Baguio City, Philippines: The provincial governments of Mountain Province and Pangasinan and Nutrition International signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), formally launching the Addressing Stunting in the Philippines (ASP) project. Supported by the Government of Canada, the five-year project (2025-2030) aims to improve the nutritional wellbeing of pregnant women and young children by strengthening multisectoral convergence, enhancing local health systems, and integrating evidence-based climate and nutrition interventions.

Stunting remains a significant public health challenge in the Philippines, affecting 25.3% children under five and is costing the country an estimated USD $ 8.1 billion annually. , Pangasinan is identified as a priority province for intensified action, particularly in the Ilocos region, where the prevalence stands at 26.8%. It is one of the largest provinces in the Philippines and a priority province under the Philippines Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2023-2028 for its nutrition challenges and high poverty levels. Meanwhile, according to the Expanded National Nutrition Survey (2019-2021), stunting stands at 35% in the Mountain Province, which is further exacerbated by a high poverty incidence of 10.5% and elevated food insecurity. These challenges are further compounded by climate-related vulnerabilities that threaten food and nutrition security.

“This initiative marks an important step in strengthening our ongoing collective efforts to address stunting and improve the nutrition and wellbeing of our children,” said Hon. Bonifacio Lacwasan, Jr. Provincial Governor of Mountain Province, Government of Philippines. “We recognize that proper nutrition, especially during the early years of life, is essential to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to grow, learn and reach their full potential. Through this partnership, we look forward to strengthening nutrition initiatives across all 10 municipalities of Mountain Province, while also ensuring that our efforts reach the communities and families who need them.”

“We commend Nutrition International’s global work focussed on impact-driven action against malnutrition. We endorse the Addressing Stunting in the Philippines project and look forward to strengthening basic health services in Pangasinan together with our health professionals and partners,” said Manuel O. Luis, Jr. Provincial Administrator of Pangasinan, Government of Philippines. “This MoU will serve as an institutional foundation of our partnership that translate our shared objectives into a commitment that is followed by every barangay and every community. We strongly believe that the right nutrition at the right time builds the capacity to dream, fuels the power to achieve and lays the foundation to build a better, more equitable world and more progressive society.”

The project adopts a comprehensive continuum of care approach to improve nutrition outcomes for women and children in Pangasinan and the Mountain Province, spanning from pregnancy through early childhood. It aims to strengthen the delivery of essential services across antenatal and postnatal care and child health platforms, including maternal supplementation, dietary counselling, breastfeeding support, complementary feeding, growth monitoring and vitamin A supplementation. By integrating these services within routine health systems and promoting early and sustained access to care, the project will help ensure women and children receive consistent, high-quality nutrition services at the most critical stages.

Aligned to the PPAN 2023–2028 and the First 1,000 Days Act, the ASP project aims to reach more than 140,000 people, including more than 79,000 children under five and over 60,000 pregnant women. The project will also strengthen the capacities of nearly 400 government officials at the provincial and municipal level to enhance nutrition leadership, forecasting and data-driven management of healthcare services. Indirectly, 440,000 household members are expected to benefit through stronger community health systems and improved nutrition security.

“Nutrition is a one of the smartest and most impactful investments that a country can make. Investing in nutrition is investing in human capital and in the country’s future. The Government of Canada is proud to support Nutrition International in bringing its global evidence-backed expertise of nutrition to the Philippines through the ASP project,” shared Simon Snoxell, Head of Cooperation, Embassy of Canada to the Philippines. “This investment is not only about financing programs, but also about strengthening institutions and health systems. We look forward to working together to strengthen nutrition services for families during their critical first 1,000 days of life and show that every child, regardless of circumstances, can reach their full potential.”

“Stunting remains one of the most critical barriers to children reaching their full potential, with lifelong impacts on their learning and productivity, and the country’s human capital and economic growth,” said Manoj Kumar, Regional Director, Asia, Nutrition International. “As Canada’s largest dedicated global nutrition partner, Nutrition International is committed to addressing this challenge as an expert ally to the government as well as fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships. Since 2016, we have worked alongside the Government of the Philippines to strengthen health systems and expand access to essential nutrition interventions. This project marks a significant milestone to advance locally driven, resilient systems that improve health and nutrition services delivery and foster a healthier, more productive generation.”

The project launch event included a ceremonial signing of the MoU between the Government of Pangasinan, the Government of Mountain Province and Nutrition International, reaffirming the commitment of all partners to advancing collaborative action on nutrition in the region. Officials from the Department of Health, National Nutrition Council, provincial health offices, Zuellig Family Foundation, and various other partners were also in attendance.

Learn more about the Addressing Stunting in the Philippines project.

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