Malunggay, considered a "super food,’’ can help solve a high rate of malnutrition among the young.     

Senator Maria Josefa Imelda R. Marcos, chairperson of the Senate economic affairs committee, said that 33.4 percent of children  five years old or below are malnourished.

This fact has led the lady lawmaker to start a ‘’malunggay’’ tree planting program starting in Cebu, and later in Manila and Marikina City last Monday.

Lack of proper nutrition restricts children from becoming taller and the size of their brains are 30 percent smaller during their lifetime, she said.       

Marcos said Malunggay has 50 times more vitamin B2 than bananas, 50 times more Vitamin B3 than peanuts, 36 times Magnesium than eggs, 25 times more iron than spinach, seven times more vitamins than oranges, four times more calcium than milk and four times more vitamin A than carrots, and three times more vitamin B than pork.

"Sa malunggay ang inyong anak ay busog sa lusog, pati din kayo," she added. (Your children will become more full, including you.)  

Marcos, a former Ilocos Norte governor, said she started her ‘’ #Imeelunggay’’ planting activity in Cebu where her group and that of Consolacion Mayor Joannes Alegado distributed malunggay cuttings to urban poor beneficiaries.

Marcos said some 35,000 malunggay cuttings would be distributed in Cebu before the year ends.

There was also a malunggay planting activity sa Barangay Tumana, Marikina City last November 9 where some 15,000 cuttings were later distributed to other 13 barangays of Marikina city.

Five thousand malunggay cuttings were also distributed in district 1 in Manila last November 11, pn he eve of Senator Marcos’ birthday.  According to her press office, the senator launched her livelihood project to extend financial help to the beneficiaries while on lockdown due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.