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Mobile Application that detect Malnutrition

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Mobile Application that detect Malnutrition

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Welthungerhilfe is developing a cloud-based, smartphone application called Child Growth Monitor that allows users to scan children and instantly detect malnutrition. The Child Growth Monitor uses an infrared sensor available in some smartphones to capture 3D measurements of a child’s height, body volume, and weight ratio, as well as head and upper arm circumferences down to the millimeter (Briggs, 2019).

This application would surely be a big help to the people given that the manual scales in far communities often lack maintenance so when children need to get weighted it's either their measuring scale is faulty or it is not available at all. However, when thinking about how in order to use a smartphone and you don't have one, one might feel sad or guilty for not owning their own smartphone.

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TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS THAT RELATE TO MALNUTRITION

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TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS THAT RELATE TO MALNUTRITION

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LinkedIn and how it helps with employment

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LinkedIn and how it helps with employment

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The mobile site LinkedIn helps people find relevant jobs that suit their specific skills and qualifications. People are now able to search for jobs through the application without having to go out of their way to do so.  Hundreds of people post job offer daily so finding a job that you qualify for is made easier. Given that the COVID-19 pandemic put over 140 million people out of work all around the world, LinkedIn helps these people get back on their feet. With over 14 million open jobs, LinkedIn is able to help some of these people reclaim their careers.

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M-Kazi: Mobile Application that is solving unemployment in Kenya

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M-Kazi: Mobile Application that is solving unemployment in Kenya

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M-Kazi is a Kenyan mobile recruitment service that allows people who are looking for jobs to get information about available job vacancies. M-Kazi also helps employers target the right talents. M-Kazi founders came up with this idea to help those who are poor and have no access to the internet but have mobile phones apply for jobs through SMS. M-Kazi works by dialing a simple code (*838#), Kenyan mobile phone users can then register for the service and choose to receive new job alerts for a daily fee of ten Kenyan Shillings (about 12 US cents). When users find a vacancy they like, the M-Kazi service allows them to create a simple version of their resumes (CVs) and apply for the position. On the other side, employers can access the system to view submitted applications and resumes.

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Source: Spanish National Health Survey. Years 2006 and 2011

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TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS THAT RELATE TO UNEMPLOYMENT

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TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS THAT RELATE TO UNEMPLOYMENT

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Operation Timbang (OPT) Plus is the annual weighing and height measurement of children 0-59 months old or below five years old in a community to identify and locate malnourished children.  The gathered data through OPT Plus are used for local nutrition action planning, particularly in quantifying the number of malnourished and identifying who will be given priority interventions in the community. Weighing and measuring of height can be done in places that are convenient to both the families and the OPT plus team which is the barangay hall, day care center, and/ or the barangay health station.

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Back in 2015, over 25.5% of children 5-10 years old were noted to be underweight, 21.5% were noted to be stunting, and 9.3 were noted to be wasting. Children are considered to be underweight when their BMI falls below the 5th percentile age, gender and height. Stunting is when a child has a lower height for his/her weight and wasting is when a child has a lower weight for his/ her height. According to the percentage distribution of households by food security, you can see that over 43.7% of the population of Batangas are food secure but 19.1% are severely food insecure. Food insecurity is defined as the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food. Food insecurity in households with children may be a cause of higher levels of aggression and anxiety, asthma, oral health problems, anemia, and some birth defects.

Children who suffer from malnourishment have weaker immune systems than those who are considered to be healthy. If they have weaker immune systems, when they do get sick it's much more difficult for them to recover from sickness. Children who do not reach their optimum height or weight during childhood are affected in the long term in numerous ways. One of them is that they may not reach their optimum size as adults, hence, getting jobs or even performing daily activities may be harder for them. Child malnutrition impacts education attainment. This can be seen in stunted children in the first two years of life who have lower cognitive test scores, delayed enrolment, higher absenteeism, and more class repetition compared with non-stunted children.

