The LAKASS Programme (Lalakas ang Katawang Sapat sa Sustansiya) 46 started in 1989 and is
ongoing in selected areas throughout the Philippines. The programme is funded by the
Government of the Philippines (GoP), from the GoP-Japan Increased Food Production
Programme. It covers 175 nutritionally depressed municipalities in the country.
Objectives of the programme
LAKASS aims to: (a) improve the nutrition situation in all identified nutritionally depressed
municipalities; and (b) provide effective and sustainable services for the community to improve
their nutritional status.
Programme impact
LAKASS has demonstrated its effectiveness in attaining its immediate goals. Its operation has
been expanded to other depressed barangays 47 within the targeted municipality through the
initiatives of local chief executives and village-level core groups.
Significant improvements in the nutritional status of malnourished children (using weight-for-
age) of as much as 71.4 percent and 46.6 percent in severe and moderately underweight cases
have been observed (in the area of Pateros, 1997) although, of the total number of households
with moderately and severely underweight preschoolers, only 90 percent were reached. An
increase of the households’ purchasing power (28 percent increase in income) among LAKASS
beneficiaries (Pateros, 1997) through the provision of small capital loan assistance was likewise
noted.
Community participation
As a community-based nutrition programme, community involvement was an integral
component of LAKASS from project identification, implementation and management, and was
based on an in-depth analysis of causes of malnutrition at the community and household levels.
This programme has generally led to people’s empowerment and mobilization, which enabled
the villagers as well as local chief executives to build and sustain their capabilities to improve
their own nutrition situation. Innovative strategies for ensuring a high loan repayment rate and
for generating resources ensured the expansion of LAKASS beyond the initial scope of loan
provision, to increase the number of those able to access loans.
Initially, community participation was motivated by prospects of material incentives, in this case
the loan. However, with advocacy, orientation, training, technical backstopping and recognition
of good performance, communities eventually graduated to self-mobilization.
recognition that malnutrition is a development problem, which calls for an integrated and
multidisciplinary approach;
from an economic viewpoint, LAKASS was able to maximize complementarity and the
synergistic effects of interventions;
effective targeting using predetermined and agreed set of selection criteria;
intensive and effective advocacy from national to village level;
strong support and involvement of local chief executives (includes Mayor, Municipal
Development Council members) and barangay officials as attested by issuance of
relevant memos, circulars and fund allocation as local counterpart for LAKASS funds;
committed and good leadership of municipal (municipal nutrition action officers as well
as members of the Municipal Nutrition Committee) and village workers (barangay
nutrition scholar, LAKASS officer and LAKASS core group members);
well-defined roles and responsibilities for programme functionaries particularly the full-
time LAKASS focal point;
training which developed technical know-how of the programme functionaries;
strong social preparation component;
Dental Health Program
Oral disease continues to be a serious public health problem in the Philippines. The
prevalence of dental caries on permanent teeth has generally remained above 90%
throughout the years. About 92.4% of Filipinos have tooth decay (dental caries) and
78% have gum diseases (periodontal diseases) (DOH, NMEDS 1998). Although
preventable, these diseases affect almost every Filipino at one point or another in his or
her lifetime.
Filipinos bear the burden of gum diseases early in their childhood. According to NOHS, 74% of
twelve-year-old children suffer from gingivitis. If not treated early, these children become
susceptible to irreversible periodontal disease as they enter adolescence and approach
adulthood.
In general, tooth decay and gum diseases do not directly cause disability or death.
However, these conditions can weaken bodily defenses and serve as portals of entry to other
more serious and potentially dangerous systemic diseases and infections. Serious conditions
include arthritis, heart disease, endocarditis, gastro-intestinal diseases, and ocular-skin-renal
diseases. Aside from physical deformity, these two oral diseases may also cause disturbance of
speechsignificant enough to affect work performance, nutrition, social interactions, income, and
self-esteem. Poor oral health poses detrimental effects on school performance and mars
success in later life. In fact, children who suffer from poor oral health are 12 times more likely to
have restricted-activity days (USGAO 2000). In the Philippines, toothache is a common ailment
among schoolchildren, and is the primary cause of absenteeism from school (Araojo 2003, 103-
110). Indeed, dental and oral diseases create a silent epidemic, placing a heavy burden on
Filipino schoolchildren.
VISION: Empowered and responsible Filipino citizens taking care of their own personal
oral health for an
enhanced quality of life
MISSION: The state shall ensure quality, affordable, accessible and available oral
health care delivery.
GOAL: Attainment of improved quality of life through promotion of oral health
and quality oral health care.
