Baguio City. The Food and Nutrition Research Institute-Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) in coordination with DOST-CAR and NNC-CAR presented the result of the 8th National Nutrition Survey (NNS) during the
Baguio City- -Twelve nutrition champions in the cordillera region were cited on Thursday (October 2, 2014) for their exemplary implementation of nutrition programs in the provinces and cities.
Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Rita Papey said the awardees were chosen through a system of assessment of strengths and weaknesses in the planning of their local nutrition action plans.
This year’s awardees are recipients of Green Banner Outstanding Program Implementer and Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholars Awards.
Among the awardees region-wide are the Green Banner Awardees that include Benguet as Regional Most Outstanding Nutrition Implementer (Provincial Level), Baguio as Regional Most Outstanding Nutrition Implementer (City Level), and Alfonso Lista in Ifugao as Regional Most Outstanding Nutrition Implementer (Municipal Level). Ifugao province was also recognized for bagging the National Nutrition Honor Award.
Also feted as Green Banner Awardees as Municipal Most Outstanding Implementer in Nutrition are Alfonso Lista in Ifugao and Tublay in Benguet.
The Green Banner Award is given to a town, city and province with exemplary performance in nutrition program implementation.
Aside from local governments, also awarded as Outstanding Regional Barangay Nutrition Scholars is Magdalena Sacpa of Central Kapangan in Benguet. The finalists in the outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholars Awards are Purita Perez (Baguio), Love-in Lagat (Ifugao), Easel Ledesma (Abra), Ellen Lingayo (Kalinga), and Milagros Cabe (Tabuk City).
The awardees received a plaque of recognition and cash awards from the National Nutrition Council.
Ifugao Representative Teddy Baguilat Jr., the guest of honor and speaker during the awarding ceremony held Thursday, said the challenge of nutrition remains at the country side which needs to be given importance by local governments.
The removal of the Priority Development Assistance Fund has affected the implementation of nutrition programs but he says this was cushioned by the local governments who have implemented the programs of combatting malnutrition in region’s far flung barangays and sitios, he said.
Baguilat said nutrition program sustainability depends mostly in local chief executives from town to provincial officials by implementing a sustainable and successful nutrition program.
He also said that the region’s geography and terrain remains a challenge that is being addressed by nutrition workers regularly through their sacrifice and hard works which needs regular recognition and incentives from government. – Baguio Chronicle
