Article and Photos By Ms. Grace Salvie E. Demol (Program Officer – UCEAC)
The pervasiveness of malnutrition is considered one of the societal ills that are proven to significantly affect the community’s condition, development, and well-being. According to UNICEF, 95 children in the Philippines die of malnutrition daily, and 27 out of 1,000 Filipino children die before the age of 5. Exacerbated not only by the effects of natural and artificial calamities, the pandemic has ravaged even more the nutritional status of ordinary people. For this reason, Duyog: A Gift of Food Initiative, conceptualized by Ateneo de Davao University through the University Community Engagement and Advocacy Council (UCEAC), has intensified its program in response to the expansive problem of hunger where malnutrition is endemic.
“Duyog: The A Gift of Food Initiative” is a program conceived out of the prevalence of hunger, particularly in the southern part of the country, started in April 2021. The term “Duyog,” meaning “kasama” or together, is a Cebuano term implying solidarity among the community of advocates, stakeholders, and recipients. It was promulgated by the Jesuit Province of the Philippines, which has no other intention than to alleviate, if not eradicate, the problem of hunger and malnutrition affecting the margins of society through feeding programs and providing sustainable livelihoods.
From the program’s conception, numerous recipients have been catered to in partnership with stakeholders from private and government entities. As a head start, 350 malnourished children were engaged in feeding activities in Barangay Talomo Poblacion, Davao City. The event was launched in August 2021 and culminated in November of the same year. Within the scope of the activity, Barangay volunteers monitored the children’s health status and the H.O.P.E. Kababaihan.
Furthermore, the second wave of the feeding program started in April 2022 and is still ongoing. It is expected to end in September 2022. Recipients of the activity came from the various barangays of the city. Participants were identified with the help of its partner, the Barangay Nutritionist Scholars, from the different barangay local government units. The included barangay participants are the following: Talomo Poblacion (50 participants); Brgy. Bucana (39 participants); Brgy. 21-28 District C (20 participants); 74-A Brgy. Matina Crossing (16 participants); Brgy. Bago Aplaya (35 participants); Brgy. 37-D (10 participants); Brgy. 31-D (15 participants); Brgy. 8-A (22 participants); Brgy. 5-A (20 participants); and Brgy. Ma-a (21 participants).
Alongside the feeding facet, a livelihood program was also conceptualized by UCEAC to help the recipient’s parents generate income for economic stability and sustain the family’s nutrition. The urban gardening workshop was conducted on March 29–30, 2022. Mr. Dadong A. Gumatao from UCEAC was the speaker at the event.
The primordial aspect through which the community’s development and progress is possible is to address the problems affecting the well-being of the people. Hunger and sustainable livelihood are crucial facets that continue to deter societal upliftment. However, this can only happen if one initiates to help and engages in making a difference. The Duyog: A Gift of Food Initiative is one lucrative program to make this difference possible to emerge in the lives of the people on the margins.
