MANILA, Philippines – From 22.1 per cent pre-school malnutrition rate in 2005, Alaminos City in Pangasinan has dramatically lowered the rate to only 4.7 per cent last year.
Dr. Marivic Carambas, city health officer, said the malnutrition rate for elementary pupils also went down from 25.68 per cent in 2005 to only 12.8 per cent in 2010. She said this is in line with the vision of Mayor Hernani Braganza to have zero malnutrition rate in 2013.
Carambas attributed the successful campaign against malnutrition to the city’s expanded feeding cum livelihood program which involved not only concerned government agencies but also farmer-producers. The city council met with farmers who were requested to provide adequate supply of vegetables for the 21,604 pre-school and elementary pupils to keep them healthy, smart and intelligent.
The program, which started in 2005, seeks to fight malnutrition and also provide livelihood to farmers, parents and even the youth. That year, Alaminos had the highest malnutrition rate in Region 1.?But five years later, Carambas said this “best practice” is now being duplicated by other local government units in Pangasinan.
The city government prioritizes health services for the young populace as gleaned from the substantial financial support it is giving to the feeding/livelihood program. Under Appropriation Ordinance No. 2010-02 passed by the city council, about P7.1 million went to the program out of the P25 million supplemental budget.?Meanwhile, a group of youths who call themselves Batang Plaza (BP) who used to roam around the plaza and were involved in drinking bouts and trouble with other groups are now involved in the feeding/livelihood program.
There are some 3,000 BP members with 35 chapters all over the city composed of juniors (18 years old and below) and seniors (18 up).?BP main chapter president Michael Ralph Cardenas said the youths and their older buddies are now utilizing vacant lots they call Farmville to grow various kinds of vegetables. The members are now benefitting financially from such endeavor, he added.
The city agriculturist taught them to engage in organic farming to protect the environment and to save money.