman Stella Luz A. Quimbo, PhD
Representative, 2nd District of Marikina City
Rep. Stella Quimbo, representative of the second district of Marikina City, shared trends and statistics
observed pertinent to maternal and healthcare provided during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
She started her presentation highlighting topline COVID trends: (1) among positive cases, men
comprise majority at 55% (2) 80% of all cases are adults aged 20-59 years old, and (3) case fatality rate
among men is higher than women in all age groups.
Rep. Quimbo proceeded to focus on maternal mortality rates against the backdrop of COVID-19 and
noted that the progress of the Philippines to reduce this, compared to neighboring countries in ASEAN,
is slow. In terms of infant mortality rate, there has been a slowdown which is attributed to improved
socioeconomic status of households including better mothers’ education. However, given the massive
job losses caused by the pandemic, this might affect progress in this area.
Following these, Rep. Quimbo shared pertinent statistics regarding nutrition and how the recent
pandemic has affected and may continue to have a negative impact. Some of these include (1) among
children, girls are seen to be less malnourished than boys, (2) stunting persists as a problem in the
Philippines against performance of neighboring countries, and (3) unemployment rates have gone up
which could lead to a COVID-induced malnutrition. All of these are important to keep in mind as there
is a correlation between hunger and economic productivity, with India as a case sample.
On what government intervention are needed, she noted that the government needs to allocate more
budget and funding for programs that would promote health, and nutrition, particularly health
education. The government also needs to ensure enough budget is allocated for the vaccines, and for
health programs.

Panel Discussion
Questions raised by participants and answered by panelists
● Q: I am a mother and a professor, and I have students, young people who have just been
married. I would like to know the stand of the DOH. Should I advise them to not get
pregnant during this pandemic?
DOH Usec. Vergeire answered that family planning is highly encouraged during this time and
reiterated that the uncertainties and danger to the health of the population strengthens the reason
and need to plan for a family.
• Q: What are your reflections on critical gaps that should be addressed to improve maternal
health based on the presentations shared during the webinar?
Dr. Jondi Flavier pointed out the alarming gap on lack of support for breastfeeding women such
as proper coaching. He noted that this problem is not only brought about by the COVID-19
situation but also because of the inadequacies of the government such as the slow implementation
of the universal healthcare law. He added that more opportunities for empowering women and
communities should be further encouraged.
Ms. Grace Blando from DSWD agreed with Dr. Flavier and shared her experience as a
breastfeeding mother on the importance of a strong support system and empowering mothers to
make the best decision for their children’s health. Ms. Maricel Gomez from DSWD added that one
of the department’s goals is to empower, educate, and inform women through family development
sessions. She noted that the Pantawid Pamilya program encourages beneficiaries to avail of these
services to improve their maternal health and nutrition.
Rep. Stella Quimbo circled back to the first question on pregnancy during the pandemic and noted
that this reflects the information gap in the system. She emphasized that this is a personal question
that most of us cannot answer because we have no information on the availability of commodities
and healthcare facilities during the pandemic. On the other hand, she said that that second question
shows the budgetary gap in the system. In relation to this, she also shared an example of how there
is a big budgetary gap on the COVID-19 budgets, citing that the government didn’t allot enough
budget for COVID-19 vaccines for 60 million Filipinos. She called on the government to address
these issues on information and budgetary gaps.
Relating to the discussion on women empowerment, Usec. Catura shared his opinion from the
human rights environment perspective. He agreed with the idea of empowering women and
emphasized that if there’s someone in the family who can make the best decision, it is the mother
as she knows what is best for the family in terms of health, nutrition, and even medication.
However, he noted that the support system demanded from society varies and it is sometimes not
fit to the situation of some families.

