Press Release
December 25, 2007

ANGARA CALLS FOR AN INTENSIFIED BREASTFEEDING PROGRAM

Senator Edgardo J. Angara today called for the promotion of intensified breastfeeding programs to ensure a healthy start for infants especially during the Christmas season.

"Most mothers, especially those who are active members of the labor force, seem to have forgotten how breast milk creates miracles in their child's growth. In fact, studies have shown that it contains specific nutrients and antibodies which protect babies from illness," said Senator Angara, who authored the Rooming in and Breastfeeding Act of 1992.

In the 2003 National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), it highlighted that 13% of the infants were never breastfed, making the Philippines the lowest in ever breastfed rates among 56 countries that have conducted a DHS in the past ten years. It also showed that 39% of infants are using infant formula in their first 12 months of life.

The decline in breastfeeding rates - as manifested by the survey -- is an offshoot of an aggressive and unethical marketing of milk companies for breast milk substitutes. Infant formula advertisements present artificial feeding as healthy and comparable to breast milk therefore discourages mothers to breastfeed.

"Unfortunately, the level of breastfeeding has been rapidly going down and the campaign being waged by the pharmaceutical companies in selling their formula milk has been so successful," laments Senator Angara.

He added, "We import about a half billion U.S. dollars of milk and other dairy products. Almost one third of that consists of infant formula milk. The business is really huge and correspondingly, the lobby and the pressure are correspondingly immense."

Despite the decline in infant mortality rates in the past year, Senator Angara stressed that the Department of Health as well as the Nutrition Council should not only maintain, but keep the figures at its lowest.

According to the latest report of the National Statistical Coordination Board, the country has a 'high probability' of attaining Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 4 after it posted a decline of child mortality rates from 80.0% in 1990 to 32.0% in 2006 and the reduction in infant mortality rate from 57.0% to 24.0% in the same period.

Based on the MDG monitor, the child mortality rate has been reduced from 40 in every 1,000 live births to 32 for every 1,000 live births.

The MDGs is a set of clearly-defined, time-bound and measurable goals and targets geared toward poverty-reduction.

In an orientation seminar on infant and young child feeding strategy held recently at the Manila Hotel, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo instructed DOH to implement the rooming-in and breastfeeding act in coordination with local government units in order to build breastfeeding support mechanisms in communities.

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