Mandaluyong Milk-letting Program

Mandaluyong City Mayor Menchie Abalos (seated, third from left) and Dr. Juliet Sio-Aguilar, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics of the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) signed the memorandum of agreement yesterday at the city hall. It signified the continuation of the city’s milk-letting program with the said hospital. The MoA was also signed by Dr. Fay De Ocampo, over-all chair of the Mother-Baby Friendly Hospital Committee of the Mandaluyong City Medical Center (seated, left) and Dr. Aurora Lebadia – Human Milk Bank and Lactation Unit Director, PGH (seated, second left).

Mandaluyong City renews milk-letting ties with PGH

Mandaluyong City continues its support of the breastfeeding campaign of the Department of Health (DOH) by renewing its milk-letting program with the Department of Pediatrics of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). Mayor Menchie Abalos and Pediatrics Department Chairman Dr. Juliet Aguilar signed the memorandum of agreement at the Mandaluyong City Hall last Monday.

The milk-letting program allows volunteer mothers of the city to donate breast milk for the PGH which is collected from the Mandaluyong City Medical Center.

Abalos said the city has a group of volunteer mothers under its Breastfeeding Patrol which is very successful in supplementing breast milk to infants whose mothers are having a hard time producing their own milk. It has become part of the city’s nutrition program.

“Parents should be practical because milk formulas are very expensive. And for mothers who cannot produce milk, the Breastfeeding Patrol is our answer,” Abalos added.

Aguilar said the milk-letting program is an excellent collective effort of Mandaluyong City to help promote  proper nutrition among infants. She also advise other local government units should copy the milk-letting program.

“Breast milk contains antibodies which are considered the first vaccine for infants. We should remember that even the most complete milk formula cannot compare to breast milk,” Aguilar explained.

Abalos said mothers who are part of the Breastfeeding Patrol do not only donate breast milk, which is stored in the milk bank of the Mandaluyong City Medical Center. When disaster happens in the city, they are also dispatched to shelters so they can provide milk for infants.