MARAWI CITY(July 10) — Three out of every 10 children in the Bangsamoro region are stunted, prompting the BARMM government to expand nutrition programs, deploy more frontline workers, and increase funding to tackle one of its most pressing public health challenges.
During the regional observance of Nutrition Month on July 7, BARMM Health Minister Kadil M. Sinolinding Jr. said the latest Food and Nutrition Research Institute–Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) survey placed the region’s child stunting rate at 33.6 percent—the highest among the country’s 17 regions.
“Of the 17 regions, BARMM has the highest stunting rate,” Sinolinding said. “With 33.6 percent, it means three in every 10 children are stunted.”
For health officials, the numbers represent more than children who are shorter than expected for their age. Stunting can permanently affect brain development, learning ability, school performance, and future productivity, making it a long-term challenge that extends beyond nutrition alone.
To reverse the trend, the Bangsamoro government is strengthening both health and community-based interventions, working closely with local government units to improve maternal and child nutrition from pregnancy through early childhood.
The programs include prenatal care, promotion of exclusive breastfeeding, complementary feeding, vitamin supplementation, deworming, treatment of malnutrition, and school-based feeding initiatives designed to improve children’s growth during their critical early years.
BARMM has also deployed 2,600 Bangsamoro nutrition workers across communities to bring nutrition services closer to families, while the Bangsamoro Food and Nutrition Plan guides efforts to improve food security and access in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform and local governments.
Recognizing the scale of the challenge, the regional government increased this year’s nutrition budget to P50 million, a P30-million increase from the previous allocation.
“It may not be enough because we have a big problem. But it’s a good start,” Sinolinding said, expressing hope that stronger collaboration among families, local governments, regional agencies, and development partners would accelerate progress in reducing child malnutrition.
BARMM is also banking on the newly approved Bangsamoro Nutrition Commission to strengthen policy direction, improve coordination among government agencies, and sustain long-term interventions aimed at giving Bangsamoro children a healthier start in life.
As the region marks Nutrition Month, officials say the campaign is not only about reducing hunger but also about ensuring that every child has the opportunity to grow, learn, and reach their full potential—one community at a time.