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Due to many establishments closing down due to the COVID-19 pandemic the unemployment rate of the whole CALABARZON region increased. As of April 2020, an estimated 1.1 million people lost their jobs due to the restrictions that the pandemic caused. A percentage of 16.7% of those who reside in CALABARZON had no more jobs because people had to cut down on costs as a result of the economic difficulty the whole world was in.

Unemployment is an issue that not only affects the economy but also the individual itself. Those who suffer from unemployment face multiple mental and physical problems. When a person loses their job, it affects their usual way of living. Depression or anxiety could be caused by the fact that people find themselves to be "useless" after losing their jobs. These mental health issues could also hinder them from being employed again. Aside from the effect of unemployment on the individual, higher crime rates can also be seen with elevated unemployment rates.

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https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/covid-19-pandemic-pushes-millions-philippines-poverty-2386296

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The Philippines poverty threshold for a family of five per month in the first six months of 2021 was estimated at 12,082 pesos (US$240).

The Philippine economy, one of the fastest-growing in Asia before the coronavirus hit, contracted by a record 9.6 per cent last year, as pandemic-induced lockdowns shuttered businesses and crimped household consumption, a key driver of growth.

With 2.84 million COVID-19 cases and over 50,000 deaths, the Philippines has been among the worst hit countries in Asia. But new cases have come off a peak and vaccination rates have risen, allowing for restrictions to be eased.

More businesses have reopened and more people are back at work, with unemployment dipping to 7.4 per cent in October from 8.9 per cent in September, and growth expanding by a faster-than-expected 7.1 per cent in the third quarter.

"With stronger growth in the second half of 2021 as we further relax restrictions and increase the vaccination rate, we can expect poverty incidence to decrease," Chua said.

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COVID-19 pandemic pushes millions in Philippines into poverty

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MANILA: Close to four million people in the Philippines became poor in the first half of the year due to pandemic-induced lockdown measures that dried up jobs and reduced domestic demand, government officials said on Friday (Dec 17).

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https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/philippines-is-still-poor-philippine-daily-inquirer

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At the end of a six-year term highlighted by enviable economic growths that began in 2010, more than 26 million Filipinos remain poor. And nearly half or more than 12 million of them live in extreme poverty and without the means to feed themselves.

Contrast this with the few Filipino families who land every year in the Forbes magazine's list of billionaires (in US dollars) and one can do the math.

The benefits of economic growth are not trickling down to where these are most needed, and the cause of which is attributed to various factors, among these, a flawed economic growth model that only makes the rich grow richer; an economy where inefficient economic sectors are protected from competition, which could bring down the cost of goods and services; or a government where corruption is so prevalent even at the barangay level, such that it has adversely affected public service.

The latest survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that in the first semester of last year, 26.3 per cent of Filipinos were living below the poverty line (a measure of the minimum income required to meet the basic necessities).

This was equivalent to 26.48 million Filipinos, based on the total population of 100.7 million in 2015.

In 2012, the national poverty incidence stood at 27.9 per cent of the population.

In 2009, it was 28.6 per cent, practically unchanged from the 2006 level of 28.8 per cent.

The 2015 survey also found that 12.1 per cent of Filipinos-roughly 12.18 million-live in extreme poverty, meaning, their earnings were not enough to buy three meals a day.

This, too, indicated very tiny improvements from the three previous surveys-14.2 per cent in 2006, 13.3 per cent in 2009 and 13.4 per cent in 2012.

The poorest regions in particular needed more immediate government attention.

For example, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), which had the highest proportion of the poor at 59 per cent of the population in 2015, had almost a third of its residents, or 30.1 per cent, living in extreme poverty.

The explanation was that the region was conflict-ridden and the ARMM-or Mindanao, for that matter-has always been neglected economically in the past.

