Navotas City Nutrition Committee held a culminating activity on March 15, 2022, for the sixty-four (64) pregnant beneficiaries to mark the end of the 90-day food supplementation provided by the National Nutrition Council’s Tutok Kainan Dietary Supplementation Program (TK-DSP).

TK-DSP is the NNC’s COVID-19 response that aims to fight malnutrition and prevent stunting in the first 1000 days of life (F1KD) by improving the quality and quantity of food for pregnant women and children 6-23 months.

Present during the culminating activity is the City Health Officer of Navotas City, Dr. Christia Padolina who graced the event with an opening message.

“Sa amin po ang pinakamahalaga ang ibig pong sabihin ng graduation o commencement ay umpisa. Umpisa nang mas matibay na kalusugan dala nang natutunan at naibigay na benepisyo dito sa Tutok Kainan,” Dr. Padolina said.

Dr. Padolina also emphasized in her message the importance of improving the quality of food consumed by pregnant mothers and their babies in the first 1000 days (F1KD) of life to prevent malnutrition and stunting.

During the activity, N1KD Coordinator Ms. Geraldine Gonzales had a short lecture on the importance of having a birth plan which includes the completion of prenatal checkups, provision of vitamins, and giving birth in a health facility. Ms. Gonzales also reminded the pregnant beneficiaries of the importance of breastfeeding to achieve the optimum growth of the child.

The Navotas City Nutrition Committee, through F1KD focal ND Ms. Hershey Martin, distributed IEC materials on proper nutrition in the first 1000 days to the 64 pregnant beneficiaries of the program.

Provincial Nutrition Focal Program Diana Umali of NNC-NCR gave a closing message during the program which emphasized the importance of the dietary supplementation program to promote proper nutrition and prevent stunting in the F1KD.

Written by: PNFP Diana Jean A. Umali and NPC Milagros Elisa V. Federizo