Small brains are never beautiful

THE Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) rang the alarm in June over the stunting rate among Filipino children under five (0-59 months), which recorded its first increase in a decade. In other words, one in four Filipino children is stunted.

- Cesar Ilao III

No matter how much we spend on new classrooms and teachers, it all amounts to little if a child is already stunted before even entering school. Lest anyone reduce the problem to merely having "low height" for someone's age, let me emphasize its gravity in two words: permanent impairment.

As a reflection of chronic undernutrition, stunting irreversibly limits a child's physical growth and brain development.

We're not merely talking about a material lack that can eventually be overcome, but about consigning an entire generation to begin life at a biological disadvantage.

In an era marked by labor disruption, disinformation, and the need for lifelong learning, how can we naively expect a child to succeed if their brain the very source of human capital is already failing them? Stunted children will find it significantly harder to read properly and think for themselves. They are also far less likely, on average, to develop the cognitive skills needed to master complex tasks or to reach higher levels of educational and professional attainment as adults.

Two interrelated factors primarily explain child stunting: high food prices and low agricultural productivity. The poorest Filipino households spend around 60-70% of their income on food. That alone suggests how unaffordable food has become for many households. Our pork prices are roughly twice those of Thailand and Vietnam. Our chicken prices are 40% higher than Vietnam's. Philippine sugar, which is an input in many food products, costs twice the world market price. When nutritious food prices are high, parents are more likely to buy less meat, vegetables, and fruit, offsetting the loss with more rice and, worse, cheaper junk food. Such a diet does not provide the balanced nutrition a growing child needs.