TWELVE barangays in the city were given citation by the Cordillera office of the National Nutrition Council (NNC-CAR) for having recorded zero malnutrition cases in their respective areas of jurisdiction over the past three years.
Rita Papey, NNC-CAR Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator, said the barangays deserve the recognition because of their efforts to curb the number of malnutrition cases, particularly underweight among pre-schoolchildren aged 0-71 months old.
The barangays given citations are Andres Bonifacio-Caguioa-Rimando (ABCR), Abanao-Zanduetta-Chugum-Kayang-Otek (AZCKO), Burnham-Legarda, Gen. Emilio F. Aguinaldo (Lower Rock Quarry), Lower Gen. Luna, Lower Lourdes Subdivision, Magsaysay Private Road, MRR Queen of Peace, Quezon Hill Proper, Rizal Monument, Imelda Village and South Drive.
Papey cited the efforts of barangay nutrition action officers, barangay nutrition scholars and barangay officials in these barangays in sustaining the reduction of malnutrition cases and zero underweight cases among preschool children.
The NNC-CAR official said the achievements of the 12 barangays in having zero underweight cases among 0-71 months should serve as an inspiration for other barangay officials and nutrition advocates in the other city barangays to emulate to in the campaign to curb malnutrition.
Baguio City was a recipient of the Green Banner Award for nutrition over the past three years from 2013 up to 2015, and it will be receiving the Consistent Regional Winner on Nutrition (CROWN) from the NNC leadership during the national awarding ceremonies in Manila by December.
Papey noted the ability of concerned barangay and advocates to maintain zero underweight cases in their respective areas of jurisdiction for at least three years speaks well of their excellent monitoring of the health and nutrition of their constituents to help in the nationwide campaign to curb malnutrition among Filipinos.
Papey remains optimistic more barangays in the city will be able to get zero underweight cases among pre-schoolchildren in the coming years to improve the nutritional status of the city’s constituents, particularly the children, leading to a healthy community.
She claimed nutrition is a program that should not be lodged only with the national and local governments but with the public as well because the success of the program starts in the homes through the proper food, healthy lifestyles and good nutrition.
Mayor Mauricio Domogan meanwhile expressed his gratitude to the NNC-Car for sustaining the government’s campaign to curb malnutrition, saying that there is still much work to do to improve the nutritional status of the local residents, especially with the inclusion of obesity as a nutritional problem. (Dexter See/PIO)