CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga (PIA) -- National Nutrition Council (NNC) cited outstanding nutrition committees and focal points in Central Luzon.
 
They were recognized during the 2022 Gawad Parangal sa Nutrisyon, also known as Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony.
 
Regional Nutrition Committee Chair and Department of Health Regional Director Corazon Flores said the awarding ceremony serves as an inspiration for everyone because in spite of what went through during the pandemic, they continue to work hard to push for their respective nutrition response programs.
 
She also stressed the importance of good and proper nutrition as a key to building a stronger immune system, especially that Central Luzon is rich in agricultural products and is touted as the Rice Granary of the Philippines.
 
“It’s cheaper to be healthy. It costs more to get sick. If we are healthy, that means we don’t need maintenance medicine, we don’t need to consult physicians. If a baby is healthy and breastfed, the parents will not have to spend much, especially that formula milk is expensive. Nutrition is one of the keys to being healthy. If we want to live long and satisfied lives, we must be healthy and well nourished,” Flores said.
 
She also challenged the awardees to be living messages their advocacy by being models of good nutrition in their respective communities.
 
For her part, Assistant Secretary and NNC Executive Director Azucena Dayanghirang commended the unity of the people of Central Luzon as one of reasons why the nutrition program in the region remains alive despite the problems brought about by the pandemic and natural disasters.
 
“I know that we are continuously challenged by the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic as we continue to try to recover the economy. That is why there is really a need to adjust our programs and invest in nutrition, especially among our local government units (LGUs),” she said.
 
With this, Dayanghirang urged LGU officials to prioritize nutrition by crafting local nutrition action plans that are specific enough with investment on nutrition programs.
 
“Not just the Nutrition Month, not just the BNS [Barangay Nutrition Scholar] honoraria, but all specific nutrition programs such as dietary supplementation program or Tutok Kainan. If we invest so much in the First 1,000 Days of life program such as advocacy on breastfeeding, feeding of nutritionally at-risk pregnant women, feeding our children 6 to 23 months old, giving them high value diversified meals, we can ensure that pregnant woman will give birth to a normal birthweight baby,” she detailed.
 
Awardees include Mabalacat City in Pampanga and Talavera in Nueva Ecija which bagged the Nutrition Honor Awards, the highest award that NNC gives to LGUs.
 
Eight LGUs were also conferred with the 2021 Green Banner Seal of Compliance namely City of San Fernando, Pampanga; Baliwag, Bulakan, Bustos, Guiguinto, and Pandi in Bulacan; Quezon in Nueva Ecija; and Castillejos in Zambales.
 
Outstanding local nutrition focal points were also cited; as well as the provincial and city outstanding BNS.
  
Meanwhile, special awards were also given to LGUs who are active on social media, with established nutrition office, and who authored ordinances related to nutrition; while the graduates of the Nutrition School-on-the Air for Every Juan and Juana were also cited. (CLJD/MJSC-PIA 3)