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MALACAÑAN PALACE
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

[ Proclamation No. 14, July 31, 1992 ]

DECLARING AUGUST 1-7, 1992 AND EVERY YEAR THEREAFTER AS MOTHER AND BABY FRIENDLY HOSPITAL WEEK

WHEREAS, breastmilk, the best food for infants and natures first immunization, is the first preventive measure that can ever be given to a human being at birth;

WHEREAS, rooming-in, or putting the baby together with the mother right after birth, creates an atmosphere that is conducive to the early initiation of breastfeeding and handling;

WHEREAS, the common practice in the majority of our hospitals today is to separate the newborne from their mothers and kept in nurseries where they are fed prelacteals and starter formulae instead of colostrum and human milk;

WHEREAS, adopting a pro-breastfeeding, mother and baby-friendly policy, nationally and individually, by hospitals does not take away the freedom of choice but gives mothers the right to exercise their freedom - in the light of scientific advice rather than commercial promotion;

WHEREAS, breastfeeding and rooming-in can help hospitals and other health institutions save by cutting down on expenditures such as the maintenance of formula rooms and nurseries, purchase of feeding bottle sets and milk formulae, electricity, water, and others;

WHEREAS, despite the advantages of breastfeeding, the trends in the practice of breastfeeding in the country have been found to be declining;

WHEREAS, 32 governments, 10 United Nations and other agencies, convened at a Policymakers meeting held on August 1, 1990 developed and adopted the Innocenti Declaration on the Protection, Promotion and Support of Breastfeeding;

WHEREAS, the first day of August 1992 has been declared World Breast-feeding Day by World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action;

WHEREAS, the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative was launched worldwide by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Childrens Fund with the cooperation of other international non-government organizations;

WHEREAS, there is an increasing number of hospitals in the Philippines being recognized as Baby-Friendly Hospitals which practice rooming-in, encourage breastfeeding, and ban breastmilk substitutes in their premises;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FIDEL V. RAMOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare August 1 – 7, 1992, and every first week of August in every year thereafter as Mother and Baby Friendly Hospital Week, order national recognition for MOTHER AND BABY-FRIENDLY HOSPITALS.1aшphi1

The Department of Health, all government departments, agencies, and instrumentalities are hereby enjoined to mobilize their networks to fully implement and strictly enforce Executive Order No. 51 or “The National Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes, Breastmilk Supplements and Related Products”, and Republic Act No. 7600 or the Rooming-In and Breastfeeding Act of 1992.

Furthermore, all non-governmental, professional and civil organizations and all responsible Filipinos are encouraged to work together to promote this endeavor.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 31st day of July in the year of our Lord, nineteen hundred and ninety-two.

(Sgd.) FIDEL V. RAMOS

By the President:

(Sgd.) PETER D. GARRUCHO, JR.
Acting Executive Secretary

The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation

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