According to the World Health Organization (WHO), malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person’s intake of energy and/or nutrients. It covers two broad groups of conditions: under nutrition, which includes stunting (low height for age), wasting (low weight for height), underweight (low weight for age); and micro nutrient deficiencies-a lack of vitamins and minerals, overweight, obesity, and diet-related non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer.
Locale facts and figures
The leading cause of malnutrition in Lagawe is overweight as presented in the 2024 and 2025 data sheet presented by Sheena Belle P. Bayninan, Municipal Nutrition Action (MNA) officer.
In 2024, there were 17 obese children, which slightly decreased to 15 in 2025; overweight children increased, ranging 21 to 23 in 2024 and 44 to 40 in 2025; underweight children declined from 30 in 2024 and 26 in 2025, and severely underweight cases dropped from 7 to 5 over the same period; 71 are stunted in 2024 going up to 121 this 2025 and number of healthy children is 1,409 in 2024 and 1,204 in 2025. However, the data presented might change by the second quarter.
On the other hand, Kiyangan listed 71 who are stunted in 2024 first quarter while 121 this year, 10 are severely stunted in 2024 and increased to 13 this year.
When it comes to acute malnutrition, there are eight who are under moderate acute malnutrition, while one is recorded to be severe acute malnutrition. But it has increased this year to 18 cases under moderate acute malnutrition and 11 children under severe acute malnutrition.
Frances Alindayo, Nutrition Officer of the municipality of Kiyangan reported six children who are obese and 14 cases of both underweight and overweight, one severely underweight, 51 stunted, one severely stunted and a total of 1,278 healthy children.
Committed Efforts and Intervention
According to Alindayo, intensive IEC materials, and seminars are given to pregnant and lactating mothers for proper guidelines in breastfeeding.
Pre-school children in Kiangan are also referred for medical check-ups to determine if they have conditions such as primary complex which causes them to become underweight.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has allocated a budget for a supplemental feeding program for daycare children. Under this program, all children are beneficiaries with regards their health status: normal, overweight, underweight, stunting or wasting.
Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepED) also provides and conducts supplementary feeding for elementary children through rations of milk and any form of nutrition-packed foods like the new enriched form of nutribun.
“After identifying our beneficiaries for our programs. We approach the Department of Agriculture (DA) and other concerned agencies for livelihood programs and financial assistance to be provided for our beneficiaries…They received seeds and livestock from the DA, and they also received financial assistance from the DSWD…When we talk about malnutrition, different agencies and offices like the DA, DSWD, the Municipal Engineering Office (MEO) and Municipal Planning and Development Office (MPDO) are concerned with combating the cause of the problem. At the barangay level, we have Barangay Nutrition scholars(BNS) who take charge of weighing and measuring the children per community,” Alindayo explained.
Bayninan says that there was a shift in the cause of malnutrition in the municipality from underweight in the past years to overweight and obesity in the present. The activities and programs implemented are in line with the National Nutrition Council’s mandate in resolving the problem of malnutrition.
For instance, community gardens are mandatory in all barangays of Lagawe wherein barangay Poblacion East’s community garden has become reliable and systematically managed by the Barangay officials.
Alfonso Gano Dominong, Brgy. Capt. of Poblacion East said that the produce of the community garden is given to the malnourished children. Some of the produce are sold to avail vitamins for the children. Among the vegetables that are planted are pechay, eggplant, and string beans.
Moreover, the Barangay Social Welfare and Development health workers teach the parents on how to prepare the vegetables in a way that children would like and conducts feeding programs and gives free vitamins and medicine from the Department of Health (DOH).
Meanwhile, “Garantisadong Pambata” is an initiative of DSWD which provides free general check-ups and lectures on how to prepare meals according to a balanced diet.
Additionally, “piso” donation drives and collecting plastic bottles from every home is an additional fund for health and nutrition-related activities.
The local officials of Ifugao are hand in hand to implement countermeasures. To eliminate problems with malnutrition, keeping in mind the healthy well-being of every person.//Adam Kibad, BSU-DevCom Intern
