PHL, UNICEF launch P756 million nutrition fund partnership

The Philippine government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) unveiled a partnership worth over P756 million aimed at reducing stunting and wasting among women and children nationwide.

“Investing in nutrition is one of the most powerful ways to improve every child’s survival, learning, and long-term well-being—benefits that extend far beyond childhood,” said UNICEF Philippines Representative Kyungsun Kim in a statement.

“Through the Child Nutrition Fund, we are helping more families access the right support at the right time, especially during the first 1,000 days,” she added.  

Under the new partnership launched in April, the UNICEF-led Child Nutrition Fund (CNF) will provide P756.2 million through a catalytic financing model aligned with the government’s nutrition efforts.

The initiative aims to improve quality care in health facilities and communities, expand access to maternal nutrition services, including multiple micronutrient supplements for pregnant women, and create stronger protection during the first 1,000 days of a child’s life.

It aims to help over 8.4 million children under five years old and 1.2 million pregnant women nationwide.

“These investments help make essential nutrition services more accessible for mothers and young children, especially during the first 1,000 days, while strengthening the systems needed to sustain and expand results,” UNICEF said.

While the Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) said the program plays a significant role in combating undernutrition in the country, it noted that more funds are needed to create a lasting impact.

“This funding support is focused on childhood nutrition (especially the first 1,000 days), maternal nutrition interventions, and system strengthening (data, coordination, service delivery),” Nitz Dalde, deputy executive director at PLCPD, told BusinessWorld in a Viber message.

“Although this amount is very significant in catalyzing programs, more funds are needed to institute lasting solutions,” she added.

Ms. Dalde also underscored that the country faces a “triple burden of malnutrition.”

“These are undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overweight/obesity, which affect primarily women and children,” she said. “This leads to irreversible impacts: impaired cognitive development, poor school performance, and reduced lifetime earnings.”

In the 2025 Global Hunger Index, the Philippines ranked 66th out of 123 countries, while its level of hunger fell under the “moderate” category.

Data from the report also logged 3.0% of the population as undernourished, 27.7% of children under five as stunted, 5.4% as wasted, and 2.7% of kids die before their fifth birthday. — Almira Louise S. Martinez