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. 

DepEd reviews policies and changes in the country's educational system

With the recent proposals and revisions in the country's educational system, the Department of Education (DepED) is in the process of reviewing to come up with the most effective and viable plan to implement such changes.

This is according to DepEd Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali during a forum of broadcasters held yesterday at the Hotel Rembrandt in Quezon City.

The statement was also made during the discussion of the implementation of the K12 program which was already approved by the government. The K12 requires an additional two years in the basic education of students in the country.

According to Umali, reviews have yet to be made regarding the implementation of K12 and the cooperation of colleges and universities are needed as the said K12 program, once implemented, "will affect the first and second year college levels of tertiary institutions as additional years will have to be taken by present students to comply with the K12".

Umali said that arrangements are now being made with tertiary schools so as not to dislocate colleges and universities that would definitely be affected once the K12 is implemented.

Umali also assured that classrooms and facilities are on their way for improvement in order to accomodate more students in the basic education level once the K12 program pushes through.

The DepEd works closely with two institutions such as the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in the designing of the new curriculum and in the planning of effective "ladderized" education program of Filipino students.

Schools reminded to follow prescribed number of school days

With the successive suspension of classes in the elementary and secondary level due to the intermittent rainfall, the Department of Education (DepEd) is reminding schools to follow and implement the prescribed 202 school days.

This reminder was made by DepEd Assistant Secretary Teonisito Umali during the Broadcasters' Forum held recently at the Hotel Rembrandt in Quezon City.

The past weeks have been irregular for elementary and high school students, in terms of reporting to school because of the daily downpour in Metro Manila and other areas in Luzon and Visayas. 

Umali said that make-up classes depend on the schools. "It is within the school principal and school division superintendent if their school will conduct make-up classes," he said. 

"Schools should follow the mandatory 202 school days, with the 180 allotted for actual classroom learning, and the remaining 22 as buffer days which institutions use for school activities like intramurals, foundation week, etc," Umali added.

According to Umali, class suspensions are counted in the 22 buffer days, so when schools exceed the allotted buffers, "it would be time for them to conduct make-up classes."

The required number of school days is in accordance to Department of Education Order 28 which schools nationwide should adhere to.

The next best thing to the "elixir of life"

It took hundreds of years of painful research and experimentation before alchemists --chemist-philosophers of the Middle Ages-- realized that there was neither a sorcerer's stone nor an elixir of life.

Early recordings have it that what these early day scientists call sorcerer's stone was believed to possess the ability to transform any metal into gold, while the elixir of life was said to be the perfect formula that could make one immortal. The quest for both objects was eventually considered an impossibility.What those dedicated alchemists didn't know was there was one thing closest to be considered the "elixir of life", the “ultimate panacea”.  And they need not search far.Modern-day scientists and health experts will all agree that breastmilk is the most nutritious food for babies. It is a complete source of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients essential to the overall development of infants. The benefits of breastfeeding are encompassing as it improves one's immune system, guards babies against infection, improves mental abilities, makes one less likely to suffer from obesity, diabetes, and allegies in later life. Truly, breastfeeding is the real deal, the true wonder food.The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, after which 'infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond," as said in a WHO article entitled "Global Strategy for Infant and Young Child Feeding".The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) attests the many advantages of breastfeeding including health, nutritional, immunologic, developmental, psychologic, social, economic, and environmental benefits. "The AAP recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life.Furthermore, "breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child,", according to LM Gartner, et al in a 2005-published article entitled "Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk." In the Philippines, breastfeeding has been an automatic age-old practice of mothers who recently gave birth. Breasts of lactating mothers have been considered a convenient wellspring of milk-- free of charge! For Filipinos, breastmilk helps save money in a country where the price of formulated milk is sky-rocket high. But our "nanay"-- whether she be in the far-flung countryside or is in the backdrop of an ultramodern metropolis, should understand that breastfeeding is not only a cheap method of suppying her baby with food, but more importantly, breastmilk, through breastfeeding, provides health benefits to the growing infant.As such, the Philippines, together with more than 170 countries, is celebrating World Breastfeeding Week to put breastfeeding in the spotlight as a vital food for growing infants, and as a source of all the nutrients humans need in their physical, mental, even emotional development.World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) is celebrated every year from August 1-7 in more than 170 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration made by WHO and The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) policy-makers in August 1990 to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. The celebration is supported by the UNICEF, WHO, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the International Pediatric Association. This year’s WBW's theme is “Talk to me! Breastfeeding – a 3D Experience”. The theme revolves around the spatial (the mother, home, community) and temporal (from pregnancy to weaning) dimensions of breastfeeding, and includes a third one which is communication. Communication has been lacking in the promotion of breastfeeding while as it is known by health experts to be a wonder food, the common person doesn't seem to know so. The goal from this year's theme is to educate the public, especially women about the health benefits breastfeeding could give to infants until it reaches maturity.With this celebration, Filipinos are expected to have a richer understanding of breasfeeding and breastmilk as a traditional yet effective way of feeding, rearing, and helping the young Filipino develop an intelligent mind and a healthy, robust body.