Usec. Catura shared an experience from one outreach programs wherein mothers were asking for
milk donations and were voicing out their experience and inability to produce any more milk given
their lack of food and nutrition. From this, he emphasized the need to reconsider the responses of
the government in terms of accepting infant formula donations and to take into consideration the
circumstances of such families.
Moreover, Usec. Catura pointed out that it’s actually a form of human rights violation and
discrimination to prohibit mothers who cannot breastfeed and those who don’t have access to
infant formula from accepting donations. He then agreed with Rep. Quimbo on the budgetary gap
on government programs and noted that it is also a form of human rights violation to allot limited
budgets to good running programs, hindering them from executing the services well. He concluded
his insights by calling on the government to come up with steps for mothers who made their own
decisions for the good of their children.
Dr. Jewehl Salo shared her experience and challenges as a breastfeeding mother for almost five
years. She noted the overwhelming fatigue and mental stress that mothers usually experience after
giving birth and that she can only imagine how harder it is for mothers, especially single moms,
during the pandemic. Dr. Salo emphasized the critical gap on the mental health of mothers, who
should also prioritize looking out for themselves apart from their children and families.
• Q: Acknowledging the disruptions of the COVID-19 and the 2020 natural disasters, are
there government programs that have been adopted; which among these programs does
the panelist think that the government should develop and institutionalize even after this
pandemic?
Rep. Quimbo mentioned the rise of displaced workers which can be classified further into
underemployed employees, unpaid workers and self-employed individuals who operate their
businesses without workers. She notes that people who lost their jobs and decided to sell goods
are considered employed however, the quality of one’s level of employment is not as high as before.
She noted the effectiveness of the Tupad Program of DOLE which was deployed to help displaced
workers during the lockdown. She suggested incorporating a more proactive unemployment
insurance program in Tupad to ensure that individuals who lose their jobs receive adequate support
from the government to survive and find better employment opportunities.
Ms. Grace Blando noted that the DSWD is looking into better implementation of its programs so
that these will be compliant with the lockdown restrictions and protocols. She mentioned how
operations and deliveries were disrupted during the lockdown in March 2020 and emphasized the
need to adjust policies in implementation. Ms. Blando also discussed how the government can
develop financial literacy programs, especially for Filipinos who lost their source of livelihood in
order to adapt to such circumstances.

● Q: How we can prevent COVID-induced malnutrition in the country?
Dr. Flavier believes in the potential of implementing universal healthcare, in order to bring more
community-based network delivery services instead of facility and hospital-based services. He said
there are various feeding and malnutrition programs already in place, but rural areas tend to miss
these programs because they do not have access to health services.
Rep. Quimbo reiterated the need to expand feeding programs as the current system only provides
services to elementary level children. She also noted the difficulties in implementing such programs
at this time because of the lockdown restrictions. She added the private sector is experiencing donor
fatigue and that some private sector donors have already reached their donation limits for calamity
victims. She circled back to the need to address the budgetary gaps in order to fund more feeding
programs. She concluded by reiterating the importance of government support for preventing
COVID-induced malnutrition and stimulating economic recovery through prevention of business
closures and increased displacement of workers.

Synthesis
Rep. Ron P. Salo
Congressman, KABAYAN Partylist
The pandemic and disasters we've experienced have uncovered a lot of our vulnerabilities. From our
government, and from our society to indeed require a full government, a full society, and full system
approach. In order to effectively address all the issues and challenges concerned and integrated in this
discussion, allow me to mention the following seven key takeaways from this stakeholder consultation.
First, the health and nutrition of mothers and their children are paramount. Both are equally important.
You cannot simply prioritize or sacrifice any one from the other. Instead, we need to ensure an endeavor
to achieve both. Second, the negative consequences of health malnutrition of various children are crucial
to the individual and the society and economy. It is very costly. Third, achieving health and nutrition
for both mothers and children is already challenging during normal times. The challenges are further
exacerbated during pandemics and disasters. Fourth, sources amply illustrate that government policies
and programs exist to ensure the wellbeing of mothers and children during pandemics and calamities.
Fifth, government policies and programs should be supportive of mothers and their children. Such
policies have programs that consider both the personal circumstances of the mother and the challenges
posed by the pandemic to them. Sixth, mothers need to be empowered to make informed decisions and
choices in promoting their own health and that of their children. Indeed, kung kalusugan ang kaniyang
sariling anak pagusapan, I suppose walang makakahigit sa pagmamalasakit ng sariling ina. Kailangan ng isang ina
na ay matulungan na maintindihan at maunawaan ang mga bagay-bagay na tungkol sa kalusugan ng kaniyang sanggol
upang magkaroon siya ng matalinong desisyon.
Seventh, we need to strengthen government programs and projects, as well as provide sufficient
handling of these programs and projects especially during these times of uncertainties we are having
today.
On a personal note, I will ensure that the inputs gathered today will be used in crafting policies,
particularly legislative measures that will holistically support maternal and children health.
With this I would like to thank our fellow research persons, speakers, and participants for this
discussion.

