Manila: A total of 22,000 children and pregnant and lactating women in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) are expected to benefit from the Department of Social Welfare and Development's (DSWD) Bangsamoro Umpungan sa Nutrisyon (BangUn) Program by 2026.
According to Philippines News Agency, DSWD spokesperson Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao stated that the Department's Field Office 12 in Soccsksargen has already initiated BangUn's 180-Day Nutrition Services in several designated priority areas in BARMM as of April 28. These areas include Malidegao and Nabalawag in the Special Geographic Area; Shariff Aguak and Datu Anggal Midtimbang in Maguindanao del Sur; and Datu Blah Sinsuat and Sultan Mastura in Maguindanao del Norte.
Dumlao also mentioned that the DSWD's Field Office 10 in Northern Mindanao will commence the BangUn program in Lanao del Sur on May 20, while Field Office 9 in the Zamboanga Peninsula will roll out the program in Tawi-Tawi and Basilan in June. This initiative aligns with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s directive to combat hunger and malnutrition among Filipino families.
The BangUn program is designed to alleviate vulnerabilities among malnourished children aged 0-12 and to offer health support to pregnant and lactating women at risk due to extreme poverty and various disasters. It aims to enhance the nutritional status of underweight and severely underweight children, as well as women who are at risk and undernourished. In addition, the program seeks to empower parents or guardians by promoting food security and good health for their families and by building resilient communities through access to nutrition-support programs.
Beneficiaries of the program are monitored through weight and height assessments, health check-ups, deworming, and micronutrient supplementation. The program also includes Nutrition Education and Advocacy, featuring nutrition literacy classes, responsible parenthood sessions, and health-related events. Furthermore, the initiative provides livelihood skills training, psychosocial interventions, and other community resilience-building activities.
