As co-implementer of the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian highlighted on Wednesday (July 16) the importance of the community driven development (CDD) approach and the vital role of the local chief executives (LCEs) in addressing malnutrition at the grassroots level.
Speaking at the 2-day PMNP National Mayor’s Forum 2025 and National Local Government (NLG) Executive Masterclass at the Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City, the DSWD chief said the activity is a tribute to the contributions of the LGUs, especially of the LCEs, who put nutrition on top of their governance agenda.
“Isang pasasalamat sa mga LCEs na ginawang prayoridad ang PMNP sa kanilang governance agenda. Kayo ang rason bakit patuloy na umaandar ang PMNP at naniniwala kami na magiging matagumpay ang PMNP dahil sa inyo,” Secretary Gatchalian said.
Borne from the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to utilize a whole-of-government approach to address malnutrition in the country, the PMNP aims to harmonize the delivery of nutrition-centric interventions in targeted localities nationwide to reduce stunting and malnutrition.
To date, the PMNP is implemented in 235 LGUs nationwide.
“Highlight ng programa ang pakikipag ugnayan ng mga lokal na pamahalaan sa pamahalaang national. Sa programang ito kaya tinatawag na multisectoral, importante ang taya ng LCEs, ang taya ng LGUs, dahil kayo ang magiging vehicle tungo sa isang bansa na wala ng magugutom, wala ng malnourished at maysakit,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.
The DSWD chief said the forum is a platform to hear the voices of the LGUs which is championed in the PMNP implementation.
“Nanggaling po ako sa hanay ng LGU, I spent 9 years as Mayor of Valenzuela City, and alam ko yung pakiramdam when national govt gives you a program, at sasabihin implement ito through a memo. Hindi ka na kinausap, hindi kinonsulta at hindi ka tinanong. Tapos they expect you to churn out reports and those reports are to be
submitted to the national government. Kaya sabi ko nun when I joined DSWD,
every single program namin, even if it is a collaboration with the DOH, importante madinig ang mga mayors,” Secretary Gatchalian told the LCEs at the forum.
Under the PMNP, the DSWD implements Component 2 of the project or the community-based nutrition service delivery and multisectoral nutrition convergence through its CDD program, the Kapit Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated
Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS).
The DSWD chief, in his message, cited the importance of the CDD approach in engaging the grassroots and addressing malnutrition issues in communities.
“Pangalawa, tribute to the community driven development platform. Alam ko mas kilala niyo ang KALAHI-CIDSS, para sa mga LCEs. Marami ng natulungan, marami ng sub-projects na nagawa at mas marami pang gagawin,” the DSWD chief said.
Secretary Gatchalian also explained that although the foreign development assistance for KALAHI- CIDSS will end this year, a successor program, the “Panahon ng Pagkilos,” is already at the social preparation phase.
The Panahon ng Pagkilos uses the same CDD platform but incorporates disaster resilience indicators to prepare the communities to respond to the long-lasting effects of climate change.
To continue the breakthroughs started by the PMNP, the DSWD chief said its expansion is already in the works with the goal to end the difficult social issues of malnutrition and stunting in the country.
“We know the problem of malnutrition cannot be solved overnight. But if local government and national government continue to stop it, tuloy tuloy tayo, then we can be sure to eradicate malnutrition and stunting once and for all. We can only do that with the LGUs,” Secretary Gatchalian said.(GDVF)