CAR

Details: Category: Region CAR; Published: 23 June 2017

San Antonio LAL-LO, Cagayan- “Whatever the achievements of Lal-lo, you will achieve these too”, are the challenging words of Hon. Florence Oliver Pascual, the Vice Mayor and Municipal Nutrition Committee Vice Chairperson during the benchmarking of selected Local Nutrition Committee (LNC) members of CAR. The activity was held on June 14-15, 2017 in Lal-lo, Cagayan, one of the recipients of the Nutrition Honor Award, the highest award given by NNC to outstanding LGU performers of nutrition programs.

Seventeen selected local nutrition committee members from the provinces of Abra, Benguet and Mountain Province participated in the activity composed of the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) of Abra province Dr. Antonio Valera, the PHO and Provincial Nutrition Action Officer (PNAO) of Mt. Province Dr. Penelope Domogo, together with delegates from Danglas, Tayum, Peñarubia, Bangued of Abra, Sablan and Tublay of Benguet and PNC member of Abra. They were accompanied by Nutrition Officers Nancy Paclos and Diane Joaquin of NNC-CAR.

Details: Category: Region CAR; Published: 25 May 2017

Kasalip PASIL, Kalinga – “If only the LGU is rich and can afford to provide full time staff for the radio, it is very helpful in disseminating information to the people”, said Dr. Aldrin Siwao, the Station Manager and Municipal Health Officer of Pasil during the visit of Nutrition Officers Nancy Paclos and Carol Donaal on May 16, 2017.

Siwao, explained that the radio station is operating but due to the busy schedule of some Community Radio Council members, some cannot have their radio program regularly. He said that the stations is able to air regularly the scheduled nutrition programs specifically the One Nutrition One Nation and Katumbas ay Biyaya. He also mentioned that they are waiting for the supplemental budget for the purchase of supplies for the upgrading of the radio antenna from 50 meters to 100 meters to increase reach of the radio station saying that the municipal mayor, Hon. Alfredo Malannag, Jr. has a standing order that upgrading of the antenna and full operation of the radio is targeted by June 18, 2017 during the town fiesta.

Siwao mentioned that once the antenna is upgraded, the radio station coverage will reach 14 barangays compared to its current coverage of 7 barangays. He also mentioned that included in the current radio coverage are parts of Uma, a barangay of an adjacent municipality which is Lubuagan, Kalinga. NEP

Details: Category: Region CAR; Published: 07 April 2017

SUNEP BAGUIO CITY, Mar. 31 (PIA) - The implementation of nutrition education for Pantawid families through the Family Development Sessions (FDS) gets the support anew of the Regional Nutrition Committee(RNC).

The RNC recently approved a resolution for the continuing support of the Pabasa sa Nutrisyon for Pantawid Families following its successful implementation in Abra.

The Pabasa sa Nutrisyon aims to enhance nutrition education among Pantawid families through additional modules on nutrition in the FDS towards an improved nutritional status of children, and other vulnerable groups like pregnant and lactating mother.

Details: Category: Region CAR; Published: 12 May 2017

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The provinces of Abra and Apayao are the focus areas in the five-year plan for nutrition in the country for the Cordillera during the recent launching of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition 2017-2022 that aims to address malnutrition.

National Nutrition Council-Cordillera Program Coordinator Rita Papey said the two provinces have been identified by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute survey with high stunting rates among other provinces in the region.

Papey said as the focus areas, more resources and intensive programs on enhancing nutrition would be poured in the two provinces.

During the recent launching of the Philippine PPAN in Iloilo City, Department of Health Secretary Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial said one of the focuses for nutrition is combating of stunting in the country.

Stunting, according to the World Health Organization, is the impaired growth and development in children due to poor nutrition, repeated infection, and inadequate psychosocial stimulation.

Ubial said from 44.5 percent in 1989, stunting cases went down to 33.4 percent in 2015, while underweight prevalence went down from 27.3 percent to 21.5 percent in the same year.

“On one side some critics have said that the decline has been very slow compared to some of our neighboring countries that have already made great strides in nutrition improvement,” she said.She said the country’s rate of stunting is one of the highest in Southeast Asia, as other countries have less than 20 percent stunting rate.

With this, she said the national target for reduction of stunting is 21 percent which entails targeting at least 90 percent of pregnant women and children for programs, increase resource commitments by national government agencies and local government counterparts.

Under PPAN, local government units are assigned to deliver services and continue capacity-building policies addressing malnutrition in their respective municipalities.Out of these 12 programs under the PPAN, eight are nutrition specific, one is nutrition sensitive, and three are enabling support programs that would also help curb malnutrition to attain the sustainable development goals.

Papey said they will work on a regional launching for the five-year PPAN in order to cascade the nutrition program to the various provinces, especially Abra and Apayao. She said the success of the nutrition plan is dependent on the area point persons in the region and the coordination of the LGUs and line agencies to attain PPAN’s goal in the Cordillera. Ofelia C. Ampian/Baguio Midland Courier

Details: Category: Region CAR; Published: 04 May 2017

BAGUIO CITY, Apr. 5 (PIA) - This Friday, April 7, global communities will observe World Health Day with focus on the theme, “Depression, Let’s Talk”.

