The National Nutrition Council lauds the effort of the Mandaluyong City Nutrition Committee chaired by Mayor Carmelita Abalos in providing healthy and nutritious food packs to its constituents. The City includes freshly harvested vegetables to the food packs being distributed on top of the usual canned goods during the enhanced community quarantine due to COVID-19. The City’s strategy of directly buying vegetables from its sister cities also provides economic relief to the local producers affected by the crisis.
“Sa layon ni Mayor Menchie Abalos na ang maihahatid na food supplies sa ating mga bahay ay mas masustansya, nakipag-ugnayan tayo sa ating mga sister cities para makapag-angkat ng mga sariwang gulay. Ang bagong dating na mga sariwang gulay ay mula sa Nueva Ecija na ihahatid kasama ang mga grocery packs sa mga kababayan nating kapos sa buhay para makapaghanda sila ng masustansyang pagkain. Sa mga susunod na araw, inaasahan na may mga iba pang mga gulay na darating mula sa iba pa nating sister cities na tutulong sa atin. Natutulungan din natin sila sa pagtangkilik ng kanilang produkto…” - Mandaluyong City Public Information Office
Mandaluyong City is living up to the standards of being one of the few Nutrition Honor Awardees (NHA) of the country. NHA is the country’s highest award on nutrition conferred to a local government unit by the National Nutrition Council for their exemplary performance in implementing nutrition programs in their locality. The City received their NHA during the 2016 National Nutrition Awarding Ceremony.
The NNC urges all other local government units through their nutrition committees to replicate the strategy of Mandaluyong City in including healthy and nutritious foods in their food packs during the COVID-19 crisis. NNC also reaffirms its advocacy of ensuring food security during emergencies. Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life (World Food Summit, 1996). The NNC calls on the LGUs to make health and nutrition a priority during this time of national public health emergency.
(Daniel G. Salunga)
