Legarda reaffirms support for breastfeeding, pushes Breast Milk Banking Act

Senator Loren Legarda manifested her full support for the privilege speech of Senator Pia Cayetano on Tuesday, reaffirming her stance on the continuing 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 explained as she underscored the critical role of breastfeeding in safeguarding infants’ health.

However, the 2023 National Nutrition Survey showed that only 61.2% of infants in the Philippines were breastfed within the first hour of life. Exclusive breastfeeding for infants under six months stood at just 50.4%. Even more concerning, 17.7% of infants received pre-lacteal feeds, such as formula or other liquids, shortly after birth—practices that compromise successful breastfeeding from the very start.

Legarda expounded that these figures reveal not only declining breastfeeding rates but also systemic gaps: inadequate 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,” Legarda 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 stated.

To address this gap, the four-term Senator filed Senate Bill No. 792, or
An Act strengthening rooming-in, breastfeeding, and Breast Milk Banking practices in the Philippines, expanding and amending Republic Act No. 7600, otherwise known as the ‘Rooming-in and Breastfeeding Act of 1992,’ as amended by Republic Act No. 10028, and providing funds and mechanisms therefor.

The proposed bill will 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.

This legislation ensures timely access to safe donor milk for premature and emergency-affected infants, representing a long-term investment in our children’s 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 added.

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. (30)