SM malls were the first shopping centers in the country to have breastfeeding stations for the convenience and privacy of lactating mothers.
Both for customers and employees, the stations feature comfortable seating, electrical outlets for breast pumps, small sinks and diaper changing areas.
The facilities were made available in line with the SM management’s support for the law promoting breastfeeding.
SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls, is expanding its advocacy for maternal and infant health by putting up human milk depots initially in two Manila branches: SM City San Lazaro and SM City Manila.
The depots aim to help many mothers facing challenges in providing sufficient milk for their infants due to medical or circumstantial limitations.
“Our goal is to make breastfeeding more accessible, not only for current breastfeeding mothers but also for those considering breastfeeding. By establishing a milk depot inside our malls, we are taking a significant step toward this objective,” Atty. Pearly Joan Jayagan Turley, senior assistant vice president of the Corporate Compliance Group and SM Cares Program director for women & breastfeeding mothers, said during the launching of the initiative at SM City San Lazaro on 18 February.
Jayagan said such facility will be put up in every SM mall across the nation to serve mothers and children across the country.
Aligned with the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009, the SM Human Milk Depot Initiative reinforces SM Supermalls’ mission of being “A Mall for All.” Partners to the initiative are the Department of Health, Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital and the Human Milk Bank Association of the Philippines (HMBAP).
Undersecretary Mary Ann Palermo-Maestral of the Public Health Services Cluster and Dr. Estrella Jusi, president of the HMBAP, commended SM Cares for its leadership in this critical advocacy during the launching event.
Beyond the depots, SM Cares will also strengthen its community engagement efforts, raising awareness about the importance of breast milk donation and fostering a culture of care and advocacy.
“We envision a future where every child has the opportunity to grow and thrive, and every mother feels supported and empowered in her breastfeeding journey,” Turley said.