07/08/2026
๐๐๐ฒ๐ง๐จ๐ญ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ซ ๐๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ.
๐๐๐ฆ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐, ๐ฅ๐ก ๐๐ก๐๐ข ๐๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐น๐๐ต ๐ข๐ณ๐ณ๐ถ๐ฐ๐ฒ, ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐ด๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐๐
โWhen I first learned that this year's Nutrition Month theme is "๐๐ช๐ฉ๐ง๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฃ, ๐ผ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ฃ!", I immediately smiled. I have long been hoping for the environment to become a central focus of the Nutrition Month celebration.
Throughout my years in public health and nutrition, and even during my student years, one truth has been deeply etched in my mind: health is never created within the walls of hospitals alone. It begins in our homes, in our communities, on our farms, and in the environment that sustains us all.
One of the greatest lessons I have learned in public health is that malnutrition cannot be solved by the health sector alone. It is not solely the responsibility of doctors, nurses, nutritionists, or other healthcare professionals. Improving nutrition requires the collective efforts of many sectorsโhealth, education, agriculture, social welfare, local governance, and environmental management.
In fact, in our work in ๐๐จ๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ, I have been fortunate to collaborate with offices that truly understand this connection. Our ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ (๐๐๐๐๐) and our ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ have always been among our strongest partners in implementing nutrition programs and initiatives.
Some people might ask, "Why are the Agriculture Office and the Environment Office involved in nutrition?"
The answer is simple.
Because nutrition begins long before food reaches our dining tables.
It begins with fertile soil that allows crops to grow.
It begins with clean rivers and healthy oceans that sustain our fisheries.
It begins with forests that protect our watersheds and regulate our climate.
It begins with farmers who cultivate our food and fisherfolk who brave the seas so that families can have nutritious meals every day.
When these systems are healthy, communities become healthier.
But when these systems are threatened, nutrition is threatened as well.
That is why I have always considered our environment and our food systems as major determinants of nutritional status. We cannot seriously talk about ending malnutrition without also talking about
protecting the ecosystems that make food production possible.
This year's theme beautifully reminds us of that realityโthat caring for our environment is not separate from caring for nutrition. They are deeply interconnected.
Allow me to share something that supported change of my perspective.
A few days ago, I had the opportunity to speak with an environmental specialist. During our conversation, we reflected on something we have both been observing in recent years.
She asked, "Have you noticed that the seasons we grew up with are no longer the same?"
At that moment, I realized she was absolutely right.
Growing up, we expected the dry season to run from November to April and the rainy season from May to October. Farmers planned their planting seasons around these patterns. Fisherfolk knew when the
seas would be calmer. Communities had a sense of what to expect throughout the year.
Today, those patterns have become increasingly unpredictable.
Sometimes we experience heavy rains during what should be the dry season. At other times, drought extends far longer than expected. Typhoons arrive with greater intensity, and weather conditions change with very little warning.
At first, we may think this is simply a change in the weather.
But for our farmers and fisherfolk, it is much more than that.
When rains come at the wrong time, crops are damaged before harvest. When drought persists, rice fields dry up, vegetables fail to grow, and harvests become smaller. Our fisherfolk also struggle when rough seas prevent them from going out to fish for days or even weeks.
The result is lower production, reduced household income, and greater uncertainty about the next harvest.
Eventually, these challenges affect every Filipino household.
When harvests decline, food supply becomes limited.
When supply becomes limited, prices increase.
As consumers, we begin to notice vegetables becoming more expensive, fish becoming less affordable, and nutritious foods becoming increasingly difficult for ordinary families to purchase.
Families who are already struggling financially are often forced to make heartbreaking decisions.
Should we buy vegetables today, or settle for cheaper processed food?
Should we buy fish, or simply cook rice with soy sauce?
Should we eat three meals today, or only two?
This is what we call food insecurityโa situation where people do not have consistent access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food. Food
insecurity is one of the major underlying causes of undernutrition and malnutrition, particularly among children, pregnant women, older adults, and other vulnerable members of our communities.
So when we say that climate change is a nutrition issue, it is not just a slogan.
It is a reality that unfolds before our eyes.
The effects begin with our environment.
They affect our farmers and fisherfolk.
They disrupt our food systems.
They reduce livelihoods.
They increase food prices.
They limit access to nutritious food.
And eventually, they reach our health centers and hospitals in the form of undernutrition, stunting, anemia, and other nutrition-related health problems.
This is precisely why this year's Nutrition Month theme is so timely.
It reminds us that protecting our environment is not only about conserving forests or reducing pollution.
It is about protecting our food.
Protecting livelihoods.
Protecting nutrition.
Protecting health.
And ultimately, protecting life itself.
So the question is...
What should we do as future nutrition professionals?