This was reflected in the worsening figure for the ARMM, which in 2006 had a poverty incidence of 49.8 per cent (21.1 per cent among them extremely poor), 49.7 per cent in 2009 and 52.9 per cent in 2012.

In contrast, Metro Manila, the seat of government and the country's business hub, had the lowest proportion of the poor, with just 6.5 per cent of its population below the poverty line, although this has been rising from 4.4 per cent in 2006 to 5.4 per cent in 2009.

It is true that the latest poverty incidence figure reflected slight improvements from the same period in 2012, two years after President Aquino assumed power, as well as from 2009 and 2006 under the Arroyo presidency.

However, we beg to disagree with how an official of the National Economic and Development Authority describes the figure as "actually good," and a sign that economic growth has trickled down to lower-income families.

The fact remains that the Philippines has failed to meet its commitment to the United Nations under the millennium development goals on poverty, which was to halve by 2015 the country's poverty incidence to 17 per cent in 2015 from 34 per cent in the 1990s.

The real poverty figure could in fact be higher if we are to consider the official national food threshold of P7,638 (S$217.8) a month-the requirement for a family of five to be able to have three regular meals every day.

This threshold is equivalent to P254.60 a day for a family of five, or P50.92 for each member to be able to eat three meals a day. That is P16.97 for each meal.

No wonder candidates seeking the presidency have again highlighted the poverty situation in the country, each promising to uplift the economic conditions of those who are in need most.

Sadly, a promise always repeated every election season.

What could be different this time?

Or put another way, what different, specific programmes or measures have those vying for the presidency committed to undertake to really address poverty?

So far, we have not heard any from all of them, except for the promise to continue or expand the conditional cash transfer scheme dubbed Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Programme or 4Ps. Which, economists agree, cannot reduce poverty in the long run as this is meant to just tide the poorest of the poor over extreme poverty.
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The Philippine Daily Inquirer is a member of The Straits Times media partner Asia News Network, an alliance of 22 newspapers.

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Philippines is still poor: Philippine Daily Inquirer

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At the end of a six-year term highlighted by enviable economic growths that began in 2010, more than 26 million Filipinos remain poor. And nearly half or more than 12 million of them live in extreme poverty and without the means to feed themselves.

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The tour duration is 1.5 hours. The tour guide usually gives out snacks to participants and organizes fun games if there are children around.

Milea Bee Farm also offers vegetable picking to its guests. Aside from beekeeping, the farm also grows a variety of vegetables like tomatoes, cucumber, celery, and string beans.

11. Monte Maria Shrine

Photo by Montemaria International Pilgrimage and Conference Center

Monte Maria is not just a shrine but an international pilgrimage and conference center built in honor of the Virgin Mary. Formally known as Montemaria International Pilgrimage and Conference Center, the complex spans 8 hectares and is situated 20 kilometers outside of Batangas City.

Monte Maria is one of the top Batangas tourist spots because of its uniqueness. It is meant to be both a religious and tourism site. Although devotees and pilgrims are attracted to it, Monte Maria caters to regular tourists as well.

The main landmark of the center is the Virgin Mary Shrine, officially named Mother of All Asia-Tower of Peace. At over 98 meters, this tower is considered one of the tallest Virgin Mary statues in the world. It sits on the top of a plateau, about 148 meters above sea level. The tower overlooks Verde Island Passage, Batangas Bay, and parts of Oriental Mindoro.

Monte Maria houses two chapels, a restaurant, a souvenir shop, and impressive architectural designs. It is also a retreat and retirement center that has rooms and spaces for workshops and conferences. Monte Maria is about 20 kilometers away from Batangas City.

10. Caleruega Church

Caleruega Church is one of the most famous churches in Batangas. This property is perched on the highest hill of Nasugbu Town. Caleruega is named after a Spanish municipality.

Caleruega Church has beautiful architecture and a tranquil natural environment that makes it ideal for religious activities and spiritual retreats. In fact, it has become a well-known wedding venue.