PSCO tuloy pa rin ang ayuda sa Child House

Bagaman kasado na ang paglipat ng Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) sa bagong tanggapan nito sa Lung Center of the Philippines, patuloy pa rin ang pagbibigay ng tulong ng ahensya sa mga programang matagal nang sinusuportahan nito.

Ito ang ipinahayag ni General Manager Atty. Jose Ferdinand Rojas sa programang Communication and News Exchange (CNEX) ng Philippine Information Agency (PIA).

Mariing pinabulaanan ni Rojas ang mga alingawngaw na ihihinto na ng nasabing ahensya ang pagbibigay ng tulong nito sa Center for Life Improvement and Health Development House Project o mas kilalang Child House. Sa halip, patuloy pa rin ang kanilang suporta sa nasabing programa sa kabila ng pagkakalayo ng tanggapan ng isa't isa.

Nilinaw ni Rojas na hindi maapektuhan ng paglipat ang tulong na iginagawad ng ahensya sa Child House sa kabila ng pagiging pribadong proyekto nito. Sa kabilang banda, aniya, mas magiging epektibo pa ang pangkalahatang serbisyong pangkalusugan ng PSCO dahil nasa loob ito ng isang pagamutan.

Ang Child House, isang pansamantalang tuluyan ng mga batang may sakit na kanser o ibang lubhang karamdaman, at proyekto ng kilalang hair stylist na si Ricky Reyes, ay nakapaloob sa Quezon Institute (QI) kung saan dating nangungupahan ang PCSO. Dahil sa isang milyong pondong inilagak ng PCSO sa proyekto, nananahan ang Child House sa isa sa mga gusali ng QI nang walang bayad.

Ang pag-alis ng PCSO as QI ay nangangahulugan din ng paglipat ng Child House ng kanilang tanggapan gayundin ng kanilang mga pasyente.

Ipinabatid naman ng ahensya na ipagbigay-alam lamang sa ahensya ang alinmang problema o konsern ng mga pasyente sa Child House at agaran nilang sosolusyunan ang kanilang mga hinaing.

PCSO vows continued support for Child House patients

Despite the imminent transfer of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to its new office at the Lung Center of the Philippines in Quezon City, the agency gave assurance of its continued support to its long-time charity projects. 

This vow of ongoing service to needy health patients was made by PCSO General Manager Jose Ferdinand Rojas in the government program Communication and News Exchange Forum (CNEX) at the Philippine Information Agency.

Rumor has it that the PCSO will stop giving support to the Center for Life Improvement and Health Development House Project, also known as Child House, after the agency decided to transfer its office from the Quezon Institute (QI) to a more structurally-sturdy building.

The move was made by PCSO officials after receiving reports that the QI buildings are already susceptible to damage and collapse.

