CITY OF SAN FERNANDO– An Inter-Agency Summit on Breastfeeding was conducted by the city government at the Robinsons Starmills here attended by members of various women’s organizations as well as employees from national agencies and the local government.
According to Council for Women chairperson Leticia Yap, the summit “seeks to re-establish the trend on breastfeeding, focus on its importance, and make women more aware of their rights and privileges as breastfeeding mothers.”
It also intends to prod lawmakers to work for the improvement of hospital maternity policies and practices, support workplace lactation laws and establish breastfeeding- friendly healthcare centers, Yap said.
Among the topics that were discussed during the summit were the benefits of breastfeeding for working mothers and Department of Health (DOH) guidelines in setting up “lactation stations” in private companies.
There was also a sharing of best practices among working mothers. Serving as the highlight of the occasion was the turn-over of a freezer by City Councilor Angie O. Hizon to the San Fernando Council for Women for use in the breastfeeding station at the city hall.
In her brief message, Hizon encouraged the attendees to share information on the benefits of breastfeeding to their colleagues and friends. “We women do not have legal obligations, but more than anything, we have moral obligations to help one another.
Let us teach the mothers how important breastfeeding is. It would be a great help not just because it is very beneficial for our children, but because we can save money from not having to buy milk,” Hizon said.
