Senator Legarda sounds alarm on rising number of child stunting cases in PH

Warning that education reforms will fall flat if chronic malnutrition goes unaddressed, Senator Loren Legarda has called for urgent and coordinated government action to combat rising child stunting in the Philippines.

Her call comes on the heels of alarming data from the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI). Cited by the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), the study revealed that stunting among children under five jumped from 23.6 percent in 2023 to 25.3 percent in 2024—marking the country’s first increase in a decade and reversing a steady decline observed since 2015.

The latest numbers mean that roughly one in every four Filipino toddlers is now stunted.

“When we talk about the education crisis, we often think of classrooms, teachers, and books. But the first barrier to learning starts long before a child ever sets foot in a school,” Legarda said. “If a child grows up lacking nutrition, it’s not only physical growth that suffers, but their ability to learn, understand, dream, and thrive.”

Legarda stressed that the battle against the learning crisis begins with proper nutrition during the critical "First 1,000 Days"—from conception up to a child’s second birthday.

“If we fail during this window, it becomes nearly impossible to recover lost opportunities,” she added. “The fight against stunting is a direct fight for the future of every Filipino child.”

To tackle the crisis, Legarda urged national agencies, local government units, schools, the private sector, and local communities to collaborate closely on early childhood development programs, maternal healthcare, and full implementation of the First 1,000 Days Law (RA 11148).

Regional Disparities

The senator also highlighted stark regional inequalities, with rural areas bearing the heaviest burden. Stunting rates peaked in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) at 36 percent, followed by the Zamboanga Peninsula (34.6 percent), the Negros Island Region (30.9 percent), and MIMAROPA (30.3 percent).

Legarda emphasized that government interventions must prioritize these geographically isolated and underserved areas.

Furthermore, FNRI data showed that the crisis persists well past infancy, affecting 18.9 percent of children aged 5 to 10 and 21.4 percent of adolescents aged 10 to 19.

-Paraluman News