The National Nutrition Council-NCR in partnership with its regional media group NCR Nutrition Communication Resource Group (NCR2) conducted the 2nd School Media Caravan on July 5, 2017 at the Pasig Elementary School Gymnasium, Pasig City. The event was held in cooperation with the Pasig City Nutrition Committee in support of the celebration of the 43rd Nutrition Month with the theme, “Healthy diet, gawing habit – FOR LIFE!”
The school media caravan is a strategy conceptualized by NNC-NCR and NCR2 to promote good nutrition among school children and high school students. Healthy eating habits should be instilled among children and adolescents because these habits are often carried into adulthood and may last a lifetime. Teaching them good eating habits as part of a healthy lifestyle will help prevent stunting and obesity as well as diseases such as heart diseases, hypertension, and diabetes later in life.
Now on its second year, the school media caravan focused on healthy diet among pre-teens (below 13 years of age). Three hundred Grades 5 and 6 students of Pasig Elementary School attended the half-day event. Pasig City Nutrition Action Officer Dr. Georgiana Galutera and Pasig City Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Dominico Idanan graced the event and delivered messages encouraging the pupils to eat healthy.
Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Milagros Elisa V. Federizo emphasized in her opening message, the importance of having a healthy diet starting at a young age. By understanding what a healthy diet is, the pupils will be able to make healthy food choices. In her talk, Nutritionist-Dietitian II Ms. Flor Anne Boncay explained the effects of unhealthy diet and discussed specific ways on how to make the diet healthy every day, starting off with a good breakfast. The students enjoyed the talk and were very participative. The program was made even livelier by the dance number of Paz and Ige mascots. The students also enjoyed the dancercise led by Ms. Boncay.
The students were asked to write down what they commit to do to make their daily diet healthy. They all received Pinggang Pinoy for Kids brochure and Gulay bookmarks to guide them in making their “plate” healthy and remind them to eat vegetables. They were also given tumblers and bag tags as freebies at the end of the program. Lucky students also won raffle prizes.
In his closing remarks, NCR2 Chair Marvin Capco encouraged the participants to share with their family, classmates, and friends all the learnings that they gained from the event. He encouraged everyone to have a healthy diet, stressing “Lagi nating tandaan: Healthy diet, gawing habit – FOR LIFE!”
(TAR/NPC MEVF/NNC-NCR)