The Child House, a private project initiated by renowned hairstylist Ricky Reyes, is a temporary shelter for children with cancer and those who are in critical health condition.

The said project has been receiving support from the PCSO, with their office lodged at one of the QI buildings free of charge, courtesy of the PCSO, through its more than P1 million fund.

The fear of discontinued support by the PCSO stemmed from the relocation of the agency's operation which meant relocation of the space-dependent Child House.

To allay the fear of Child House patients, PCSO, through Rojas, made it clear that it would not stop giving support to Child House patients, and whatever concerns they have, they should directly contact the PSCO, through the Executive Office or the Office of Board Directors, and the agency will provide viable solution in the soonest possible time.

Filipino: Sandata ng Sambayanan, Tulay sa Kaunlaran

Wika ng isang post-kolonyalistang teoriko na si Edward Said: "Kaalaman ay kapangyarihan ("Knowledge is power"). At sa likod ng bawat matagumpay na paglinang ng kaisipan ay ang isang sandatang sinasabing pinakamakapangyarihan sa lahat-- wika.

Mula sa iba't ibang panig ng mundo, ang bawat bansa ay may tinituring na opisyal na wika. Ang Estados Unidos at Inglatera ay may Ingles; ang Hapon ay may Nihonggo; ang Tsina ay may Mandarin. Bawat kalinangan ay hinuhubog ng wika, at ang kalidad ng kaisipan ng mamamayan ay nakasalalay sa kahusayan niya sa wika.

Ang Filipinas ay binubuo ng mahigit pitong libong pulo, at hindi kataka-taka na ang heograpikal na sitwasyon natin ay nagdulot ng pagkakaroon ng iba't ibang wika o lenggwahe; ang bawat lengguwahe ay may tinatawag na varyant o dialekto. Sinasabing mayroong higit 120 na lengguwahe at dialekto ang bansa. Sa kabila ng pagkakaiba-iba sa aspektong heograpikal, kultural, at lingwal, bakit nagkakaunawaan pa rin ang mga Filipino?

Wikang Pambansa ang tinaguriang opisyal na wika ng lahat sa anumang transaksyon: sa paaralan, sa negosyo, sa pamahalaan. Mahaba-haba at masalimuot ang kasaysayan ng pagkakatatag ng ating wikang pambansa. Nabuksan ang kamulatan ng mga mamamayan ukol sa kahalagahan ng pagkakaroon ng wikang panlahat nang ipainaloob sa Konstitusyon ng 1935, sa pangunguna ni Pangulong Manuel Quezon, ang pagkakaroon ng isang wikang pambansa na gagamitin sa lahat ng transaksyon sa bansa.

Taong 1937 din naitatag ang Surian ng Wikang Pambansa na pangunahing layunin ay ang pumili mula sa mga katutubong wika ng gagamiting batayan sa pagpapalaganap at pagpapatibay ng wikang pambansa ng Pilipinas. Sa taong ding iyon, sa pamamagitan ng Executive Order No. 134 s. 1937, nahirang ang Tagalog bilang batayan ng ating wikang pambansa. Ginamit din ang Pilipino bilang wikang panturo sa mga paaralan at sa sirka ring ito nabuo ang Balarila ng Wikang Pambansa ni Lope K. Santos na siyang naging opisyal na talasanggunian ng mga mag-aaral sa balarila o gramatika at istruktura ng wikang Pilipino. Ang pamantayan sa pagpili ng wikang pambansa ay nagdulot ng malawakang protesta at diskusyon mula sa mga akademiko hanggang sa mga pulitiko sa iba't ibang panig ng bansa. Lalong naging maugong ang diskusyon nang itinagubilin ng Komite ng Wika sa nakaraang 1973 Kumbensyong Konstitusyunal na bumuo ng wikang pambansa mula sa pinagsanib-sanib na wikang katutubo ng mga Filipino.

