• CHRYSEE G. SAMILLANO
An ordinance establishing a program for the provision of free postnatal supplements to breastfeeding mothers residing in Bacolod City, was recently passed on third and final reading by the Sangguniang Panlungsod.
Authored by Councilor Em Ang and co-authored by Councilor Celia Flor, the ordinance provides that the health and well-being of mothers and their infants are vital to the development of Bacolod City.
Breastfeeding is the most natural and effective way to provide optimal nutrition and immunity to infants, it said.
Many breastfeeding mothers experience nutritional deficits during the postnatal period, which can be mitigated through supplementation, the ordinance said.
To be known as the “Bacolod City Postnatal Supplementation Program Ordinance”, the purpose of the measure is to promote the health and nutrition of breastfeeding mothers and their infants by providing free postnatal supplements to eligible residents of Bacolod City.
The City Health Office, in coordination with barangay health workers, should develop guidelines and procedures for the effective implementation of the program, including criteria for eligibility, distribution schedules, and reporting, the ordinance said.
The amount necessary for the initial implementation and operation of the program will be charged against the local funds of Bacolod City. The City Council will allocate an appropriate amount annually in the General Fund budget to sustain the program, it said.
Non-compliance with the provisions of this ordinance will be penalized in accordance with existing laws and relevant ordinance of Bacolod City, it added.*
