The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Health (DOH) have officially launched the Philippine Multi-sectoral Nutrition Program Information System (PMNP-IS), shifting from manual data collection to a digital platform aimed at enhancing anti-stunting initiatives.
The centralized system will consolidate data on the health and nutrition of pregnant women and children under two, improving the government’s ability to deliver targeted services during the critical first 1,000 days of life.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, through Undersecretary Monina Josefina Romualdez, described the initiative as a vital step in addressing the multi-dimensional challenges of malnutrition. He said that by harmonizing access to accurate data, government implementers can better strategize and respond to the needs of mothers and children in vulnerable communities.
Led by the DOH and supported by the DSWD, the PMNP-IS aims to create a unified database that combines nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive information from multiple government programs.
Health Secretary Ted Herbosa highlighted the platform’s role in ensuring that vital services reach the right people at the right time, emphasizing the importance of innovation and collaboration in
reducing hunger and stunting.
The PMNP, supported by international partners including the World Bank and UNICEF, represents a comprehensive, multi-sectoral effort to combat malnutrition in the Philippines. It aligns with the administration’s whole-of-government approach to delivering social and health services more
efficiently.
Also present at the system’s launch were DSWD Assistant Secretary Johannes Paulus Acuña, Director Bernadette Mapue-Joaquin of KALAHI-CIDSS, and World Bank officials led by Lead Economist Tara Beitelle, who reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the country’s nutrition and development goals.
