2007 R - 71 - URGING CITY HEALTH OFFICE AND JLGMH TO EMBARK ON AN AGGRESSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE BREAST-FEEDING

EXCERPTS FROM THE MINUTES OF THE REGULAR SESSION OF THE SANGGUNIANG PANLUNGSOD OF OLONGAPO, HELD ON JULY 11, 2007 AT THE CITY HALL.

PRESENT:

Hon. Cynthia G. Cajudo - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - City Vice-Mayor & Presiding Officer Hon. Gina Gulanes-Perez - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - City Councilor
Hon. John Carlos G. Delos Reyes - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Rodel S. Cerezo - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Marey Beth D. Marzan - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Sarah Lugerna Lipumano-Garcia - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Edwin J. Piano - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Angelito W. Baloy - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Aquilino Y. Cortez, Jr. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Anselmo A. Aquino - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “
Hon. Elena C. Dabu - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - “ “

ABSENT:

Hon. Carlito A. Baloy - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - President, Liga ng mga Barangay
(Sick Leave)
Hon. Robine Rose C. Buenafe - - - - - - - - - - SK Federation President


RESOLUTION NO. 71
(Series of 2007)

A RESOLUTION URGING THE CITY HEALTH OFFICE HEADED BY DR. ARNILDO C. TAMAYO AND JAMES L. GORDON MEMORIAL HOSPITAL HEADED BY DR. ARTURO E. MENDOZA TO EMBARK ON AN AGGRESSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE BREAST-FEEDING AS A MEANS TO COMBAT URBAN POVERTY IN THE CITY

WHEREAS, no less than the Philippine Constitution provides that the State shall promote and protect the right to health of the people and instill health consciousness among them;

WHEREAS, Executive Order No. 51 otherwise known as the Milk Code is a statute enacted in pursuance to the aforesaid Constitutional Mandate and in adopting an International law entitled the International Code of Marketing Breastmilk substitutes the aim of which is to promote breast-feeding and ensure the proper use of breastmilk substitutes;

WHEREAS, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have for many years emphasized the importance of maintaining the practice of breast-feeding - and of reviving the practice where it is in decline;

WHEREAS, under the Code, Art. 5, there should be no advertising or other form of promotion to the general public of products within the scope of the code, manufacturers and distributors should not provide directly or indirectly, to pregnant women, mothers or members of their families, samples of their products;

WHEREAS, under Art. 6 of the Code, health authorities in member-states should take appropriate measures to encourage and protect breast-feeding and promote the principles of the Code; no health care facility should be used for the purpose of promoting infant formula or other products;

WHEREAS, there are rampant violations of the said Code and the Philippine Milk Code by International firms which aggressively advertise and sell milk formulas, effectively ‘brainwashing’ the populace that imported infant formula is at par or even better than breast milk;

WHEREAS, infant formula should not be promoted in ways that would destroy or interfere with the task of protecting and promoting breast milk, which is free, natural, and healthy, as against imported, expensive formula or powdered milk;

WHEREAS, breast-feeding is the most effective means to secure the most ideal health and development of infants; that it forms a unique biological and emotional base for the health of both mother and child, that the anti-infective properties of breast milk help to protect infants against disease, and that the result of breast feeding is effective child spacing that contributes to legitimate and moral population management methods;

WHEREAS, there is a need to widen the information campaign to encourage breast-feeding practices as Olongapo City must strive to ensure the health and safety of its inhabitants by adopting a clear and attainable policy direction in pursuance of the objectives of the Code and the law;

WHEREAS, the end result or objective of this resolution is to promote breast-feeding such that it would become a major component, especially at the grassroots level, in the city government’s fight against poverty;

NOW, THEREFORE, on motion of Councilor John Carlos G. delos Reyes, with the unanimous accord of the Member of the Sangguniang Panlungsod present,

RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, by the Sangguniang Panlungsod in session assembled, to urge, as it hereby urges the City Health Office Headed by Dr. Arnildo C. Tamayo and James L. Gordon Memorial Hospital Headed by Dr. Arturo E. Mendoza to embark on an Aggressive And Sustainable Campaign to Promote Breast-Feeding as a means to Combat Urban Poverty in the city.

APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY, July 11, 2007.


CYNTHIA G. CAJUDO
City Vice-Mayor & Presiding Officer


GINA GULANES - PEREZ JOHN CARLOS G. DELOS REYES
City Councilor City Councilor



RODEL S. CEREZO MAREY BETH D. MARZAN
City Councilor City Councilor



SARAH LUGERNA LIPUMANO-GARCIA EDWIN J. PIANO
City Councilor City Councilor

ANGELITO W. BALOY AQUILINO Y. CORTEZ, JR
City Councilor City Councilor



ANSELMO A. AQUINO ELENA C. DABU
City Councilor City Councilor



CARLITO A. BALOY ROBINE ROSE C. BUENAFE
President, Liga ng mga Barangay SK Federation President
(Sick Leave) (Absent)

ATTEST:

ELFLIDA S. SALMON
Council Secretary


APPROVED BY HIS HONOR, THE CITY MAYOR ON______________________.



JAMES GORDON, JR.
City Mayor

ATTEST:

DELFIN A. JUICO, JR.
Secretary to the City Mayor