President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday said he has ordered the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) to ensure that healthcare and nutrition are prioritized as key indicators of good local governance.

“I have directed the DILG to ensure that healthcare and nutrition are included as priority indicators in our Seal of Good Local Governance,” Marcos said in his speech at the 2024 National Nutrition Awarding Ceremony in Ortigas, Pasig City.

The President said the government was reassessing the criteria for awarding the Seal of Good Local Governance.

“I insisted that healthcare be a part of that — healthcare in terms of nutrition, healthcare in terms of vaccination, in terms of access to health services,” he said.

Marcos expressed concern that the Philippines continues to grapple with severe nutritional challenges, with malnutrition affecting various stages of life across the nation.

“And this has multifarious effects. It has wrought deleterious effects on the cognitive development and future of our children. It has contributed to our children falling behind in their education,” he said.

The President also urged the public to remember the “very painful lessons” learned from the Covid-19 pandemic.

He said it is clear that the country’s strength “depends on the well-being of its people.”

“A healthy citizenry, fueled by proper nutrition, forms the foundation of a productive and prosperous society. We are constantly reminded that we must be mindful of the food that we consume and the environment that we surround ourselves with,” he added.

The Seal of Good Local Governance is an incentive, honor and recognition-based program for all local government units.

The award is one of the earliest efforts to initiate results-based performance management in the country.