A rapidly growing urban population has led to increasing inequality in the Philippines, where maternal and child health and nutrition is worse among urban poor families living in informal settlements.
Local governments, especially key decision-makers such as mayors and local government councils, have the autonomy to implement and allocate funding for health and nutrition programs. However, because of weak nutrition governance systems at the municipal and barangay levels, health and nutrition service delivery for the first 1,000 days is fragmented.
There is an opportunity to influence and build the capacity of city governments on nutrition governance for the first 1,000 days, especially for marginalized and vulnerable populations, including women, children under five, adolescent girls and indigenous peoples.