“Makinig, Tumulong”: Bringing Nutrition Support Closer to Zamboanga del Norte’s Most Vulnerable

Zamboanga del Norte Governor Darel Uy’s Deep Dive

“‘Wag silang matakot lumapit sa gobyerno dahil ‘yun ang trabaho [namin]. Makinig, tumulong.”

This was the message of Zamboanga del Norte Governor Darel Uy as he reflected on the Deep Dive, a guided community immersion, that brought provincial leaders face-to-face with the realities of malnutrition in the province’s most isolated communities. The activity, part of the Nutrition Leadership and Equity Acceleration Program (NutriLEAP), was an exercise in active listening: sitting with families, hearing their stories firsthand, and understanding the barriers that keep them from seeking government support.

Joining Governor Uy were Dr. Benson Panaguiton, OIC-Provincial Health Officer and Provincial Nutrition Action Officer; Austere Panadero, Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) President & Executive Director; Celine Santillan, League of Corporate Foundations Executive Director; and Dr. Joyce Viar, ZFF Nutrition Director, who led the processing session.

The team visited two families in Sergio Osmeña Sr., Zamboanga del Norte, both revealing the harsh realities of malnutrition and limited access to government services.

A mother in Sergio Osmeña Sr. sits with her two children, both malnourished—one of two families visited during the Deep Dive.

In the first family visit, two children are underweight and stunted, and a teenage sibling dropped out of school to care for them. The family plants corn in a plantation far from home using seedlings and fertilizers from the government. In the second, a 21-month-old child is severely wasted and stunted; the family has received no government assistance, and hauls water manually due to the absence of a proper water system.

For Governor Uy, the Deep Dive reinforced why leaders must personally engage with constituents. “This opportunity is very important para marinig ang concerns nila, at malaman kung enough ba ‘yung services ng gobyerno. This way, nakikita natin ‘yung bigger picture ng probinsya. [It also helps us] understand better ‘yung challenges ng families. Bakit hindi nakakapagtapos ng pag-aaral? Bakit hindi nakakasustento ng pagkain kung minsan?”

A recurring theme during the processing session was the reluctance of indigenous Subanen families to approach government services, precisely the fear Governor Uy sought to address in his message. Panadero observed that in both families the Governor asked if they sought government help, and they answered no. “Nahihiya ba sila? Hindi ba nila alam kung saan [hihingi ng tulong]?” Governor Uy linked this reluctance to historical distrust. “Ayaw nila ng gulo. Medyo takot sila at mahiyain. Ine-encourage namin sila na ‘wag matakot sa gobyerno. Pinapaintindi namin na it’s their right.” Sergio Osmeña Sr. Mayor Engr. Glen Yu noted that Subanen forms part of around 70 to 80% of the municipality’s population. 

Barangay Health Workers (BHWs) and a Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS) accompanied the team throughout the Deep Dive, and Panadero took time to chat with them briefly. He later commended their dedication despite daunting geography. “‘Yung mga nakausap namin do’n, may schedule sila. Sila ‘yung link ng family to the service.” Mayor Yu shared, “Sa ibang barangay, from their barangay hall, naglalakad pa sila ng six hours bago marating ‘yung isang sitio ng barangay.”

Governor Uy speaks with the family of a 21-month-old severely malnourished child inside their home.

The Mayor added, “With the Municipal Nutrition Action Officer, may plano na kami next year na in every sitio, dapat may isang BHW o BNS representative.” The Provincial Government, on the other hand, offers additional support in the form of incentives. “May mga incentive program kami sa nutrition, sa health… Ginagawa kong ganito para based on results ‘yung support ng province sa LGU (local government unit),” Governor Uy said. “Ang trabaho ng LGU is important, tulad dito sa [Sergio Osmeña Sr.] na may initiatives na ganito… binibigyan na lang namin ng reward.”

As Governor Uy put it, the goal is to see “the bigger picture” and to determine whether government services are truly enough for the province’s most vulnerable families. The families he met in Sergio Osmeña Sr. may have been shy to ask for help, but their stories now inform the province’s next steps. For Governor Uy, the Deep Dive affirmed the very message he came to deliver: the government’s job is to listen and to help.

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The Nutrition Leadership and Equity Acceleration Program is a capacity-building initiative designed to improve nutrition outcomes in provinces across the Philippines. Developed by ZFF with support from the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP), NutriLEAP focuses on strengthening leadership and governance in the fight against malnutrition.