The theme for the July 2013 Nutrition Month Celebration is: Gutom at Malnutrition, Sama-sama Nating Wakasan

which was stated at the DepEd Memorandum No. 67.

DepEd releases guidelines and theme for the 2013 Nutrition Month Celebration. The theme for the July 2013 Nutrition Month Celebration is: Gutom at Malnutrition, Sama-sama Nating Wakasan which was stated at the DepEd Memorandum No. 67. Every year, in the month of July, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) leads the whole nation in the celebration of 2013 Nutrition Month, purposely to disseminate nutrition message to all Filipinos through a focal theme. For this year, the theme is Gutom at Malnutrisyon, Sama-sama Nating Wakasan. The Nutrition Month theme for 2013 is Gutom at malnutrisyon, sama-sama nating wakasan! This is to raise awareness on the need for more action in addressing hunger as part of the Philippines commitment to the United Nations Millennium Development Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger. Objectives of the 2013 Nutrition Month Celebration The objectives of this years celebration are as follows: a) increase awareness on hunger issues and actions to mitigate hunger and malnutrition; b) encourage stakeholders to contribute in addressing hunger issues; and c) advocate for stronger political action to end hunger. To support this developmental endeavor of the nutrition community, the DepEd and National Nutrition Council enjoins all schools to participate in this celebration by undertaking meaningful activities which will highlight the importance of good health and nutrition.

2.) The NNC Technical Committee approved the Nutrition Month theme for 2013, "Gutom at malnutrisyon, sama-sama nating wakasan!," during its meeting on 12 February 2013. The theme underscore the need for concerted multi-stakeholder actions to reduce hunger and malnutrition. The 2013 NM celebration aims to increase awareness on hunger issues and actions that need to be done to mitigate hunger; encourage governement agencies, non-government organiztaions, private sector, civil society organizations, and communities to contribute to addressing hunger issues; and advocate for stronger political action to end hunger. Plans for the celebration of the NM 2013 were also presented to the TechCom which included the nationwide simultaneous launching on 1 July; concert to raise awareness on ending hunger summit or high-level forum. The NM 2013 focus on hunger is part of the Philippines' commitment to the UN Millenium Development Goal particularly Goal 1 which is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, specifically to reduce by half of the underweight-for-age under-fives from 27.3% in 1990 to 13.7% in 2015 and reduce by half the percentage of households with inadequate dietary energy intake from 74.2% in 1993 to 37.1% in 2015. While malnutrition prevalence is declining, it is considered at a slow pace with the prevalence of underweight-for-age among preschollers at 20.2% in 2011 (2011 Updating of Nutritional Status, DOSTFNRI). On the other hand, the percentage of households with per capita intake below 100% of the dietary energy requirement is at 66.9% in 2008 (7th National Nutrition Survey, DOST-FNRI), an increase from

57% in 2003. To reach the goals on reducing hunger, more definitive actions on hunger reduction have to be done. The 2013 Nutrition Month celebration is a call to action to address hunger, specifically: all NNC-member agencies to harmonize program implementation/operations along hunger reduction particularly in ensuring that Filipinos have access to adequate, nutritious and safe food; local government units to enhance governance to improve delivery and access to social services that will enhance the utilization of food; local chief executives to initiate localization of nationally-initiated programs along poverty and hunger reduction

3.) In pursuit of the Nutrition Month celebration, three major events along the theme "Gutom at malnutrisyon, sama-sama nating wakasan!" are lined up. For the national launch on 2 July in a hotel in Manila, the NNC is scheduled to have the signing of the Philippines' intention to join the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement. The SUN is a global movement founded on the principle that all people have the right to food and good nutrition. It also aims to unite efforts from government, NGOs, civil society, donors, businesses and researchers in a collective effort to improved nutrition. Since the movement is launched in 2010, 40 countries have joined the SUN Movement and have country-driven scaled up action to reduce undernutrition substantially. Statements of support will be given by the different sectors to show support to the movement as well as their support to end hunger and malnutrition. A press conference will also follow after the participants pledge to support the registration of the country in the SUN movement and to commit to ending hunger and malnutrition in the country. For the second event, the first-ever concert to end hunger will be held. With music as a unifying element, the concert aims to unite various stakeholders to address hunger and malnutrition. Pledge and statement of support from various stakeholders shall likewise be presented during the concert. The concert is scheduled on 19 July from 7:00-10:00 pm at the SM MOA Music Hall. NNC will invite 500 guests but the general public can join and listen to music of various artists and bands.

To cap the Nutrition Month capmpaign, NNC will hold the "Hunger Summit" to bring together different stakeholders from government, NGOs, civil society, peoples organizations, academe, legislators, international partners and media. The summit aims to present the State of Hunger and Nutrition Address (SOHNA), government actions to address hunger, success stories in improving food security and nutrition, The highlight of the Hunger Summit is the signing of the proposed Declaration to End Hunger and Improvement Nutrition in the Philippines. The Hunger Summit is scheduled on 24 July. NNC is partnering with the NGO coalition on nutrition, Koalisyon para Alagaan at Isalba ang Nutrisyon or KAIN, in this event. In addition to these events, the NNC has organized a pool of speakers for the Nutrition Month. The NNC has received numerous requests from various agencies, schools, organizations, and local governments for resource person to discuss hunger and malnutrition as well as other nutrition topics. The DILG and the DepEd have issued circular in joining local governments and schools, respectively, to support the Nutrition Month celebration.