Bohol, Negros LGUs win nutrition awards

CEBU, Philippines - The municipalities of Jagna, Bohol and Pamplona, Negros Oriental bested other municipalities in Region-7 and emerged winners for the 2013 Grand Nutrition Award which was presented yesterday by the National Nutrition Council (NNC), through the Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC).

The Municipality of Jagna, Bohol bagged the “Most Outstanding Municipality in the Region”, followed by the Municipality of Pamplona as the “Outstanding Municipality in the Province of Negros Oriental.” Both received the Green Banner, which is the highest award granted by RNC-7 to Local Government Units (LGUs) which have ‘efficiently and effectively’ implemented the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN).

Jagna also won the “Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition” (CROWN) for achieving the Green Banner for three consecutive years in 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Toledo City was also nominated for the First CROWN Maintenance Award, an award that will be given to the LGU for maintaining their performance after garnering three consecutive years of outstanding performance.

Other awardees of the RNC-7 include the Municipality of Tubigon as nominee for the region’s Nutrition Honor Award (NHA), and Consolacion Galon of Barangay Malaiba in Canlaon City as the Regional Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar for achieving zero underweight and overweight among pre-school children in her barangay.

The Regional Evaluation Team (RET) also recognized Mandaue City’s Pick and Pay project; Bilar, Bohol’s Green-Responsive-and-Enterprising-Engagement-for-Nourished (GREEN) agriculture project; and Mabini, Bohol’s Processed Vegetable Meals para sa Kabataan for their innovative projects implemented for the improvement of the nutritional status of children in their respective localities.

In his speech, Department of Health Assistant Secretary Enrique Tayag expressed hope that Central Visayas will garner more winners next year. 

He also stressed that he is very optimistic to achieve the Mission-Vision-Goal (MVG) on hunger by 2015 by supporting the regional initiatives that enjoin the local government units in the implementation of the nutrition programs. He then emphasized that the supplemental feeding programs of the local government should be sustainable.

“Dapat i-assess natin yon baka kasi mamaya, pupunta ka sa ilang lugar na may dalang kaldero ng lugaw but hindi naman sustainable,” he said.

Tayag also pointed out that food security is the key to address the problem of malnutrition.

“Kailangan  magtanim, at mag-maintain ng garden. Yon ang kailangan natin,” Tayag said.

Nutrition Program Coordinator of NNC-7 Dr. Parolita Mission also pointed out that the interplay of many sectors is needed to address the problem of under nutrition and that the key for food security should be agri-based.

“(It should be) agri-based aside from health interventions and social welfare services in order to address the problem of malnutrition,” Mission added.

Mission also claimed that the rate of under nutrition cases in the cities, municipalities and provinces dropped from 6.2% to 5.2%.

The interagency RET, organized by the RNC-7, evaluated and monitored four provinces, 14 cities, 17 municipalities and 124 barangays.

The 2013 Grand Nutrition Awarding is in line with 9th Regional Nutrition Action Officers’ Congress. (FREEMAN)