San Miguel Foods Inc. said malnutrition among children has declined under its expanded First 1,000 Days program, which now covers more than 1,000 mother-and-child pairs across 24 barangays nationwide.
The company said 89 percent of children enrolled have achieved normal height and weight, while underweight cases dropped to 2 percent. Only 9 percent remain classified as malnourished.
Launched in 2022 with 254 beneficiaries across nine barangays, the program — branded “Happy si Mommy, Malusog si Baby” — now includes over 400 families in Luzon, 300 in the Visayas, and 250 in Mindanao. It supports mothers and children from pregnancy to age two, a critical period for development and long-term health.
The initiative is led by San Miguel Foods and San Miguel Foundation in coordination with local governments and private partners. It provides prenatal checkups, ultrasounds, health education, and fortified meals. The food supplements, known as Mingo Meals, are developed by the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute and produced by the Negrense Volunteers for Change Foundation.
San Miguel Corporation chairman and CEO Ramon S. Ang said the program aims to offer long-term support rather than one-time aid. “Good nutrition starts before birth, and we want to make sure mothers and children in underprivileged communities receive sustained support,” Ang said in a statement.
Earlier this year, San Miguel Foods distributed an additional supply of Mingo Meals in new flavors as some children moved into toddlerhood.
The company also said it has trained 102 barangay health workers through webinars covering breastfeeding, postpartum care, and childhood nutrition. These workers help pass on the information to mothers in their communities.
The initiative is part of San Miguel’s broader goal to improve the lives of 15 million Filipinos by 2030.