Closing Remarks
Mr. Celso Santiago
Managing Director of the Institutional Marketing Center
Development Academy of the Philippines (on behalf of DAP President Atty.
Engelbert Caronan, Jr.)
Good afternoon everyone, I'm honored to read the closing comments for this webinar.
To Undersecretary Severo Catura, Dr. Maria Rosario Vergeire, of course, to Congresswoman Stella
Quimbo, Congressman Ron Salo, Atty. Joel Gregorio, Dr. Jonathan Flavier, Dr. Jewehl Salo, Dr. Albert
Francis Domingo, Bishop Paul Hernandez, Ms. Mary Grace Blando. To my fellow colleagues, ladies
and gentlemen, good afternoon.
As we all know the United Nations Sustainable Development goals includes maternal and child health
among its targets. As a member of our nation, our government continues to promote policies and
growth of programs to fulfill our commitments to the SDGs. I must emphasize though that reaching
our SDG targets is not our primary motivation for healthcare initiatives. Our primary motivation comes
from our fundamental law, which mandates us to check and promote the right to health of our fellow
Filipinos. We work so that we can decrease maternal and infant mortality during childbirth, also the rest
need for mothers and children to have proper nutrition. This way, we help mothers ensure the stable
growth of their children.
However, promoting maternal and child health has become more challenging as we face the challenges
of the climate crisis, calamities, and the current coronavirus pandemic. We use relevant data in the
policymaking implementation. The consultation itself steps us to the right direction as we try to base
our policy decisions on this data. Our experts have also provided us with relevant insights especially
with their encounters with the people in the communities they serve. From what we have gathered from
these consultations, we can at least say we can address numerous gaps in the delivery of our health
services, especially for mothers. What is clear to us is that the quality of maternal health in the country
cannot be statistically treated as a health condition. With our findings, we have just qualified.
In order to promote better maternal health, we should also look closely if we have mechanisms to
address disaster risk deviation, management, and response. We should also consider the mental health,
economic capacity, communal support among others, and affirm mothers to properly address the gaps
we have identified. We also have to figure out further how to empower women in our communities.
Maternal and child health is properly identified as a development issue and as such, it is complex and
multi-layered. The challenge for us in government is to properly respond to the issues with a more
innovative frame of mind.
As I have mentioned earlier, these consultations are moving us in the right direction. Equipped with the
right data, we can properly craft more comprehensive solutions that factor the complex realities the

mothers face in their day-to-day struggle to raise their children and take care of their families. What we
are trying to fulfill in these consultations and the programs that come out of them is our duty as public
servants to ensure that mothers are protected by our government, ensuring a better life for their children.
With this I would like to thank and congratulate experts for their passion and dedication in promoting
the right of mothers and their children to a better quality of life.
In a special way, I would like to also express my gratitude to Representative Ron Salo of KABAYAN
Party-list for promoting this very important advocacy. Hopefully, you can discuss how solutions can
impact the lives of mothers and their children. Once again, thank you.

State of Maternal and Children's Health and Nutrition During Pandemic and Calamities

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