Tarlac Leaders Commit to Better Nutrition for All

“What I want to leave is a system that works even if we are not here. Even if there is a leadership change that does not prioritize nutrition, the institution is still effectively delivering the nutritional programs that are needed by the province.”

Tarlac Governor Christian Yap shared this vision during the Executive Session for Governors (ESG) held on December 11, 2025, at the Provincial Capitol in Tarlac City. The session formed part of the Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF)’s Nutrition Leadership and Equity Acceleration Program (NutriLEAP).

Austere Panadero, ZFF President and Executive Director, opened the conversations by stressing that good nutrition is only possible when different sectors work together. Referring to ZFF’s 8 Critical Knobs for Nutrition Governance, he said, “The challenge is you don’t really handle one knob at a time, but to move all at the same time to find the mix of interventions that will move your strategy forward… to get all the towns and barangays to be part of the entire process.”

Prof. Hadji Balajadia of Ateneo de Davao University, who serves as a ZFF consultant, facilitated the session and guided Governor Yap and the participating heads of provincial offices to reflect on their own roles in improving nutrition. Using the Bridging Leadership Framework, they walked the participants through Ownership, Co-Ownership, and Co-Creation as steps toward shared solutions.

As the discussions deepened, Governor Yap explained how Tarlac is working toward a system grounded in evidence and sustainability. “We can spend so much, we can do so many feeding programs, but we don’t know if it is delivering results if there is no measure. Tarlac is okay in terms of the rankings nationally, but we are not content with what we have, and still want to improve.”

Together with the Governor, the heads of provincial offices identified key actions across major sectors:

• Health and Nutrition: Shift from reactive to preventive care; improve nutrition services for vulnerable groups; focus on early childhood nutrition and brain development; support caregivers with livelihood opportunities.

• Youth and Adolescents: Address teenage pregnancy; create youth-centered programs including peer counseling and community outreach; implement mental and reproductive health initiatives in schools.
• Education: Continue and expand school-based feeding programs; involve local government units (LGUs) to assist teachers in meal preparation; strengthen daycare programs for literacy, nutrition, and holistic child development.
• Agriculture and Food Security: Promote sustainable farming, reduce chemical inputs, and diversify crops; increase farmers’ income while ensuring nutritious food production; adopt long-term, environmentally responsible practices.
• Collaborative and Institutional: Build partnerships across health, social welfare, education, and agriculture sectors; use local and national data for planning; expand feeding, wellness, and youth programs to underserved areas.

With shared goals and practical steps ahead, Tarlac’s leaders hope to bring their vision of a Pook Malusog to life—a province where every child, every family, in every community, can grow healthy and well.