Caleruega is not just a church but a retreat center surrounded by lush scenery. Its main building is called the Transfiguration Chapel. This chapel has a nice colonial design and a peaceful ambiance. This is the most photographed part of the property and where most couples choose to wed.

Aside from the main building, you can visit the other interesting sections of the complex during your visit. Some of these are the Fountain Compass, the Tent Chapel of Transfiguration, St. Dominic's Point, Kampo Terraces and Amphitheater, and the Dominicum's grand stairway. Caleruega's outdoor area also features a koi pond, a Japanese garden, plant nursery, a worm farm, a hanging bridge, and various walkways.

You can visit Caleruega Church on a day trip and spend a couple of hours exploring the property. However, since it's also a retreat center, Caleruega is equipped with cottages, large halls, and a campsite to accommodate guests who wish to stay overnight.

9. Fantasy World

Fantasy World was meant to be the Philippine version of Disneyland. It's supposed to be the largest and grandest theme park in the country. However, this ambitious project has remained unfinished. Fantasy World has never opened as a theme park. According to local stories and rumors, the Japanese owner had financial problems and, therefore, stopped the construction years ago.

Despite being a failed project, Fantasy World is still a favorite Batangas tourist spot and a frequent filming location. Its large fairytale castle, medieval-themed structures, and sad story have managed to attract many tourists.

You can still access Fantasy World if you pay the minimal entrance fee. But it's not a functional theme park, so there are no rides or shows. With its intact medieval architecture and lush surroundings, Fantasy World is still very scenic.

While here, you can walk around, enter the fairytale-like buildings and take photos. One popular spot in the abandoned park is the hanging bridge connected to two treehouses. You can climb to the top of the treehouses and enjoy the views of Batangas, including the Taal Volcano.

Fantasy World is located along Diokno Highway in Lemery, Batangas. A local homeowners association is managing and operating the property.

8. Taal Basilica

Taal Basilica's official name is Basilica of St. Martin de Tours. It stands on top of a hill at the center of Taal Town. This basilica is huge; it is 96 meters high and 45 meters wide. It is often referred to as the largest Catholic Church in Asia.

Taal Basilica was reconstructed several times in the 19th century. Its Baroque appearance today is attributed to architect Luciano Oliver, who redesigned the church in 1856.

The church's main draws are its silver tabernacle and facade, which is comparable to the one at St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Taal Basilica's 26 classical columns at the entrance are indeed an impressive sight!

Taal Basilica is a popular wedding site and a favorite destination of devotees during the Catholic Lenten season.

When you enter, the basilica's altar size will immediately impress you. This altar is 10 meters wide, 24 meters high, and lined with Doric columns with a Jesus Christ statue at the center.

Taal Basilica is the main building in Taal Park, which has other notable landmarks like the Rizal College and the Escuela Pia: Taal Heritage Center.

7. Sombrero Island

Sombrero Island is one of the most visited islands in Batangas. From afar, the island looks like a dark hat jutting from the sea. Hence, it's named "sombrero," which means 'hat' in Spanish. The island is one of the best spots to snorkel in Batangas. It also has a beach composed of white sand and crushed shells.

Sombrero Island is located off the coast of Anilao. Visitors usually take a boat tour to reach the island from Anilao's shoreline. The boat ride from the mainland takes about 15 to 20 minutes. However, travel time may vary depending on sea conditions.

You need to pay a fee to enter Sombrero Island. Aside from snorkeling, you can swim and have a picnic on the beach. You can also walk around the island. It is small enough that it will only take less than an hour to explore it.

Sombrero Island is uninhabited and has no hotels, shops, or tourist infrastructure around. Overnight stays are not allowed. You must bring your own food and drinks but make sure to clean up after and take your trash with you.

6. Mt. Maculot

Mt. Maculot is one of the most well-known hiking spots in the Philippines. This mountain stands at 930 meters above sea level. The hike to the summit is rated 4/9 in difficulty level. Even though some parts of the mountain trail are slippery, steep, and muddy, a reasonably physically fit person can do the trek.

