HISTORY

HAPAG-ASA Integrated Nutrition Program is a Catholic response to the malnutrition situation among children in the country. It was launched in July 2005 by Pondo ng Pinoy Community Foundation, Inc., then headed by Archbishop Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales in partnership with 13 other Bishops, Assisi Development Foundation, Feed the Children Philippines, and recently Feed My Starving Children, Risen Savior Missions, CBCP-NASSA Caritas Filipinas Foundation and Episcopal Commission on Health Care.

PHILIPPINE MALNUTRITION SITUATION

According to FNRI’s 2018 Expanded National Nutrition Status, 19.1% of under-five children are underweight and 30.3% are stunned.

In the Philippines, according to the 2018 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (eNNS) by Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), about 2 to 3 out of 10 children are underweight and 3 out of 10 are stunted among preschool children, ages 0-59 months. Among the school-age children ages 6-10 years old, 25.0% are underweight for their age while 24.5% are classified as short or stunted and apparently have suffered from malnutrition in the past.

Stunting, among children, 0 to 5 years old, causes irreversible damage to the brain. These children become slow learners and even if they are fed adequate and nutritious food later on, they may grow taller and stouter but their brain will no longer be fully developed.

“A child’s brain in state of constant stress (including undernutrition) does not learn to regulate emotions, which can be associated with greater risk of chronic disease and mental health problems in adulthood” (Perry BD and Pollard R,1997)

In the Philippines, according to the 2018 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (eNNS) by Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), about 2 to 3 out of 10 children are underweight and 3 out of 10 are stunted among preschool children, ages 0-59 months. Among the school-age children ages 6-10 years old, 25.0% are underweight for their age while 24.5% are classified as short or stunted and apparently have suffered from malnutrition in the past.

According to FNRI’s 2018 Expanded National Nutrition Status, 19.1% of under-five children are underweight and 30.3% are stunned.

PHILIPPINE MALNUTRITION SITUATION

In the Philippines, according to the 2018 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (eNNS) by Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), about 2 to 3 out of 10 children are underweight and 3 out of 10 are stunted among preschool children, ages 0-59 months. Among the school-age children ages 6-10 years old, 25.0% are underweight for their age while 24.5% are classified as short or stunted and apparently have suffered from malnutrition in the past.

Further cause for concern is that we are ranking globally and in the ASEAN Region for the wrong reasons. The Philippines stand 9th in the Global stunting situation (UNICEF, 2013) and 2nd shortest in the ASEAN among countries with large populations. (Global Hunger Index 2018) We also have lowest level of average IQ as compared to our ASEAN neighbors based on the World Population Review 2019.

Malnutrition prevalence of 5% is considered of public health significance, according to the World Health Organization. The prevalence rates of underweight and stunting among our Filipino children based on the FNRI study are of high magnitude; they should definitely be considered critical public health concern. This situation calls for a more focused action on the part of thegovernment as well as of the private sector to address the problem seriously.

Further cause for concern is that we are ranking globally and in the ASEAN Region for the wrong reasons. The Philippines stand 9th in the Global stunting situation (UNICEF, 2013) and 2nd shortest in the ASEAN among countries with large populations. (Global Hunger Index 2018) We also have lowest level of average IQ as compared to our ASEAN neighbors based on the World Population Review 2019.

Malnutrition prevalence of 5% is considered of public health significance, according to the World Health Organization. The prevalence rates of underweight and stunting among our Filipino children based on the FNRI study are of high magnitude; they should definitely be considered critical public health concern. This situation calls for a more focused action on the part of thegovernment as well as of the private sector to address the problem seriously.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

To develop the culture of SHARING & LOVING to our neighbors as demonstrated in the Miracle of the Multiplication of loaves & fish (Mt. 14:13-21)
To reduce malnutrition prevalence rate among 0 to 12 years old children
To improve capacity of parents to care and provide for basic needs of their children

HAPAG-ASA Name and Logo Explained

Hapag-Asa was coined by Amb. Howard Q. Dee. The program name comes from a combination of two Filipino words namely, Hapag and Pag-Asa. Literally, Hapag means table while Pag-Asa means hope. Together, the term refers to Table of Hope further leading to the Hapag-Asa tagline, “Feeding Our Future”.

Consequently, the program’s logo features same elements. The logo is an artistic rendition of a plate and a sun. The plate represents the” feeding” while the sun, represents the “future”.

HAPAG-ASA Name and Logo Explained

Hapag-Asa was coined by Amb. Howard Q. Dee. The program name comes from a combination of two Filipino words namely, Hapag and Pag-Asa. Literally, Hapag means table while Pag-Asa means hope. Together, the term refers to Table of Hope further leading to the Hapag-Asa tagline, “Feeding Our Future”.

Consequently, the program’s logo features same elements. The logo is an artistic rendition of a plate and a sun. The plate represents the” feeding” while the sun, represents the “future”.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

To develop the culture of SHARING & LOVING to our neighbors as demonstrated in the Miracle of the Multiplication of loaves & fish (Mt. 14:13-21)
To reduce malnutrition prevalence rate among 0 to 12 years old children
To improve capacity of parents to care and provide for basic needs of their children

The HAPAG-ASA Approach

Inclusive

Hapag-Asa being initiated by the Catholic Church, reaches out to children in need regardless of religious affinity and cultural beliefs. The program responds to all malnourished children in the community while also taking into consideration and respecting their religious and/or cultural practices. The program also prioritizes Indigenous People (IP) communities.

