The officers and board members of the Federation of Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS) of NCR together with Nutrition Program Coordinator Mila Federizo and Nutrition Officer I Bea Menorca of the National Nutrition Council - NCR went to the Municipalities of Talavera and General Tinio, Nueva Ecija for their annual Technical Exchange and Team Building held on February 28 to March 2, 2018.
The Municipality of Talavera was chosen as the venue for this year’s activity to learn from BNS Thelma Esteban of Barangay Bugtong na Buli who is one of the finalists in the 2016 Search for the National Outstanding BNS. Talavera was also hailed as the outstanding municipality in the region in 2015 by the National Nutrition Council Region III.
During the learning visit, two (2) barangays were visited namely, Bugtong na Buli and Matias. The NCR delegation together with Municipal Nutrition Action Officer Marilou Solitario were welcomed by the barangay nutrition committees led by Barangay Chairpersons Eliseo Punzal and Benito Miranda of Barangay Bugtong na Buli and Matias, respectively. The barangay chairpersons together with their BNSs Thelma Esteban of Bugtong na Buli and Riza Esmabe of Matias shared their respective nutrition programs and innovative projects.
In Barangay Bugtong na Buli, the NCR group was given a tour of their Gulayan sa Komunidad and given fresh produce such as green mangoes and tomatoes. The Gulayan, vermi composting area, and evacuation center in Barangay Matias were also visited.
At Talavera municipal hall, they were warmly welcomed by Mayor Nerivi Santos-Martinez and the members of the Municipal Nutrition Committee (MNC). Mayor Martinez presented the municipality's nutrition programs and projects. NPC Federizo thanked Mayor Martinez and the MNC for their warm welcome and kind hospitality. She also congratulated the municipality for the nutrition awards they received through the years and thanked them for making the first 1000 days of the child a priority concern.
The group also visited San Isidro Labrador Church, DVF Dairy Farm, and Talavera Pasalubong Center. They also had a salu-salo with Mayor Martinez at her house and were amazed by the Mayor’s strawberry farm and vegetable garden.
The team building of the officers and board members of the Federation was held back-to-back with the learning visit with the theme “IMAGINE with all your mind, BELIEVE with all your heart, ACHIEVE with all your might!” The group had teambuilding exercises to get them acquainted or reacquainted with each other and with their own self, and ultimately enhance their team work.
The BNSs were encouraged to become better members of the Federation. They learned the value of staying focused on their goals and working together to achieve them. The learnings and experiences they had during their stay in Talavera inspired the BNSs to do better in their work as frontline nutrition workers in their barangay.
Before heading back to Manila, the group went to Minalungao National Park in General Tinio, Nueva Ecija for more bonding moments. (MABRM/TAR/NPC MEVF/NNC-NCR)
