A nation’s future is shaped long before its children enter the workforce. It begins with the nutrition they receive, the diseases they are protected against, the environments in which they grow, and the opportunities they have to develop physically, mentally, and emotionally.
As the Philippines observes National Children’s Month this November, we are reminded that safeguarding children’s health is not merely a family responsibility. It is a national development priority that demands sustained investments in healthcare, nutrition, education, and supportive communities.
Despite decades of progress, Filipino children continue to confront persistent health challenges, including malnutrition and infectious diseases, alongside emerging risks associated with unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, excessive screen exposure, and mental health concerns.
The latest findings of the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DoST-FNRI) underscore the urgency of addressing these challenges. Its 2025 Updating Survey revealed that 25.3% of Filipino children under the age of five are stunted, equivalent to approximately one in four children. This represents an increase of 1.7 percentage points from 23.6% in 2023, reversing years of improvement.
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