Metrobank Foundation Inc. and Pilipinas Shell Foundation Inc. signed a memorandum of agreement on 6 November 2023 in Makati City for the implementation of a three-year, community-based and multisectoral program to address undernutrition in economically disadvantaged communities in Camarines Sur.

Dubbed “Roots to Shoots,” the P7.2-million program funded by MBFI targets at least 245 parents and caregivers, children under five years old and public-sector individuals from Barangay Santa Rosa del Sur, the second barangay with the highest incidence of malnutrition in Pasacao, Camarines Sur.

“Roots to Shoots” will focus on three key areas. The Food Security and Livelihood component, to be led by PSFI, will help improve food availability and food access in the community by providing agricultural resources and technical knowledge on sustainable livelihood. The Water Access, Sanitation and Hygiene component, overseen by the Manila Water Foundation, will improve the access to basic water and sanitation facilities to communities that will enable them to practice proper hygiene and sanitation.

Lastly, the Mother and Child Care component will focus on strengthening the capacity of mothers and caregivers as well as health and nutrition workers to provide adequate nutrition and holistic care to their children through nutrition education sessions and early childhood care and development. This will be co-implemented by World Vision Development Foundation Inc.

The “Roots to Shoots” expansion will involve Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion in its implementation, ensuring that all members of the target communities have equal access to the program’s benefits regardless of their gender, disability or social status.

The program is aligned with the national agenda on health and nutrition, specifically RA 11148: “Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Magnanay Act,” the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition 2023-2028 and RA 8980: “Early Childhood Care and Development Act.” It will also forge strong collaboration with government agencies such as the Department of Health, National Nutrition Council, Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute and the local government unit of Pasacao, Camarines Sur.

“Roots to Shoots” was initially PSFI’s three-year program implemented from 2019 to 2022 in eight barangays in Bombon and five barangays in Pasacao, Camarines Sur. Its pilot intervention was successful in improving the nutritional and food security status of the families and children in these communities. Since the start of the intervention, PSFI has reported a 10.57 percent reduction in stunting, 5.39 percent decrease in wasting and a 6.91 percent decline in the number of underweight children in Pasacao.

In Bombon, on the other hand, incidences of stunting were also reduced by 7.45 percent, wasting by 2.46 percent and the number of underweight children by 4.32 percent.

With the launch of the expanded “Roots to Shoots” program, MBFI and PSFI are committed to continuing the fight against undernutrition and food insecurity in the Philippines by supporting the national mandate and global targets through the UN Sustainable Development Goals.