Trekking to the top of Mt. Maculot usually takes about 5 to 6 hours. Some hikers start the climb before dawn to maximize sunrise views.

Mt. Maculot is situated in Barangay Cuenca, Batangas. Before trekking, you will need to pay a fee and register with the local authorities. You also need to hire a trained guide to ensure a safe journey.

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12 Best Batangas Tourist Spots: Beaches, Islands, Mountai...

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The tour duration is 1.5 hours. The tour guide usually gives out snacks to participants and organizes fun games if there are children around. Milea Bee Farm also offers vegetable picking to its guests. Aside from beekeeping, the farm also grows a variety of vegetables like tomatoes, cucumber, celery, and string beans.

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In the 2021 Global Hunger Index, the Philippines ranks 68th out of 116 countries. With a score of 16.8, the Philippines has a moderate level of hunger. Moderate hunger means that the people who experienced hunger experienced it “only once” or “ a few times”. According to the Social Weather Stations latest survey, about 2.5 million Filipinos have experienced hunger due to a lack of food at least once in the past three months. “The resulting 13.5 percent average for the first three quarters of 2021 is less than last year but has not fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels,” the SWS explained. SWS said 7.9 percent or about 2 million families experienced Moderate Hunger while 2.1 percent or about 534,000 families experienced Severe Hunger. Severe hunger is when people experience hunger “often” or “always” in the last three months (Sarao, 2021). According to the FNRI-DOST NNS (2015), among 5-10-year-old children 25.5% suffer from undernutrition.

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Goal # 1 End poverty in all its forms everywhere

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Goal # 1 End poverty in all its forms everywhere

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According to the Philippines Statistic Authority (PSA), poverty in the Philippines continues to be an issue as back in 2018, over 21.1% of the population faced this problem on a daily basis.  Being one of the countries that were deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the percentage of Filipinos who suffer from poverty rose to 23.7%. This means that almost 3.9 million Filipinos are now living in poverty as well. Making the estimated number that over 26 million Filipinos struggle to afford basic necessities such as food, shelter, and clothing. According to the 2015 Poverty Census, in the CALABARZON region, Batangas has the second-highest poverty rate with 9.3%. Batangas is also second for having the highest magnitude of poor population in the region with 252,132.

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United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals

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United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals

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The United Nations created a set of 17 global goals back in 2015 that are meant to be a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”. These goals are intended to be achieved by the year 2030. Among these 17 goals, I would like to focus on two in particular, goal number 1 and 6, specifically, the no poverty and clean water and sanitation goals.

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These are some of the places tourists love to visit when in Batangas. Starting with the Milea Bee Farm which is located on Kurba Road, Lipa, Batangas. Upon visiting you can learn about beekeeping and bee propagation. The next destination would be the Monte Maria Shrine, an international pilgrimage and conference center built in honor of the Virgin Mary. The Caleruega Church and the Taal Basilica are some of the most famous churches in Batangas as it has beautiful architecture. The next tourist spot in Batangas, is Fantasy World, an unfinished amusement park. It's known for its fairytale castle hence, why people visit to take photos and just walk around. Batangas is also home to some mountains like Mt. Maculot and Mt. Batulao, which are top destinations if people are looking for a hiking adventure. Batangas also offers many gorgeous beaches like the Matabungkay beach, a cream colored beach that attracts numerous tourists as they offer outdoor activites and water sports.

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Agriculture is the main economic activity in Batangas. The province produces coconut, coffee, sugarcane, and other crops. Batangas is recognized to be a major supplier of cattle to Metro Manila.

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Given that Batangas is filled with numerous eye-catching beaches, mountains, and historical sites like the Monte Maria Shrine, it's no wonder that tourism is a major source of income for the province. However, agriculture still plays a big part in the economy of the province. Products like rice, corn, sugar, and coffee continue to be produced by Batangas. In addition to this, manufacturing firms and power generating plants can also be found in Batangas. Recently, there has been an addition of the seaport in Batangas as an alternative to the congested Manila ports.

