ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews/16 March)–Basilan Governor Mujiv Hataman vowed to confront the province’s pressing health and education challenges after acknowledging the findings of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), which revealed alarming rates of stunting and learning difficulties among children in Basilan.
Hataman said the provincial government is determined to sustain programs that address malnutrition, poor health outcomes, and educational gaps, noting that these issues are deeply interconnected.
“We cannot talk about learning without first ensuring that our children are healthy and well-nourished,” Hataman said in a statement.
Hataman said the report was received with a “heavy heart but firm determination,” recognizing that the highlighted problems are persistent and call for urgent, coordinated measures.
The EDCOM II report revealed that children in Basilan experience stunting at rates significantly above the national average. This condition, rooted in chronic malnutrition, hampers both physical growth and cognitive development. As a result, many young Basilenos struggle with learning difficulties, curtailing their ability to succeed academically and limiting their social opportunities.
He stressed that efforts to combat stunting and child undernutrition must begin well before school age, underscoring the vital role of Early Childhood Care and Development and the critical First 1,000 Days—from pregnancy through a child’s second birthday—when physical and cognitive growth is most decisive.
Hataman emphasized that strengthening health programs and ensuring access to maternal and child care services are essential to preventing long-term developmental setbacks. The governor also urged a whole-of-government response, calling on the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and its agencies to extend greater support and resources to help Basilan confront these challenges.
Hataman outlined a multi-sectoral approach that includes strengthening nutrition programs, expanding access to healthcare, and improving the quality of education in public schools. He stressed the importance of collaboration between local government units, schools, and community organizations to ensure interventions reach the most vulnerable families.
“Our goal is clear—not only to build infrastructure, but to raise a generation of Basilenos who are healthy in body and sharp in mind,” Hataman said.
Education advocates welcomed Hataman’s commitment, noting that Basilan’s situation reflects broader national challenges in child development and learning. They urged continued investment in early childhood programs, teacher training, and community-based nutrition initiatives to break the cycle of poverty and underachievement. (Frencie L. Carreon/MindaNews)
