Hakab Na! 2018: Iloilo City joins global breastfeeding event on August 4

In celebration of the National Breastfeeding Awareness Month in August, the nongovernment organization Breastfeeding Ilonggas (BFI) in collaboration with Iloilo City Government and Iloilo City Health Office will organize a one-day breastfeeding activity called ‘Hakab Na! 2018’ as part of Iloilo Charter Day celebration.

Now on its fourth year, Hakab Na! 2018 will gather breastfeeding families, lactation experts, peer counselors, and breastfeeding advocacy supporters, to boost awareness of the health and economic benefits of breastfeeding, promote the importance of providing proper support to breastfeeding mothers and ultimately, create a breastfeeding nation.

Central to this celebration is the act of mothers simultaneously breastfeeding their children for one full minute as part of The Big Latch On, an international activity where mothers latch on their babies from different locations around the world to create a world record.

Hakab Na! 2018 will be held simultaneously in Metro Manila (Mandaluyong and Alabang), Aklan, Bacolod, Benguet, Bulacan, Cagayan de Oro, Cebu, Davao, Dumaguete, Iloilo, Isabela, Laguna, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Zambales and Singapore on August 4, 2018 (Saturday) at 10 AM.

About the Global Big Latch On

The Global Big Latch On events take place at registered locations around the world, where people gather together to breastfeed and offer peer support to each other. Their friends, family and community join this celebration to promote and support breastfeeding.

Volunteers from within the community host each location, hosting a Global Big Latch On event creates a lasting support network for the community.

The global event takes place annually over three days during World Breastfeeding Week (1st – 7th August), it includes in person locations and virtual attendance. As a worldwide peer support and community development event, it aims to strengthen national and global support for breastfeeding and to improve the health of children and women around the world.

Global Big Latch On events aim to protect, promote & support breastfeeding families by:
 Provide support for communities to identify and grow opportunities to provide on-going breastfeeding support and promotion in local communities.
 Raise awareness of breastfeeding support and knowledge available locally and globally.
 Help communities positively support breastfeeding in public places.
 Make breastfeeding as normal part of day-to-day life at a local community level.
 Increase support for people who breastfeed – they are supported by their partners, family and their communities.
 Ensure communities have the resources to advocate for coordinated appropriate and accessible breastfeeding support services.

The Global Big Latch On events are highly successful, targeted community development initiatives that raise awareness of breastfeeding, encourage the formation of support networks between breastfeeding persons, and aim to normalize breastfeeding as a part of daily life.