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Batangas is a province located in the Calabarzon Region on Luzon. It was founded on December 8, 1581. It's capital is Batangas City. The people who reside in this province are called Batangueños. They are known to be very good traders. Batangas have two distinct seasons: dry from November to April and wet the rest of the year.

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[1] About Batangas Province, Philippines. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.islandsproperties.com/places/batangas.htm#:%7E:text=Agriculture%20is%20the%20main%20economic,of%20fish%20for%20the%20province.

[2] Batangas Profile – PhilAtlas. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.philatlas.com/luzon/r04a/batangas.html#:%7E:text=Its%20population%20as%20determined%20by,entire%20population%20of%20the%20Philippines.

[3] Keck, M. (2022, January 11). The Pandemic Pushed 4 Million More Filipinos Into Poverty in First Half of 2021. Global Citizen. https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/philippines-poverty-covid-19/

[4] Stats on the state of the regions: Hubs of wealth, ponds of poverty. (n.d.). Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. https://pcij.org/article/1409/stats-on-the-state-of-the-regions-hubs-of-wealth-ponds-of-poverty#:%7E:text=Batangas%20has%20the%20second%20highest,and%20Rizal%20at%205.42%20percent.

[5] Sarao, Z. (2021, December 7). SWS: 2.5M Filipino families endured hunger at least once from July-Sept 2021. INQUIRER.Net. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1524673/sws-2-5m-filipino-families-endured-hunger-at-least-once-from-july-sept-2021

[6] Philippines. (n.d.). Global Hunger Index (GHI). https://www.globalhungerindex.org/philippines.html

[7] Farré, L. (2018, September 27). Feeling useless: the effect of unemployment on mental health in the Great Recession - IZA Journal of Labor Economics. SpringerOpen. https://izajole.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40172-018-0068-5#:%7E:text=Mental%20disorders%20such%20as%20depression,the%20inability%20to%20find%20employment.

[8] The Cost of Unemployment to the Economy. (2020, September 24). Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0811/the-cost-of-unemployment-to-the-economy.aspx

[9] Gundersen, C. (2013, January 4). Food Insecurity Is an Ongoing National Concern. OUP Academic. https://academic.oup.com/advances/article/4/1/36/4591566

[10] Impact of Malnutrition - Mother, Infant and Young Child Nutrition & Malnutrition - Feeding practices including micronutrient deficiencies prevention, control of wasting, stunting and underweight. (n.d.). Mother and Child Nutrition. https://motherchildnutrition.org/malnutrition/about-malnutrition/impact-of-malnutrition.html#:%7E:text=They%20do%20not%20reach%20their,malnutrition%20impacts%20on%20education%20attainment.

[11] Briggs, B. (2019, January 4). How technology can speed help to malnourished children in the effort to end global hunger. Transform. https://news.microsoft.com/transform/app-end-global-hunger/

[12] Operation Timbang Plus. (2014a, July 26). National Nutrition Council. https://www.nnc.gov.ph/plans-and-programs/philippine-food-and-nutrition-surveillance-system/operation-timbang-plus

[13] How LinkedIn is Helping Millions of People Get Back to Work. (n.d.). LinkedIn. https://blog.linkedin.com/2020/october/29/how-linkedin-is-helping-millions-of-people-get-back-to-work

[14] Iwuoha, J., & Iwuoha, J. (2017, March 1). M-Kazi: How this simple mobile app is solving unemployment problems in Kenya. Smallstarter Africa. https://www.smallstarter.com/get-inspired/mkazi/

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Batangas is home to 2,908,494 Filipinos. It has 4 cities, 30 municipalities, and over 1,078 barangays. Its total area is over 3, 115.05 km2