Knights of Rizal, DOH to launch milk program for pregnant women
The Knights of Rizal, along with the Department of Health (DOH), will launch a program that seeks to fight child stunting by providing daily supplemental milk to pregnant women. During a press conference on Jan. 15, 2026 at the DOH office in Manila, Health Secretary Ted Herbosa stressed the importance of the initiative. The program will be piloted in Manila in over 300 villages and forms part of the DOH's first 1000 days program.
VIDEO BY ALLEN LIMOS
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00:00So the first 1,000 days is the first two years of life.
00:04It is from conception when you become pregnant.
00:07So the child needs to get all the micronutrients.
00:11The mother has to get the vaccine. The mother has to be properly nourished.
00:15So that when the child comes out, is delivered, the child is not undernourished.
00:21And then the patient continues to have breastfeeding for six months.
00:26And also have all the vaccines completed.
00:30So in the first two years of life, if you give the proper nutrients, the child's brain will not be stunted.
00:37In the Philippines, our stunting rate is 24.6%.
00:42That's the latest figure. That's one in four children.
00:46One in four Filipino children have brain stunted.
00:51So bansod sila, they are short, but their brain function is not good enough.
00:57So they have learning difficulties in school.
01:00So even if pagandahin natin yung education, educational system, even if Sani Angara works very hard to make that,
01:08if your brains are stunted, you will still not be a good learner.
01:13Pagkakaroon pa rin ng learning difficulties.
01:16So our biggest resource are our people.
01:19We need to invest in people.
01:21We need to invest in the first 1,000 days.
01:24Para zero ang stunting ng mga bata sa Pilipinas.
01:28I do not want to see any Filipino that is stunted, whether by height or by money.
01:34Many years ago, mas matatanggal ng mga Pilipino kaya sa mga Japanese.
01:39Ngayon, yung mga Japanese, six-quarter na because of good nutrition.
01:43If you notice, many Filipinos that migrate abroad, yung mga anak nila, six-quarter na lahat.
01:48And we will try to do that even without growing abroad.
01:51And I'll pass on the mic to our Knights of Rizal leadership to actually talk about the project.
01:58Well, good morning.
02:02Basically, narito po ang Knights of Rizal, is a charter by the Republic Act 646 to forge the ideas and works of our National Bureau.
02:13And of course, alam po natin ang ating Dr. Rose Rizal ay isang medical doctor.
02:20At nagkaroon siya ng klinika sa Hong Kong at syempre dito sa Dabita.
02:24At tumulong sa ating mga kababayan.
02:27Kaya at present time, we are basically replicating his work para patulungan ang ating mga kababayan.
02:36Narito po ang Knights of Rizal to forge collaboration with DOH, especially extension programs, para ipakita yung halaga ng Rizalismo sa buhay ng ating mga kababayan.
02:52At sa specific project sa mga plano natin ngayon ay itong tukos sa ating mga kabataan na pwede ipaliwala ng ating kasama nito.
03:03Good afternoon, everybody.
03:07Ang binabanggit ng mahal natin na kailihim sa Department of Health, yung sinasabi niya ng brain stunting is a nutrition problem.
03:16But this nutrition problem is because of poverty.
03:20Eight percent of our population falls below the poverty line.
03:24So kung ang mga nanay, magpamilya, walang pera pang bilhin ng nutritious food, so magkakaroon tayo ng problema in the first 1,000 days of life.
03:36First two years, from the time na binotest ang baby, nine months na kinikeri ng nanay, sinilang six months exclusive breastfeeding hanggang two years.
03:47Why 1,000?
03:49Because the first 1,000 days is the critical time for body organ development ng bata.
03:59But we are very particular about the brain formation.
04:02Because pag ang bata, malnourished within the first 2 years, permanent na yan, permanent.
04:09So the baby will be condemned into a life of no IQ.
04:16Opo.
04:17Opo.
04:18Opo.
04:19Opo.
04:20Opo.
04:21Sorry for the term.
04:22Opo.
04:23And ang tawag namin ganit, BFF.
04:27Hindi may spread forever.
04:30Below five feet ko.
04:32BFF.
04:33So the private sector, kami sa coalition ng children's first 1,000 days, and the Department of Health, kasama na yung Knights of Israel, of course 200 NGOs,
04:44will be doing this program for the children.
05:14Stop?
05:15I've started.
05:16I'm sorry.
05:17Wait for the child?
05:18No, I.'s aad.
05:19It must be said.
05:20I'm sorry.
05:21I'll stop.
05:22No.
05:23To be my girlfriend.
05:24My sweetheart is only a tarde gen god.
05:26An cause of my son lands as the child becomes myuld mommy gen tawag.
05:29I feel highest holy and lucky.
05:31Please stop your wife as a woman.
05:32I must accept the reserve by the child's first 1,000 days.
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