Dr. Ramona Abat, a psychiatrist, in a Department of Health- led kapihan forum at the PIA grounds, Wednesday, disclosed that the World Health Organization focuses the observance on depression as it remains to be the leading cause of ill health and disability worldwide.

WHO statistics show that more than 300 million people are now living with depression, an increase of around 18 percent between 2005 to 2015.

One out of every five persons or around 20 percent of people has experienced depression in some point of their lives.

Abat shared that as early as 13 years old and up to senior years, individuals can experience depression and it can be due to biological, psychological or social factors.

At the Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center Department of Psychiatry where Abat works as a consultant, she disclosed that for every 100 patients that visit them, around to 25 to 30 are diagnosed to be experiencing depression.

An illness that needs to be given special attention and support, depression can be prevented by maintaining a healthy lifestyle that includes having a balance diet, enough rest/sleep and by managing stress.

Mild to modest depression can be managed through psycho – therapy and regular exercises but when it is already severe, medication is needed, she added.

Abat also advised people against the stigma of visiting a psychiatrist as depression can lead to other severe illnesses and also suicidal tendencies.

Lack of support for people with mental disorders coupled with fear of stigma prevent many from accessing the treatment they need to live healthy and productive lives, WHO reports. (JDP/CCD with A. Nonato- PIACAR/ SLU Intern)

Details: Category: Region CAR; Published: 20 April 2017

March I felt pure joy as I wave my goodbyes to the Barangay Nutrition Scholars as some started leaving the hotel where we had the five-day training from March 13-17, 2017. Majority of these BNS are from the far-flung municipalities of Apayao and Abra but there were also participants from Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province including Baguio City. Thanks to the LGUs who shouldered their travelling expenses. These BNSs are barangay-based volunteers who contribute a lot to the improvement of the barangay nutrition situation and to the achievement of other health goals.

The five-day training aimed to develop the capacities of newly hired BNSs to serve their respective barangays better. It is a combination of interactive discussions, lectures, workshops, games, sharing of experiences and visit to one of the model Barangay Nutrition Committee (BNC) of Baguio City which is Barangay Lower Quirino Hill. Sharing of experiences and actual practices were one of the highlights of the training since resource persons/facilitators for the training were the Regional Outstanding BNSs (ROBNSs) in the region including Ms. Magdalena Sacpa (2011, 2014, 2015 ROBNS), Ms. Monica Sicat (2012 ROBNS), Ms. Imelda Dagupon (2016 ROBNS) and Ms. Love-in Lagat (2014 Finalist, ROBNS). Who else would speak the best than the people who have been there.

Aside from the serious learning sessions, participants and facilitators had fun that included the heart-warming celebration of Women’s Month during the last day of the training.

Being with them in the five day training made me appreciate better their hard work, commitments, and sacrifices. I was happy to hear them say they hope to serve their barangays better with the training. Who knows, one day, one of them will be recognized a regional or national Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholars, but whether they will be awarded or not, I think that they outstanding in their own little ways and their contributions in our fight against malnutrition is worth an award.

I felt pure joy as I wave my goodbyes to the Barangay Nutrition Scholars as some started leaving the hotel where we had the five-day training from March 13-17, 2017. Majority of these BNS are from the far-flung municipalities of Apayao and Abra but there were also participants from Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province including Baguio City. Thanks to the LGUs who shouldered their travelling expenses. These BNSs are barangay-based volunteers who contribute a lot to the improvement of the barangay nutrition situation and to the achievement of other health goals.

The five-day training aimed to develop the capacities of newly hired BNSs to serve their respective barangays better. It is a combination of interactive discussions, lectures, workshops, games, sharing of experiences and visit to one of the model Barangay Nutrition Committee (BNC) of Baguio City which is Barangay Lower Quirino Hill. Sharing of experiences and actual practices were one of the highlights of the training since resource persons/facilitators for the training were the Regional Outstanding BNSs (ROBNSs) in the region including Ms. Magdalena Sacpa (2011, 2014, 2015 ROBNS), Ms. Monica Sicat (2012 ROBNS), Ms. Imelda Dagupon (2016 ROBNS) and Ms. Love-in Lagat (2014 Finalist, ROBNS). Who else would speak the best than the people who have been there.

Aside from the serious learning sessions, participants and facilitators had fun that included the heart-warming celebration of Women’s Month during the last day of the training.

Being with them in the five day training made me appreciate better their hard work, commitments, and sacrifices. I was happy to hear them say they hope to serve their barangays better with the training. Who knows, one day, one of them will be recognized a regional or national Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholars, but whether they will be awarded or not, I think that they outstanding in their own little ways and their contributions in our fight against malnutrition is worth an award. DBJ