CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga (PIA) — Government agencies are strengthening the integration of nutrition and environmental protection to improve food security, reduce malnutrition, and build climate-resilient communities, officials said during the celebration of the 2026 Nutrition Month and Nutri-Trade Fair in this city.
The National Nutrition Council (NNC) Region III, in partnership with the City Government of San Fernando and the Regional Nutrition Committee, celebrated the month-long celebration anchored on the theme “Nutrisyon at Kalikasan, Ating Pangalagaan,” highlighting the close link between nutrition, sustainable food systems, and environmental stewardship.
In a video message delivered during the program, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. underscored that protecting the environment is essential to ensuring the country’s food security and improving the health of Filipinos.
“We cannot cultivate a healthy population on a sick planet. Shifting to sustainable diets, slashing food waste, and backing our local climate-smart farmers are no longer optional lifestyle choices but strategic national imperatives,” the President said.
Marcos also called for a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to address malnutrition.
“We must pursue cooperation, leverage public-private partnerships, spark green investments, and deploy data-driven innovations that protect both our landscapes and our economy,” he said.
NNC Officer-in-Charge Executive Director Rosalina U. Bascao said climate change and food insecurity continue to threaten the nutritional well-being of communities, making environmental protection a vital component of nutrition governance.
“The food that nourishes us, the water that sustains us, and the natural resources that support our livelihoods are all from the environment we share and depend upon. Protecting our environment is no longer just an ecological responsibility—it is a nutritional responsibility,” Bascao said.
Representing Mayor Vilma B. Caluag, City Administrator Atty. Kristiannico Abad reaffirmed the City Government of San Fernando’s commitment to strengthening nutrition programs through innovation and grassroots participation.
“Patuloy po ang pag-iisip natin ng mga bagong inobasyon upang magkaroon ng sapat na nutrisyon, hindi lamang po sa mga mag-aaral kundi para sa lahat,” he said, while recognizing the dedication of barangay nutrition scholars and barangay health workers.
Representatives from the Department of Health-Central Luzon said this year’s Nutrition Month celebration also advances the country’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly zero hunger, good health and well-being, and climate action, stressing that protecting the environment also means protecting people’s health.
NNC Region III Nutrition Program Coordinator Ana Maria B. Rosaldo said the campaign reinforces the implementation of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2023–2028, the country’s roadmap for improving the nutritional status of Filipinos through coordinated interventions.
“Ang ating Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition o PPAN 2023–2028 ang nagsisilbing roadmap ng ating bansa para mapabuti ang katayuan ng nutrisyon ng mga Pilipino. Isinusulong nito ang ating layunin na ‘Nutrisyon Sapat, Para sa Lahat,’ na nagbibigay-diin sa sapat na nutrisyon para sa bawat Pilipino,” Rosaldo said.
Meanwhile, NNC Region III Nutrition Officer II Angelita M. Pasos urged families to reduce food waste, plan meals wisely, and consume food responsibly, noting that child stunting remains a major nutrition concern because it affects not only a child’s physical growth but also brain development.
She emphasized that “climate action is nutrition action,” stressing that protecting the environment is also an investment in the country’s future nutrition security.
The Nutri-Trade Fair features nutrition education activities, healthy food exhibits, and government services promoting sustainable food systems and responsible consumption.
Officials said the initiative supports the Marcos administration’s Bagong Pilipinas agenda by strengthening food security, improving public health, and building climate-resilient communities through a whole-of-government approach. (CLJD/MJSC, PIA Region 3-Pampanga)