THE City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) conducted a massive two-month supplementary feeding program in day care centers in the city of Catbalogan, Samar.
The National Nutrition Council (NNC), in its data based on the 2012 weighing activity, said Samar province had the highest malnutrition prevalence at 17.88 percent, while Catbalogan and Calbayog are the top two cities with the highest incidence at 18.31 percent and 14.41 percent, respectively.
Catbalogan has held the top spot in this ranking for the second year now.
The recent data submitted by the City Health Office to the NNC also showed that out of 15,681 preschoolers aged 0-71 months old, only 13,155 participated in the Operation Timbang, including 2,647 who were found to be malnourished.
The feeding program that aims to get the Catbalogan out of the top list, was launched in Barangay Silanga, where malnutrition is most prevalent.
CSWDO selected 30 underweight and severely underweight children aged 24 -35 months to take part in a milk feeding program, which will also be followed with constant weight monitoring.
For the succeeding days of the Nutrition Month, the CSWDO in partnership with CHO, will spearhead series of lectures about proper nutrition in barangays.
City Nutrition Council officer Herminia Cabral said the nutrition month celebration will be limited to advocacy and information campaign due to an injunction order on the city's annual budget for 2013.
Mayor Stephany Uy-Tan also urged schools to conduct activities aimed at raising nutrition awareness. She is set to tackle malnutrition problems with key offices in their consultation meeting. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)