MALAYBALAY CITY (MindaNews/06 November) Areas in Bukidnon where under-nutrition registered high prevalence rates are either beset by conflicts or hosting plantations, an official said.

In the first half of 2012, the municipalities of Damulog, Pangantucan, Talakag, and Kalilangan topped the prevalence rates of under-nutrition with 14.44 percent, 12.77 percent, 10.77 percent, and 9.26 percent respectively, Estelita Madjos, assistant provincial agriculturist said.

She said those towns were proximate to armed conflicts or some of their villages had actually experienced conflicts.

She said continuous evacuations and lack of parental support due to plantation work have contributed to the high incidence of under-nutrition in the province.

The rest in the top 10 are Kitaotao (9.24 percent), Cabanglasan (9.20 percent), Quezon (9.19 percent), Libona (9.13 percent), San Fernando (8.9 percent), and Dangcagan (8.46 percent).

MindaNews obtained a copy of the report from Madjos, who was recently designated as nutrition officer.

Madjos told MindaNews Monday Bukidnons under nutrition prevalence rate went down from 7.26 percent in 2011 to 6.89 percent in the first semester of 2012.

She said that while Bukidnon is a national hall of famer in the implementation of nutrition programs, some areas in the province have continued to experience a high prevalence rate of under-nutrition.

The top 10 for the first half of this year were the same towns in the 2011 list.

Last year, Talakag, Damulog, Kalilangan, and Dangcagan topped the same list with 13.43 percent, 13.03 percent, 12.14 percent, and 11.15 percent prevalence rates, respectively.

Excerpt from:
Under-nutrition high in Bukidnon villages with plantations, conflicts