Multi-Sectoral

Hapag-Asa engages all possible stakeholders from various groups including the Civil Society, People’s Organization, Government, Churches and Private Organizations among others, and most importantly, the parents of the children enrolled. Multi-sectoral partnerships have been proven to be more effective in providing a more holistic and sustainable program to target communities.

Holistic

While addressing the urgent need to provide food for the undernourished child, the program ensures that other needs of the child are also addressed through other program components and values formation. This is done through the other program components such as Early Childhood Education, Parent Education, and Parent Skills Training and through the Self-Help Group approach among mothers.

Sustainable

Sustainability is underscored in the program which makes the ownership and the participation of the parents in the program important, as well as their empowerment through the Self Help Group Approach (SHA). In SHA, the mothers in particular, are organized into Self-Help Groups (SHeGs) to empower them economically, socially, politically and spiritually helping them help themselves in uplifting themselves from poverty and further enabling them to provide good nutrition to their children.

Integrative

Partners are encouraged to integrate the program into their existing structure to maximize available resources and processes while reaching out to more children in need. There is no need to reinvent new structures and processes as long as the basic program mechanics are implemented. For example, if a structure for a health program is existing in the organization or the diocese, that structure could be tapped so as not to create new shoes that needs filling in. Another example is for the human resources, it is advised that Parish ministries and groups are tapped to help in the feeding, education or the skills training components. Such is the principle behind tapping the youth ministry or transparochial groups in the feeding or the family and life ministry for the education especially on Responsible-Parenthood Natural Family Planning classes for parents.

Adaptive

While the program is clear about its basic program mechanics (eg. 5 days onsite feeding), it is acknowledged that various partners would have various backgrounds, standards or appropriate processes of doing things. Because of this, Hapag-Asa is adaptive and sensitive in a way that takes into consideration local systems including cultures not prescribing a rigid canned approach. Program implementation in the urban areas would be much so different when it is done in the rural areas. Modifications such as clustering of a number of feeding sites in one batch of feeding or doing centralized kitchen mode are just some of the adjustments done to help ease program implementation.

The HAPAG-ASA Approach

Inclusive

Hapag-Asa being initiated by the Catholic Church, reaches out to children in need regardless of religious affinity and cultural beliefs. The program responds to all malnourished children in the community while also taking into consideration and respecting their religious and/or cultural practices. The program also prioritizes Indigenous People (IP) communities.

Multi-Sectoral

Hapag-Asa engages all possible stakeholders from various groups including the Civil Society, People’s Organization, Government, Churches and Private Organizations among others, and most importantly, the parents of the children enrolled. Multi-sectoral partnerships have been proven to be more effective in providing a more holistic and sustainable program to target communities.

Holistic

While addressing the urgent need to provide food for the undernourished child, the program ensures that other needs of the child are also addressed through other program components and values formation. This is done through the other program components such as Early Childhood Education, Parent Education, and Parent Skills Training and through the Self-Help Group approach among mothers.

Sustainable

Sustainability is underscored in the program which makes the ownership and the participation of the parents in the program important, as well as their empowerment through the Self Help Group Approach (SHA). In SHA, the mothers in particular, are organized into Self-Help Groups (SHeGs) to empower them economically, socially, politically and spiritually helping them help themselves in uplifting themselves from poverty and further enabling them to provide good nutrition to their children.

Integrative

Partners are encouraged to integrate the program into their existing structure to maximize available resources and processes while reaching out to more children in need. There is no need to reinvent new structures and processes as long as the basic program mechanics are implemented. For example, if a structure for a health program is existing in the organization or the diocese, that structure could be tapped so as not to create new shoes that needs filling in. Another example is for the human resources, it is advised that Parish ministries and groups are tapped to help in the feeding, education or the skills training components. Such is the principle behind tapping the youth ministry or transparochial groups in the feeding or the family and life ministry for the education especially on Responsible-Parenthood Natural Family Planning classes for parents.

Adaptive

While the program is clear about its basic program mechanics (eg. 5 days onsite feeding), it is acknowledged that various partners would have various backgrounds, standards or appropriate processes of doing things. Because of this, Hapag-Asa is adaptive and sensitive in a way that takes into consideration local systems including cultures not prescribing a rigid canned approach. Program implementation in the urban areas would be much so different when it is done in the rural areas. Modifications such as clustering of a number of feeding sites in one batch of feeding or doing centralized kitchen mode are just some of the adjustments done to help ease program implementation.

GET IN TOUCH WITH US

Other ways to contact us

You can also reach us through the following means

Address
Unit 404, Praxedes Place, Brgy. Kapitolyo, East Capitol Drive, Pasig City

Contact

555-3587-347

0906-374-4406

Opening Hours:
Days: Monday-Friday

Time of Day: 8:00 – 19:00

HISTORY

PHILIPPINE MALNUTRITION SITUATION

PHILIPPINE MALNUTRITION SITUATION

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

HAPAG-ASA Name and Logo Explained

HAPAG-ASA Name and Logo Explained

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The HAPAG-ASA Approach

Inclusive

Multi-Sectoral

Holistic

Sustainable

Integrative

Adaptive

The HAPAG-ASA Approach

Inclusive

Multi-Sectoral

Holistic

Sustainable

Integrative

Adaptive

GET IN TOUCH WITH US

Other ways to contact us

Follow Us

Reach Us

Contact Us

HISTORY

PHILIPPINE MALNUTRITION SITUATION

PHILIPPINE MALNUTRITION SITUATION

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

HAPAG-ASA Name and Logo Explained

HAPAG-ASA Name and Logo Explained

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The HAPAG-ASA Approach

The HAPAG-ASA Approach

GET IN TOUCH WITH US

Other ways to contact us

Follow Us

Reach Us

Contact Us

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