Representatives from Welfare and Self-Reliance (WSR) of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its humanitarian partners visited Bais City on August 14-15, 2025 to assess progress in the Transforming Lives Through Nutrition (TLTN) project and strengthen collaborations with local leaders in the fight against malnutrition.
The TLTN project is a five-year consortium initiative, launched in Bais City in October 2024, to combat high rates of child stunting and food insecurity through interventions like distributing micronutrient supplements to pregnant women and young children, organizing mother-to-mother support (M2M) groups, and strengthening local nutrition governance.
The group also met with Bais City Mayor Hon. Luigi Marcel Teves Goñi and the City Nutrition Committee on the night of August 14 to discuss and support the city’s newly approved ordinance for the Batang First 1,000 Days (BF1KD) program. It will provide targeted health, feeding, and support services for mothers and children during the crucial first 1,000 days of life, from pregnancy to a child’s second birthday. The next day, they traveled along winding mountain roads to reach the barangay health facility in Barangay Mabunao in the mountains of Bais City, witnessing firsthand the progress of TLTN and the dedication of local health workers serving remote communities.
The delegation includes the Church Humanitarian Headquarters representative Heather Bradbury, WSR in the Philippines, HOPE-MCH’s Francis Osei-Mensah, Poshan’s Charlotte Black, iDE, and Helen Keller International.
It was part of their three-day Child Well-being Convening Workshop in Manila with the theme “Bridging Gaps, Building Futures: United For Women and Children’s Nutrition and Well-being.” The on-site visit on the third day allowed them to see how the plans translate into tangible services for mothers and children.
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City Health Nurse II, Jewel Joy Federika Sindiong, said that she noticed the benefits the participants gained, especially to the health of the mothers and the knowledge from the M2M sessions. “I am hoping that in the five-year program, everybody can benefit as I see more parents and children who need it,” she added.
At the facility, trained Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) and Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) led the M2M session, guiding parents on breastfeeding, complementary feeding, and proper use of nutrition supplements. Mothers received lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS-SQ) for children aged 6–24 months, along with brochures and monitoring checklists.
Mabunao Barangay Captain Hon. Roger Amador expressed his gratitude for the support his barangay received from the private sectors and local government. He pointed out that M2M is very helpful because some mothers think that what they are doing is right when it is not. So it is important that someone is guiding them, he stressed.
A first time mother, Jhecy, who has been attending the M2M for seven months now, said that the program is beneficial, especially that nowadays, you can easily search the internet not knowing if it is right or wrong.
Bais City, a third-class component city with 35 barangays, faces serious nutrition challenges. According to the Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), 31.1% of children under five are stunted, and 2.6% of households experience severe food insecurity. Since its launching, the TLTN project has been aimed at resolving these issues.