ILOILO City – The Department of Health (DOH) has called for sustained and community-based breastfeeding support systems in Western Visayas, stressing that the practice remains the most natural, complete, and cost-effective way to nourish infants.
For the 2025 National Breastfeeding Awareness Month this August, the DOH central office has adopted the theme “Prioritize Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems” to guide advocacy activities nationwide. The campaign pushes for exclusive breastfeeding during a child’s first six months, with continued breastfeeding up to two years or beyond.
“DOH Region 6, through its Family Health and Nutrition Section, will join the celebration of Breastfeeding Month and Family Planning Month in the Municipality of Concepcion, Province of Iloilo. This activity is organized in collaboration with the Provincial Health Office (PHO) of Iloilo and the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Concepcion, reinforcing the shared commitment to promote maternal, infant, and reproductive health in the community,” said Yvonnie Bu, nutritionist-dietitian of the Family Health and Nutrition Section.
Bu underscored breastfeeding’s unique advantages: “We advocate breastfeeding because it is the most natural, complete, and cost-effective way to nourish infants, providing them with all the nutrients, antibodies, and emotional bonding they need for healthy growth and development.”
Health experts note that breastmilk is unmatched in meeting a baby’s changing nutritional needs, offering essential nutrients, antibodies, immune cells, and bioactive compounds that protect against illnesses such as diarrhea, pneumonia, and ear infections. It also supports brain development, fosters mother-child bonding, and lowers the risk of chronic diseases later in life.
In contrast, formula milk — though nutritionally adequate — cannot replicate breastmilk’s dynamic composition or protective properties. It lacks antibodies and certain bioactive substances and may be harder for some infants to digest.
Bu added that the region currently has only one certified lactation room, located at SM City Iloilo, as certification depends on endorsements from local health offices.
The Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009 (RA 10028) requires public and private establishments to provide lactation stations and breastfeeding breaks, encourages the creation of human milk banks, and integrates breastfeeding education into school curricula.
Western Visayas Medical Center hosts the region’s only accredited Human Milk Bank, which collects, processes, and distributes donated milk for premature, low birth weight, or medically fragile infants whose mothers cannot provide enough milk.
“Breastfeeding is the optimal source of nutrition for infants and young children. It provides all the essential nutrients, antibodies, and growth factors needed for a child’s healthy growth and development during the first six months of life. Breastmilk strengthens the immune system, protects against common childhood illnesses, and promotes bonding between mother and child. Breastfeeding is not beneficial for the child but also for the mother, it reduces the risk of postpartum hemorrhage, supports birth spacing, and lowers the risk of certain cancers and other health conditions. Moreover, it is economical, sustainable, and environmentally friendly,” Bu emphasized./PN