The officers and board members of the Regional Federation of Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) of NCR had their Annual Study Tour and Team Building with the theme “Kapit-Bisig Para sa Tagumpay” in Baguio City from June 25 to 28, 2013. The group was warmly welcomed and presented with the key to Baguio City by Executive Assistant to the Mayor Mr. Jose Atanacio and District Nutrition Program Coordinator Joel B. Junsay.
The group visited Barangay City Camp Proper where they learned a lot from Ms. Monica N. Sicat, 1st Runner-up 2011 National Outstanding BNS as well as from the Barangay Nutrition Council (BNC) headed by Brgy. Chairperson Aurora G. Abellera. The BNSs interviewed OBNS Sicat and the members of the BNC and learned from their experiences on how their Barangay fought against malnutrition. OBNS Sicat emphasized the importance of the support and participation of the entire BNC in attaining their goal of having a “malnutrition-free” barangay.
The group also visited the Under-Five Clinic (UFC) of Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center. Ms. Delia Lalata and Ms. Dominga Dawe, Midwife and Nutritionist-Dietitian, respectively of the UFC toured the BNSs around the clinic and explained how they operate the clinic. The BNSs observed the different activities in the clinic such as weighing and height-taking of children, breastfeeding counseling and teaching a mother how to express her milk, cup feed her child and the correct positioning and attachment of the child to the mother’s breast for a successful breastfeeding.
Team building activities were also integrated in the group’s city tour. Several exercises meant to enhance their teamwork and strengthen their unity and cooperation were done. Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Mila V. Federizo and Nutrition Officer I Cess M. Algones of the National Nutrition Council-NCR facilitated the different teambuilding activities.
The 4-day activity was indeed successful in providing enjoyable learning experiences to the BNSs. It strengthened their resolve to unite and work harder as a team to make their Federation a viable and valuable partner of the NNC-NCR in its fight against hunger and malnutrition in Metro Manila.
