BACOLOD City — The Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) here has approved on third and final reading a proposed measure establishing a city-funded program that will provide free postnatal nutritional supplements to breastfeeding mothers.
Authored by Councilor Em Ang, chairperson of the SP Committee on Health, the measure was approved as City Ordinance No. 1127, titled the “Bacolod City Postnatal Supplementation Program Ordinance,” during the council’s regular session on January 28.
The ordinance aims to strengthen maternal and child health by addressing nutritional gaps commonly experienced by mothers during the postnatal period.
Ang said the health and well-being of mothers and their infants are vital to the city’s development.
She added that breastfeeding is the most natural and effective way to provide optimal nutrition and immunity to infants, noting that many breastfeeding mothers experience nutritional deficiencies during the postnatal period that can be mitigated through proper supplementation.
Under the ordinance, the city government will distribute free vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients to eligible breastfeeding mothers residing in Bacolod. Distribution will be carried out through the City Health Office (CHO), barangay health centers, and other designated health providers.
The ordinance mandates the CHO, in coordination with barangay health workers, to formulate guidelines on eligibility, distribution schedules, and reporting mechanisms to ensure the program’s effective implementation.
Funding for the program will be sourced from the city’s General Fund and may also include grants, donations, subsidies, and other lawful sources./PN
