Workplace partners and other stakeholders are gearing for the preparation of a national plan in 2011 that will synergize activities towards achieving MDG F 2030.

MDG F aims to ensure food security and nutrition for children 0-24 months in the Philippines by year 2030.

MDG-F 203 is the Joint Programme on Ensuring Food Security and Nutrition for Children 0-24 Months Old in the Philippines.

MDG-F 2030 began about one and a half years ago with the preparation and submission of a concept note in October 2008.

This was followed by a consultation with programme areas in March 2009 as a process in the preparation of the Joint Programme Document which was eventually submitted in August 2009 with refinements being further submitted in September or so together with the annual work plan for the first year.

In year 2000, the millennium development summit has identified 8 priority development goals to be achieved by 2010.

Years after, and only 5 years more before the deadline of achieving the goals, a development partnership fund was set-up to help accelerate the achievement of these goals – this is the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund or MDG-F

MDGF is a means to achieve MDGs by 2015

As a step towards realizing these goals, a National Consultation on Interventions to Promote Exclusive Breastfeeding in the Workplace was conducted in 2010 by the Employers Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) in collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the National Nutrition Council (NNC). The activity was held recently at the Bayview Park Hotel Manila.

In his message during the National Consultation, ECOP President Edgardo G. Lacson noted that as women move into wage labor, they are faced with difficulties associated with pregnancy and later on caring for their infants and young children. Maternal and infant’s health is often negatively affected by the mother's workforce participation. Most critical is the proper care for pregnant women and their unborn infant.

Maternity protection provides the support women need in order to satisfactorily harmonize their productive and reproductive lives. It addresses the health needs of women workers and their children, at the same time making it possible for women to remain in the workforce throughout their childbearing years.

Lacson related that this year, ECOP inked another partnership with the ILO on a new project called “Promotion of Exclusive Breastfeeding in the Workplace. He said this initiative will surely challenge companies in selected areas in Naga City, Iloilo City and Zamboanga City to increase access, provide updated and accurate information and high quality services on maternal and child health care including the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding and young child feeding practices.

He added that ECOP is hopeful that this program – which exemplifies a concrete and proactive response of the business sector to expand the social protection of our women workers – would inspire other enterprises to take similar steps.

Vicenta Borja, coordinator, National Infant and Young Child Feeding Center, Department of Health (DOH), noted that breastfeeding is the no. 1 life-saving strategy. Thus, she cited that Republic Act 10028, otherwise known as the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009, mandates the State to protect working women by providing safe and healthful working conditions, taking into account their maternal functions.

Borja added that via RA 10028, promotion of breastfeeding in the country will bring about bonding among parents and their children.

Ana Liza Valencia, project coordinator, MDG-F 2030, ILO, for her part, tackled the Decent Work Agenda, where she noted that the ILO contributes to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, particularly on decent work and child health, by promoting:

Rhodora Buenaventura, Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Project Unit, ECOP, discussed the results and highlights of the consultations on Exclusive Breastfeeding interventions and practices in the formal and informal sector.

Florencia Cabatingan, Chairperson, DAWN-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) and Executive Board Member, TUCP, dwelled on the ILO, its tripartite structure, certain ILO Recommendations and Conventions, especially ILO Convention 183 or the Maternity Protection Convention, and breastfeeding practices in various countries.