Naresolbahan lamang ang isyu sa pambansang wika nang maliwanag na ipinaloob sa 1987 Konstitusyon na Filipino ang pangunahin at opisyal na wika ng bansa. Nakasaad sa Artikulo XIV, Seksyon 6 na:

         

"... the National language of the Philippines is Filipino. As it evolves, it shall be further developed and enriched on the basis of existing Philippine and other languages."

sa Seksyon 7, nakasaad na:

           

          "For purposes of communication and instruction, the official languages of the Philippines are Filipino and, until otherwise provided by law, English. The regional languages are the auxilliary official language in the region and shall       serve as auxilliary media of instruction therein."

Kung kaya't mula sa orihinal na tawag na Tagalog ni Pangulong Quezon noong 1939 hanggang sa tawag na Pilipino noong 1959, ang opisyal na wikang pambansa ng Filipinas ay tinawag na Filipino mula 1973 hanggang sa kasalukuyan. 

Yumabong ang Filipino sa larangan ng panitikan, agham, at teknolohiya, at kasama ng pagyabong nito ay nagkaroon ng wikang nagbibigkis sa mga mamamayan ng bansa. Samantala, ginagamit pa rin ang ibang rehiyunal na wika sa mga lokal na transaksyon. Ang Ingles naman ay tinaguriang lingua franca o wikang ginagamit sa pakikipagtransaksyon sa mga dayuhan sa bansa.

Patunay ang pagpapahalaga sa ating wikang pambansa nang ilabas ni Pangulong Corazon Aquino ang Proklamasyon Blg. 19 noong ika-12 ng Agosto 1988 na nagdedeklara ng pagdiriwang ng Linggo ng Wika mula ika-13 hanggang ika-19 ng Agosto kada taon. Upang higit na mapaigting ang pagmamahal ng mga Filipino sa tinaguriang wikang pambansa, idineklara ni Pangulong Fidel V. Ramos ang buong buwan ng Agosto bilang Pambansang Buwan ng Wika sa pamamagitan ng Proklamasyon Blg. 1041 noong ika-15 ng Enero, 1997. Hanggang sa ngayon, ipinagdiriwang ng buong Filipinas ang Buwan ng Wika sa buwan ng Agosto.

At sa taong ito, sa pangunguna ng Komisyong Wikang Filipino (KWF), ating ipinagdiriwang ang Buwan ng Wika na may paksang-diwa na, "Ang Filipino ay Wikang Panlahat, Ikaw at Lakas sa Tuwid na Landas".

Sa buong buwan ng Agosto ay maraming nailapat na gawain ang pamahalaan upang maipagdiwang ang Buwan ng Wika. Ilan sa mga programang naitakda sa buwan na ito ay ang sumusunod:

Agosto 1:     Pagpupugay sa Watawat at Pambukas na Palatuntunan     

Panauhing Tagapagsalita: Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa,     

Malacañang Grounds, Maynila

         

12-13           Pambansang Worksyap sa Filipino: Wikang Filipino sa Ika-150

taon ni Rizal, University of Perpetual Help-Rizal,

Angono, Rizal

         

13                Forum Pangwika

Philippine Information Agency Auditorium

Visayas Ave, Diliman, Lungsod Quezon 

14                Araw ng Pagkatatag ng Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino

1610 Gusaling Watson, J. P. Laurel Street, San Miguel, Maynila

         

19                Gawad Sagisag Quezon 2011

Panauhing Pandangal, Pangulo Benigno Simeon C. Aquino, III

Heroes Hall, Palasyo ng Malacañang, Lungsod Maynila

Pag-aalay ng Bulaklak at Paggunita

Araw ng Kapanganakan ni Pangulong Manuel L. Quezon

Quezon Memorial Shrine, Lungsod Quezon

         

30                Kumperensiyang Pangwika

Bayview Park Hotel, Roxas Boulevard, Lungsod Maynila

         

31                Pampinid na Palatuntunan

Gawad Dangal ng Wikang Filipino

Gawad Komisyon sa Sanaysay

Bayview Park Hotel, Roxas Boulevard, Lungsod Maynila