Legarda pushes national breast milk bank system bill

Senator Loren Legarda reaffirmed her commitment to protecting and promoting breastfeeding in the Philippines, expressing full support for Senator Pia Cayetano’s privilege speech on the issue during a Senate session on Tuesday.

“Breastfeeding is a proven life-saving intervention,” Legarda said, citing the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF recommendations to initiate breastfeeding within the first hour after birth, maintain exclusive breastfeeding for six months, and continue with complementary feeding up to two years or beyond.

Citing data from the 2023 National Nutrition Survey, Legarda highlighted that only 61.2% of Filipino infants were breastfed within the first hour of life.

Exclusive breastfeeding for infants under six months dropped to 50.4%, and 17.7% of infants received pre-lacteal feeds such as formula or other liquids shortly after birth—practices that hinder the success of breastfeeding.

“These figures are alarming,” Legarda said, noting they reflect not just declining breastfeeding rates but also systemic challenges including limited access to milk banks, insufficient workplace support for nursing mothers, a weak cold chain and inventory system, and the absence of donor networks in many communities.

“To address these gaps, we need stronger policies, better coordination among agencies, and a culture that genuinely supports mothers and infants,” she added.

Legarda emphasized that breastfeeding should not be viewed as solely a personal responsibility.

“Breastfeeding is not merely a personal choice; it is a shared responsibility that requires collective action from the government, communities, and workplaces,” she said.

In response to these challenges, Legarda has filed Senate Bill No. 792, also known as the Breast Milk Banking Act, which seeks to strengthen breastfeeding and milk banking practices across the country.

The measure proposes to expand and amend Republic Act No. 7600, the “Rooming-in and Breastfeeding Act of 1992,” as revised by Republic Act No. 10028.

“Breastfeeding is a natural right, not a luxury. Yet in times of crisis, too many mothers face impossible choices between safety and nourishing their babies,” Legarda said.

Senate Bill 792 aims to establish a National Breast Milk Banking Strategy, increase the number of regional and satellite human milk banks, standardize safety protocols for milk collection and storage, and implement a real-time online milk tracking and distribution system.

According to Legarda, these reforms will ensure timely access to safe donor milk, particularly for premature and emergency-affected infants, which she describes as a “long-term investment in our children’s health and nutrition.”

“By institutionalizing breast milk banks, we can significantly boost exclusive breastfeeding rates and give every Filipino child a stronger start in life,” she added.

As the nation observes August as Breastfeeding Awareness Month, Legarda urged the Senate to act swiftly on the measure and make breastfeeding support more accessible and sustainable for all Filipino families.