DSWD ends Nutrition Month

CEBU, Philippines — The nutrition month celebration carried out by the Supplementary Feeding Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-7 ended with a poster-making contest and search for a nutrition champion.

The nutrition month advocacy efforts of the field office centered on ensuring work-life balance within the DSWD-7 community by promoting good eating habits, a healthy lifestyle, proper exercise, and mental health awareness.

The different division representatives contributed to the advocacy efforts through a poster-making contest depicting their understanding of the Philippine Plan of Action’s theme: “Sa PPAN Sama-Sama sa Nutrisyong Sapat Para sa Lahat!”

The winners were Human Resource Management and Development Division (second place), Financial Management Division (first place), and Promotive Services Division (Winner and People’s Choice Award).

Promotive Services Division artists Fe Mar Ansok, Stephanie Guimisad, and John Jacob Ramos said that their concern for everyone in the community prompted them to create the illustration.

Juan Carlos Cañamo of the Human Resource Management and Development Division emerged as this year’s nutrition champion. Other awardees are Rolie Alderite of the Promotive Services Division (first runner-up), and Kimberly Masalta of the Policy and Plans Division (second runner-up).

Meanwhile, Department of Health officials recognized the mayors of Cebu and Negros Oriental implementing the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP) for achieving 100% of the Performance Based Grant during the Mayor’s Forum on Nutrition Governance Visayas.

The accomplishment is proof of the dedication and commitment of the LGUs to the nutrition program, said Dr. Gloria J. Balboa, OIC-undersecretary for DOH’s of Universal Health Care Health Services Cluster, in her message.

Mayor Greman Solante of Tudela, Cebu emphasized effective implementation with national support.

“On that direction to address the malnutrition, with the support coming from the national government through this PMNP, it is now in our hands how to implement effectively for us to achieve our goal for health and nutrition,” Solante said.

In the region, the PMNP covers 24 LGUs; 16 municipalities in Cebu and eight municipalities in Negros Oriental.

The PMNP Mayor’s Forum on Nutritional Governance focuses on the importance of collaboration and shared commitment of the local leaders and health officials. — (FREEMAN)