Nutrition Awards promotes nutrition projects and breastfeeding advocacy

Nutrition being the primordial driving force toward having intelligent, healthy, and productive citizens in a progressive world, served as the central theme during the Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony (RNAC) held August 18 at the Shangri-La Hotel in Mandaluyong City.

In due recognition of the invaluable service of nutrition scholars as well as the individual nutrition programs of the local government units in Metro Manila, the Regional Nutrition Committee awarded several prizes to outstanding performances.

Mandaluyong City Mayor Benjamin Abalos praised the efforts of the participating areas in NCR for giving importance to the nutrition awareness initiative of the National Nutrition Council. He also encouraged his constituents to uphold their dedication for the city’s nutrition advocacy as Mandaluyong was awarded the Most Outstanding LGU in Nutrition Implementation and Management.

Office of Political Affairs Assistant Secretary Rolando Cuccio underscored the importance of nutrition in the mental and intellectual development of children who will eventually be the economy’s driving force. “Kamalayan at karunungan kaugnay sa nutrisyon ay mahalaga dahil ito ang nagtataguyod ng maunlad na pamayanan,” Cuccio added.

Nutrition programs, according to Department of Health Secretary Enqirue Ona, through his representative DOH Undersecretary Gerardo Bayugo, acknowledged the nutrition-related services done in each LGU in Metro Manila. He noted the dedication and ingenuity of Filipino civil servants in implementing nutrition initiatives that would be lead the road toward progress.

Ona added that teamwork is necessary in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals as well as the Aquino administration’s goals for the country. “Kailangan ang sama-samang pagkilos upang makamit ang MDG at ang Universal Health program ng Pangulo,” Ona said.

The awarding ceremony also served as venue to emphasize the advocacy on breastfeeding of the Nutrition Council.

Mothers must breastfeed their children as this is one way of solving malnutrition among children. Breastfeeding, too, is seen as the best food for infants to achieve optimum physical, mental, and intellectual growth.

The Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC), led by this its chairman Dr. Eduardo Janairo, has been active in engaging LGUs in their active implementation, management, and innovation of nutrition projects to promote healthy living among their constituents.

The Regional Nutrition Evaluating Team, chaired by Philippine Information Agency’s Lucia Broño, took the lead in evaluating the nutrition programs of the various LGUs in the National Capital Region and in selecting the most outstanding and effective programs.