For its program on malnourished kids Cebu City to get nutrition award

CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu City Government is one of the awardees this year of the Philippine Association of Nutrition Incorporated for its good achievement in the implementation of programs intended to reduce the number of malnourish children.

Mayor Tomas Osmeña was invited by Dr. Lucila Rabuco, chairperson of the Awards Committee of PANI to be present together with the city’s nutrition officers during the awarding ceremony that will be held at Legenda Hotel in Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Zambales on July 16 and 17.

 “Cebu City is one of the awardees for the 2009 Pabasa sa Nutrisyon Outstanding Award in recognition of its achievement in the implementation of the Pabasa sa Nutrisyon for the year 2008,” Rabuco said in a letter.

PANI’s website explained that the award recognizes the outstanding achievement of the local government units and non-government organizations that have adapted the project in the communities of their beneficiaries.

Pabasa sa Nutrisyon, is a nutrition education approach involving the sustained active participation of women and men in the barangay in the learning process, leadership and support of local government executives, program managers and local nutrition workers.

Although City Hall officials have failed to provide statistics to the media about the number of children that were served by the city, they strongly believe that it went down because of their programs such as feeding to malnourish children.

Before the awarding ceremony, about 1,000 nutrition workers from different parts of the country will have a convention and discuss proper nutrition and other approaches in the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases.

It will also serve as the right venue for the annual exchange of updates and best practices learned and experienced in the local nutrition work.

Meanwhile, Councilor Edgardo Labella has urged the Department of Education to discourage the parents to give money to their school kids for their snacks and instead revive the old way of sending the children to school with food.

Labella said among the benefits of reviving the old “baon” system is that the students could eat clean and nutritious food while in school, thereby safeguarding them from various health perils generally brought about by ingesting unsafe street foods.

He cited the study made by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute which indicates that children who are exposed to ambulant or sidewalk vendors are at high risk for certain food and waterborne diseases.

Labella explained that street foods are very susceptible to by-products of human and vehicles passing by and that the air surrounding the street foods may be laden with bacteria that can cause diseases.

The councilor said aside from being economical, the homemade “baon” assures the parents that their children will be consuming meals that are at least clean, safe and nutritious. — Rene U. Borromeo/WAB (THE FREEMAN)