The Philippines celebrates WBW2015 by hosting a conference and beating their own world record for mass breastfeeding

From 1 – 7 August 2015, the World Breastfeeding Week was celebrated in the Philippines with support from development partners. Activities included news segments featuring United Nations advice on policies and plans, an International Breastfeeding Conference and a mass breastfeeding event.

In an Eagle news segment, the efforts of United Nations agencies to support the development of policies and plans to protect breastfeeding mothers was highlighted. The Philippine Pediatric Society (PPS) in cooperation with The Medical City, hosted the First International Breastfeeding Conference and 3rd Breastfeeding Congress in the Philippines in Pasig City.

Thousands of Filipino mothers simultaneously breast fed their babies in over one thousand sites including convention centres, day care centres and hospitals on 6 August 2015. The Philippines set the world record in 2007 when 15,128 participated at 295 sites across the country and the aim in 2015 was to break their own world record and send a message to politicians. Nona Andaya Castilio works for an advocacy group called Nurturers of the Earth which wants the Filipino government to legislate to prevent cows milk and formula from being marketed in ways seen as undermining exclusive and sustained breastfeeding.

“We organised this because we want to send a strong message to our legislators that they should enact a stricter law that will protect breastfeeding,” – Nona Andaya Castilio, breastfeeding advocate

Click here to learn more about 2015 World Breastfeeding Week activities across SUN Countries and Networks.