More than 300 Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNSs) from all over Metro Manila attended the 2016 Annual Barangay Nutrition Scholars’ Regional Conference with the theme “Malnutrisyon: Kilalanin at Sugpuin” held on 18 November 2016 at the Heritage Hotel, Pasay City. It was organized by the Federation of Barangay Nutrition Scholar of NCR, Inc. in partnership with the National Nutrition Council – National Capital Region (NNC-NCR).
The BNSs are front-line barangay-based nutrition workers who provide basic nutrition and related services and serve as the link between the service providers and the families. This year’s conference focused on the various forms of urban malnutrition and how the BNSs can help prevent and manage them by knowing how they are identified, understanding their causes and consequences, and identifying the strategies to combat them in the public health setting.
In her message, Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Ms. Milagros Elisa V. Federizo congratulated the Regional Federation of BNSs for organizing the conference yearly to update them on relevant nutrition topics and improve their competencies. She further challenged them to work even harder to prevent and control the double burden of malnutrition in the region.
Ms. Lee Chan, representative and technical assistant of Congresswoman Alexandria “Queenie” P. Gonzales of the lone district of Mandaluyong City, delivered the keynote speech on the latter’s behalf. She emphasized the importance of the BNSs as prime movers in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. She relayed the commitment of support of Congresswoman Gonzales in addressing the problem of hunger and malnutrition not only in Mandaluyong City but in the rest of Metro Manila.
During the technical session, Ms. Mildred O. Guirindola, Senior Science Research Specialist of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute-DOST discussed the “Nutritional Status of Children and other Population Groups in Metro Manila”. It was followed by the lecture-presentation on the following topics, namely: “Stunting: Why it Matters” by Dr. Celna Mae L. Tejare, Nutrition and Health Coordinator of Action Against Hunger (formerly ACF International); “Essential Nutrition Actions against Wasting” by Ms. Rogelina L. Balderian and Mr. Fidel dela Cruz, Community Mobilizers of Save the Children; and “Community-Based Interventions on Childhood Obesity” by Dr. Ronaldo O. Quintana, Technical Officer of World Health Organization Philippines.
To further inspire the BNSs in their fight against urban malnutrition, Mrs. Leny G. Gadiana, Senior Counselor of the University of Santo Tomas Manila called the BNSs “Ambassadors of Nutrition” in her motivational talk. She stressed that the BNSs are the supporters, promoters and most of all champions of nutrition in the barangays they serve.
(MABRM/MEVF/NNCNCR)