Should we simply wait until children become malnourished before we act?
Should we only intervene when undernutrition rates increase?
Should we focus solely on treating the consequences of poor nutrition?
I believe the answer is ๐ง๐จ.
As future healthcare professionals, our role goes far beyond assessing nutritional status and providing dietary recommendations. We are called to address the factors that influence nutrition in the first place.
And one of the most important realities we must recognize today is that nutrition and environmental sustainability are deeply interconnected.
๐
๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ, ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ฏ๐จ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ง๐ฎ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฌ๐๐๐ฎ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ.
As nutrition professionals, we must advocate for policies and programs that strengthen local food systems, support local farmers and fisherfolk, promote climate-resilient agriculture, and ensure that
nutritious foods remain accessible to every Filipino family.
Because without food security, achieving nutrition security becomes impossible.
๐๐๐๐จ๐ง๐, ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ข๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ก๐๐ง๐ ๐.
Knowledge remains one of the most powerful tools in nutrition.
Every nutrition counseling session, every community lecture, every school-based activity, and every nutrition education campaign is an opportunity to influence healthier choices. (Behavioral change
remains a challenge here in Borongan)
We must teach individuals and families not only what to eat, but also how to make healthy and sustainable food choices using locally available resources.
We must promote breastfeeding which is economical to family, appropriate complementary feeding where in this stage we already see nutritional status faltering, healthy dietary patterns, and responsible
food consumption.
More importantly, we must help communities understand that nutrition is not only about eating enough foodโit is about eating the right food while preserving the resources that future generations will depend on.
I told my participants in last Mondayโs discussion that the efforts we are doing are no longer for us but for our children in the next generation. And we donโt want them to be questioning our choices on how
we have prepared our environment for them.
๐๐ก๐ข๐ซ๐, ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ก๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ข๐ง๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐จ๐จ๐ ๐ฌ๐ฒ๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ฆ๐ฌ.
The food choices we make today have consequences beyond our own health.
Food production affects land use, water resources, biodiversity, and greenhouse gas emissions.
As future nutrition professionals, we have an important role in promoting dietary practices that are healthy for people and sustainable for the planet.
This includes supporting local food production, reducing food waste, encouraging diversified diets, and advocating for food systems that protect both human health and environmental health.
Because a food system that destroys the environment today cannot sustain the nutritional needs of future generations.
๐
๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก, ๐ฐ๐ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐จ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง.
One lesson I continue to learn in public health nutrition is that no single sector can solve malnutrition alone.
To be honest, one of the greatest challenges in my role as the ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ซ is helping people understand that reducing malnutrition is not the responsibility of the ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ alone.
My role is not to do everything.
My role is to bring everyone together.
Because nutrition is everyone's responsibility.
Nutrition requires partnerships.
Agriculture produces food.
Environment protects the natural resources needed to produce that food.
Education shapes knowledge and behaviors.
Social welfare supports vulnerable families.
Local governments create policies and programs.
And nutrition professionals help connect all these sectors toward a common goal: improving nutritional well-being.
This is why, in ๐๐จ๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ ๐๐ง ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ, we highly value our partnership with the ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ ๐ซ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐ and the ๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฌ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐๐ข๐๐. Their work directly influences food availability, food access, and ultimately the nutritional status of our communities.
As I close, allow me to leave you with one simple reflection. This year's Nutrition Month theme is not just a slogan for the month of July. It is a reminder of a truth that we sometimes overlook. Every meal that we enjoy begins somewhere. It begins in the hands of our farmers who till the land. It begins with our fisherfolk who brave the seas. It begins with clean water, fertile soil, healthy forests, and a stable climate. And when we protect these resources, we are not only protecting the environment.
We are protecting our food.
We are protecting our nutrition.
We are protecting our health.
As students of nutrition, you are in a unique position to become advocates for both people and the planet.
So as we celebrate Nutrition Month, let us not allow this year's theme to remain just words on a poster or a banner.
Let it become a way of thinking. A way of living.
And a commitment that we carry even after this celebration ends.
Once again, congratulations on celebrating Nutrition Month, and thank you for allowing me to share this meaningful occasion with all of you.
๐๐๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฒ 52๐ง๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก!
"๐๐ช๐ฉ๐ง๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ค๐ฃ ๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ฃ, ๐ผ๐ฉ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐๐ฃ!"
Maraming salamat po, and have a wonderful day!โ
#๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐จ๐ง๐ญ๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง2026
#๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฒ๐จ๐ง๐๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ค๐๐ฌ๐๐ง๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ง!
#๐๐๐ข๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ซ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐๐ง๐๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฌ
#๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก๐ฒ๐๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ซ๐จ๐ง๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐จ๐จ๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฒ๐ฅ๐
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