‘First 1,000 Days’ law seen to build generation of competitive Pinoys

AMEMBER of the House Committee on Economic Affairs on Sunday said Republic Act 11148, which aims to ensure that a child gets the right nutrition in the first 1,000 days of development, is expected to make Filipinos more globally competitive.

Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte said this new law, once fully implemented, will help government’s vision of growing the Filipino middle class and transforming the Philippines into a highincome economy in one generation or by 2040.

The law aims to expand state health and nutrition programs for women and children covering Day One of a mother’s pregnancy up to the child’s first two years. Villafuerte said such programs would have a lasting positive impact transcending generations of Filipinos who would grow up better equipped, both physically and mentally, to help sustain the country’s strong economic future.

In a statement, Villafuerte said RA 11148 will also slash health-care costs for the country’s future governments, as children benefiting from this law will grow up to become healthier and more productive adults.

“This law, on the surface, appears to be a social protection program meant to shield poor mothers and children from malnutrition, but its impact on the economy and our future as a country is extensive,” he added.

“If the law is fully and effectively implemented, we can be assured of future generations of Filipinos who can ably compete in the global economy because they are healthier and smarter. This would translate into lower health-care costs and more funds for the government to spend on other priority concerns such as infrastructure modernization.”

Villafuerte is among the principal authors of the “First 1,000 Days” bill in the House of Representatives. The first 1,000 days refers to the 270 days of a child inside the mother’s womb up to the time of his or her second birthday.

The lawmaker said he believes the first 1,000 days law will reverse the alarming malnutrition rate responsible for countless deaths or stunted growths of Filipino babies and ensure their healthy brain development while inside their mothers’ wombs.

Citing World Health Organization data, Villafuerte said 5.9 million kids worldwide die of malnutrition while statistics from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute show that 1 in 3 Filipinos two years of age or below is malnourished.