Towns, cities in Central Visayas urged to invest in nutrition

CEBU, Philippines — Local government units (LGUs) in Central Visayas are called on to prioritize and to allocate funding for their health and nutrition programs to address malnutrition.

National Nutrition Council (NNC) exceutive director Azucena Dayanghirang said LGUs should invest more in nutrition.

If citizens are healthy, she said, they will become more productive in the community.

Good nutrition is the key to good mental and physical health, she said.

Nutrition awards

Recently, the NNC recognized exemplary LGUs for addressing malnutrition and other nutrition-related conditions.

The town of Argao and the city of Carcar in southern Cebu, and the town of Enrique Villanueva, Siquijor were recognized as “Most Improved” LGUs during the 2019 Grand Nutrition Awards, a culmination of the  45th Nutrition Month celebration, held at Bai Hotel in Mandaue City on August 9.

For the third time in a row, the municipality of Carmen in Bohol province got the top recognition this year as an “Outstanding Municipality” in the Region Green Banner.

Barangay Boctol in Balililhan town, Bohol won the Most Outstanding Barangay in the Region award.

A total of 22 barangays in Central Visayas were given Outstanding Barangays awards. Four of them were in Cebu.

These are Barangay Mantuyong in Mandaue City, Barangay San Vicente in Lapu-lapu City, Barangay Magtagobtob in Danao City and Barangay Anonang Norte in Bogo City.

Moreover, Juanita Hinay of Barangay Bool in Tagbilaran City, Bohol was recognized the Regional Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar.

Awarded as Outstanding Nutrition Scholars in the city were Ma. Adoracion Saavedra (Barangay San Vicente in Lapu-lapu City), Amelia Bagtong (Barangay Pasil, Cebu City), Emily Dela Peña (Barangay Lapaz in Bais City) and Nerita Castro (Barangay Sabang in Danao City).

The Good Nutrition Project awards were given to Barangay Nailon in Bogo City, northern Cebu for its Buhay buhay sa Nailon, Bais City for its school based bio-intensive garden, and Cebu City for its Family approach food supplementation program.

“The awards are given to exemplary LGUs that will serve as a testament for other LGUs to emulate that nutrition programs can be implemented in the fullest possible,” Dayanghirang said.

NNC-7 and the Central Visayas Regional Nutrition Committee have recognized LGUs and barangay nutrition scholars who showed exemplary performance in the field of nutrition program management, as well as share good nutrition practices and projects for possible replication by other local government units. (FREEMAN)