Hundreds of volunteer-mothers in Valenzuela City recently gathered for a simultaneous mass milk-letting activity dubbed as “Gatas mong Bigay, Dugtong ng Aking Buhay,” aimed at helping babies in need to get the best start in life.

 

Mother-participants from barangays Dalandanan, Karuhatan, Malanday, Malinta, and Marulas swarmed to Valenzuela City Social Hall to partake of the program, while other mother-volunteers opted to visit their respective health centers for the milk donation.

 

A total of 549 donors city-wide were able to produce 26.43 liters of breastmilk, which were transported to and stored at the milk bank of Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC).

 

Antoneta Infante, a volunteer hailing from Barangay Marulas, said that she has been participating in this activity for two consecutive years. She shared in Filipino that, “Marami akong kakilalang mga nanay na hindi makapag-breastfeed. Sana kahit sa ganitong paraan ay matulungan ko sila (I know a lot of mothers who can’t breastfeed. I hope that I could somehow extend help through this).

 

This initiative forms part of the Infant, Young and Child Feeding (IYCF) program of the Department of health (DOH), which advocates the improvement of nutritional status and health of children especially the under-three, and consequently reduce infant and under-five mortality.

 

City Mayor REX Gatchalian expressed his support to the program, “All of us know that there is no substitute for breastmilk but unfortunately, plenty of mothers are compelled to switch to formula milk due to either financial or physiological reasons. This activity is but a simple testament that our government is resilient in addressing varied health and nutritional concerns.”

 

Breastmilk contains at least 400 nutrients that a baby needs. It also contains hormones and disease-fighting compounds which cannot be found in formula milk. If their mothers cannot temporarily provide enough breastmilk for whatever reason, these babies urgently need donated milk.

 

Valenzuela IYCF Coordinator Dr. Ma. Cecilia Aquino explained the rationale of this year’s theme to encourage more mothers to breastfeed their infants. According to Dr. Aquino, “Once a child is breastfed, there is a flowing connection to sustain the child’s life through the mother’s milk.”

 

Valenzuela City Ordinance No. 40 Series of 2011, otherwise known as “An Ordinance Promoting and Protecting Breastfeeding Program and Child Nutrition in the City of Valenzuela,” is the prime springboard for enforcing this annual milk-letting activity. Section 3 of the mandate provides that the City Government of Valenzuela through the recommendations of the Valenzuela City Health Department shall include and support massive promotion of breastfeeding in its annual health programs.