Local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila commit to further intensify local media campaign in 2018.  Using multimedia strategies combined with interpersonal communication, the LGUs expect greater audience coverage in promoting these key nutrition messages: 10 Kumainments, Pinggang Pinoy®, healthy diet, and vegetable gardening.

The local media campaign is a planned set of activities designed and carried out using different channels of communication to create awareness, facilitate understanding and influence and bring about change.

Through the program implementation review (PIR) of the local media campaign spearheaded by NNC-NCR last November 28, participants were able to identify the activities that worked well and those that did not that were conducted in their areas in 2017.  Most activities done used interpersonal communication such as counseling and lectures and group communication activities such as bench conferences and Mothers’ Classes. 

To educate and increase the awareness of stakeholders on the importance of good nutrition, NNC-NCR conducted advocacy forum and community-based nutrition education activities including school media caravan, simultaneous promotional events on healthy diet and stakeholders’ forum on healthy diet. 

The regional office also developed and printed promotional and collateral materials such as Healthy Diet Flyer, Pinggang Pinoy Brochure for Adults and Pregnant/ Lactating Women, Pinggang Pinoy Flipchart, Pinggang Pinoy for Kids and 10 Kumainments Tarpaulin Streamers, First 1000 Days Komiks, 1-Week Healthy Meal Plan Brochure, 2017 Nutrition Month Advocacy T-shirts and 2018 Notebook Calendar.  LGUs were provided with these promotional materials for use and distribution during nutrition education activities. 

Nutrition messages were also promoted through various forms of media: publication of press releases in newspaper, text blasts, posting and sharing of nutrition-related articles in NNC-NCR social media account and webpage and showing of 10 Kumainments infomercials in TV monitors in city halls/health centers and LED Boards of partner agencies and LGUs. 

To improve the nutrition promotion and advocacy in 2018, LGUs were encouraged to use other types of media such as LGU newsletters, electronic billboards and LGU websites and social media accounts.  Through the different communication channels, more target audiences across age groups will be informed of the correct nutrition messages and influence their food choices and eating habits.

NNC-NCR Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Milagros Elisa Federizo urged the participants to develop an effective media campaign using different channels of communication to promote better nutrition practices to the public for improved nutritional status. 

“Each channel of communication is specific in its own way.  The challenge is to find the best combination which can result in the realization of the nutrition communication objectives for each target group.  Effective communication means getting the right information to the right people at the right time,” NPC Federizo emphasized.

LGUs agreed to consider the recommendations, use innovative communication strategies and work with other stakeholder identified during the PIR to further intensify their local media campaign in 2018. (TAR/NPC MEVF/NNC-NCR)