Peer-reviewed article
NUTRITION AS A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT: ADDRESSING STUNTING AND LEARNING POVERTY THROUGH POLICY REFORM IN CHILD HEALTH AND EDUCATION
Jeanne M. Baliad ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-sonnet-5-5The paper looks at child stunting in the Philippines as a problem for both health and education. It notes that laws and constitutional guarantees exist, but weak implementation leaves millions of children vulnerable. It cites a 2025 court decision that treats the right to health as an enforceable state obligation, and it presents stunting as a constitutional violation. The author argues for decisive national action, stronger accountability and sustained investment in maternal and child health programmes.
Key points
- Child stunting in the Philippines is described as a pressing health and education crisis.
- Laws such as the Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag Nanay Act, the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act and the Early Childhood Care and Development Act exist, but weak implementation has left millions of children vulnerable.
- Recent jurisprudence (Pimentel III, Colmenares and 1SAMBAYAN, 2025) affirms that the right to health entails enforceable state obligations.
- Maternal health and socio-economic disparities are identified as key drivers of malnutrition.
- Learning poverty is described as remaining alarmingly high.
Limitations
Only the abstract is available, so no data, methods or figures are given to check the claims. The paper is a policy and legal argument and does not test any intervention.
Abstract
Child stunting in the Philippines remains a pressing health and education crisis, undermining children’s growth, learning capacity, and future productivity. Despite constitutional guarantees and laws such as the Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag Nanay Act, the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act, and the Early Childhood Care and Development Act, weak implementation has left millions of children vulnerable. Recent jurisprudence, including the consolidated cases of Pimentel III, Colmenares, and 1SAMBAYAN (2025), affirms that the right to health entails enforceable state obligations, situating stunting as a constitutional violation. Empirical evidence highlights maternal health and socio economic disparities as key drivers of malnutrition, while learning poverty remains alarmingly high. This paper argues that eradicating stunting requires decisive national action, stronger accountability, and sustained investment in maternal and child health programs to secure the country’s human capital.