20/07/2025
FEATURE | NutriCRISES: Starved Potential
Across the street, you’ll see children playing with joyful smiles. But behind their laughter lies a silent crisis.
According to UNICEF’s 2021 report, 3 out of 10 children under five are stunted—that’s nearly 3 million young lives hindered by poor nutrition. Even more troubling, ultra-processed and unhealthy foods make up the bulk of their daily meals—not out of preference, but out of necessity. These are often the most affordable and accessible options for families living in poverty.
Nutrition is a right, not a privilege. Yet millions are denied access due to rising food prices, poverty, and a lack of proper education. How can we expect our youth to thrive when they aren’t even given a fair chance to grow?
“ , seeks for justice to those who cries out in silence. This forms a powerful message that good nutrition is a right and not a privilege.” — Nicole Luengas, Ms. NutriQueen 2025
At Cantilan National High School, the celebration of Nutrition Month is more than just an annual event—it is a call to action, a powerful reminder of the realities faced by countless Filipino youth.
Gone should be the days of malnutrition, unhealthy lifestyles, and unequal access to basic needs.
Gone should be the days when children sleep with empty stomachs.
Gone should be the days when workers labor all day without nourishment.
For our nation to grow, prosper, and truly change—nutrition must be a priority.
When children are denied proper nutrition, they are denied the future they deserve. Behind every stunted growth is a dream delayed, a potential unrealized, a voice that may never be heard. We must remember: hunger is not just the absence of food—it is the absence of opportunity, of dignity, of hope. If we wish to build a nation that thrives, we must nourish its roots. And those roots are our children.
