It takes a village to raise a child, and many helping hands to put food on the table. However, as malnutrition and diabetes remain prevalent among Palaweño children, there is a need for a systematic review of the sustenance available on the island, along with a better understanding of how to adapt to such health crises. What defines community health?
Western Philippines University (WPU) brought together several stakeholders involved in Palaweños’ dietary health during a conference on global food security held on October 11-12. These local voices included farmers, businesspeople, members of the medical field, academia, and governance sector, all of whom shared their perspectives on the factors contributing to unhealthy eating habits in the local area.
The Global Community Food and Health (CFaH) Philippines Model Building Workshop is a four-year project spearheaded by WPU, funded by the National Institute of Health & Care Research (NIHR) of the British government.
The workshop is part of the “co-creation” phase of the project, now in its second year of implementation. During this phase, stakeholders from Palawan’s small island community shared their insights on how food and health security in the province impact the health and diet of Palaweños.
Prof. Lota Alcantara-Creencia from WPU’s College of Fisheries serves as the local project head of Global CFaH, while Prof. Nigel Unwin from the University of Exeter and University of Cambridge is the international project investigator.
Creencia noted that the stakeholders illuminated the various causes and consequences of poor family nutrition.
In its five-year report last August, the Provincial Nutrition Office noted that while the prevalence of malnutrition in children had steadily declined in 2024, other nutrition-related issues, such as stunted growth and diabetes, remain common.
The challenges presented during the two-day workshop revealed that it was not just the lack of access to healthy, affordable food that contributed to poor eating habits among Palaweños. Other societal factors, such as poverty, lack of motivation or resources to establish community gardens, and the attitudes of primary caregivers towards food, also played significant roles in inadequate household nutrition.
“Na-emphasize, pinabalik-balik nila yung family values, parang na-dilute na. (…) Napaka-important ang role ng mothers, kasi kapag healthy ang [attitude towards household nutrition ng] mother, malaking effect yun sa family, kasi siya yung core ng pagde-design ng food system at intake sa pamilya. (…) Ang effect hindi lang nutrition, mental health, mismong productivity, employment. Pati yung mga problems sa society doon… nagki-criss-cross,” Creencia said.
Farmers and agriculture representatives acknowledged the existence of national programs aimed at combating food insecurity, especially in the face of inclement weather and climate change affecting crops. However, they pointed out that recovery from these challenges was not prioritized at the local level.
Barangay leaders and government representatives agreed, stressing the need for data. They pointed out that nutrition issues often go overlooked in the community until they reach extreme levels, such as when a barangay is identified as having the highest number of malnourished children.
“All programs cannot stand alone, so kailangan talaga yung existence ng other programs. These existing policies go a long way, so para makadagdag tayo ng additional project, kailangan muna tayong magkaroon ng evidence-based [lalo na sa barangay level] bago tayo mag-tap sa Sanggunian,” said Dr. Ma. Teresa Wycoco, a rural health physician from the Puerto Princesa City Health Office, during the second day of discussions.
Unwin, who has attended similar Global CFaH iterations in other small island communities across the Pacific, noted that one common factor affecting populations’ overall nutrition is the availability of calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods, which are often cheaper than fresh fruits and vegetables.
He explained that while many island communities have access to a wide range of foods, the mass production of cheap, ready-to-eat products by large food corporations significantly contributes to poor nutrition.
“That’s the case in many parts of the world, that cheap calories with not many nutrients are an easier way to feed a family, particularly if you don’t have very much money, (…) Perhaps also is a pressure that some people feel under with their work environment, that they want to buy foods that are easy to prepare, and not to spend time preparing fresh produce to create meals (…) I think there’s a whole mixture of things that together drive this tendency towards less nutritious food and a greater risk of things like overweight and obesity and type 2 diabetes,” he said.
Another significant factor contributing to inadequate household nutrition is Palawan’s persistent power problems. The lack of reliable cold storage and the decline in knowledge about preserving fresh produce were raised by businesspeople and urban farmers during the discussions.
Ma. Josefina Abilay, regional director for the Department of Science and Technology in Mimaropa, also noted that Palawan’s reliance on less industrial food production practices limits the availability of packaged and processed healthy food options.
Due to the effort, labor, and capital required to produce healthy local food, Abilay said that those who could help alleviate food insecurity often lack the incentive to do so. She highlighted DOST programs that could assist with value-adding processes.
“We are not into production, but we can provide technologies in the production, so that the cultural management practices of farmers will be improved and therefore, ma-enhance yung productivity nila,” she said, citing technology training, food safety laboratories, and nutrient analysis as programs offered by DOST.
The ultimate goal of the Global CFaH project in Palawan is to provide research data that can serve as the basis for policymaking. While intervention methods were discussed during the workshop, the focus was on understanding the existing efforts to address food and health security issues in the country.
The stakeholders pledged to continue seeking solutions as the project progresses.
WPU President Amabel Liao endorsed the different stakeholders’ perspectives on nutrition and praised the Global CFaH project as part of the university’s commitment to fostering community-led solutions.
“Lahat tayo may kinalaman sa pagkain, kasi lahat tayo kumakain. (…) COVID-19 has brought home the truth that what each one does affects the life and health of the community. The health or disease of one could endanger the whole community and even the entire human race; and even the survival of our planet and the future generations. Kaya sana, marealize natin na, lahat tayo ay mahalaga dito,” she said.
(This article was produced with the support of Canal France International (CFI), reflecting our shared commitment to fostering quality journalism and promoting the One Health Approach to achieve integrated solutions for human, animal, and environmental health.)
