Senator Loren Legarda on Tuesday expressed full support for Senator Pia Cayetano’s privilege speech, reiterating the urgent need to protect and promote breastfeeding in the Philippines.

"Breastfeeding is a proven life-saving intervention. The World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF recommend initiating it within the first hour after birth, exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months, and continuing breastfeeding with complementary feeding up to two years or beyond," Legarda said, emphasizing the vital role of breastfeeding in safeguarding infant health.

However, the 2023 National Nutrition Survey revealed that only 61.2% of infants were breastfed within the first hour of life, while exclusive breastfeeding for infants under six months was just 50.4%. Alarmingly, 17.7% of infants received pre-lacteal feeds, such as formula or other liquids, shortly after birth—practices that hinder successful breastfeeding from the outset.

Legarda noted that these figures highlight systemic gaps, including insufficient workplace support for nursing mothers, limited and unevenly distributed milk banks, weak cold chain and inventory systems, and the absence of structured donor networks in many areas.

“To address these gaps, we need stronger policies, better coordination among agencies, and a culture that genuinely supports mothers and infants. Breastfeeding is not merely a personal choice; it is a shared responsibility that requires collective action from the government, communities, and workplaces,” she said.

Breast Milk Banking Act

“Breastfeeding is a natural right, not a luxury. Yet in times of crisis, too many mothers face impossible choices between safety and nourishing their babies,” Legarda added.

To address these challenges, Legarda filed Senate Bill No. 792, or An Act strengthening rooming-in, breastfeeding, and Breast Milk Banking practices in the Philippines. The proposed bill seeks to expand and amend Republic Act No. 7600, known as the Rooming-in and Breastfeeding Act of 1992, and its amendment, Republic Act No. 10028.

The legislation aims to: Establish a National Breast Milk Banking Strategy, expand regional human milk bank units and satellite banks nationwide, mandate standardized safety protocols for collection, screening, and storage and create a real-time online tracking system for efficient milk distribution.

The bill ensures timely access to safe donor milk for premature and emergency-affected infants, representing a long-term investment in child health and nutrition.

“By institutionalizing breast milk banks, we can significantly boost exclusive breastfeeding rates and give every Filipino child a stronger start in life,” Legarda said.

The Senator urged her colleagues, as the country observes August as Breastfeeding Awareness Month, to prioritize and pass the proposed bill, making breastfeeding support accessible and sustainable for all Filipinos.