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- Category: Region NCR
The officers and board members of the Association of Nutrition Action Officers in NCR (ANAO-NCR, Inc) were once again challenged to end malnutrition during the Association’s regular meeting held on February 10, 2015 at Max’s Restaurant in Mandaluyong City. The meeting was presided by ANAO-NCR’s President and Mandaluyong City’s First Lady Mrs. Carmelita “Menchie” A. Abalos, assisted by Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Milagros Elisa V. Federizo.
The meeting was well-attended with all the cities and municipality in Metro Manila represented except for Marikina City. Also present at the meeting were First Ladies and CNAO-designate Mrs. Melissa Sison-Oreta of Malabon City and Dr. Mary Joyce F. Medina of the Municipality of Pateros.
Discussed during the meeting were the following: a) 2014 Operation Timbang (OPT) Plus Results and Nutritional Status of School Children; b) Updates on the status of the organization of local nutrition clusters in emergencies; c) Schedule and mechanics of the 2015 Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation (MELLPI); d) Updates on the status of the functionality of Local Nutrition Committees in the region; e) Organization of Local Bantay Asin Task Force; f) Promotion of Good Nutrition; g) approved 2014 RNC Resolutions; and h) ANAO-NCR’s Activities in 2015 which includes a Fun Run scheduled in July in line with the Nutrition Month celebration.
Metro Manila NAOs expressed their concern on the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among children 0-71 months based on the 2014 OPT Plus results, notably among the 0-5 month age group. The prevalence of underweight also sharply increased when infants reach the age of 1 year. The group recognized the double burden of malnutrition in the region. RNPC Federizo stressed the need to for the local government units to invest on nutrition interventions on the first 1,000 days of the child which includes ensuring good maternal nutrition during pregnancy and providing optimal nutrition to infants and young children from birth up to 23 months. The promotion of exclusive breastfeeding from birth up to six months and proper complementary feeding starting at 6 months with continued breastfeeding up to two years and beyond must be continually intensified in Metro Manila.
In response, the Metro Manila NAOs reiterated their commitment to continuously strive to strengthen their local nutrition programs and make them truly responsive to the nutrition challenges in their respective localities. (TAR/MEVF/NNCNCR)
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- Category: Region NCR
The first leg of the ‘shepherding’ visits of the National Nutrition Council-NCR and the Regional Nutrition Management Group (RNMG) in 2015 was held in Navotas City on 03 February 2015. The ‘Shepherding’ Project is a mentoring strategy of the Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC) of NCR aimed at providing technical assistance to selected local government units toward improved nutrition program management.
Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Milagros Elisa V. Federizo and Nutrition Officer III Emerenciana L. Francia met with City Nutrition Action Officer (CNAO) and City Councilor Reynaldo Monroy of Navotas City together with City Nutrition Program Coordinators (CNPCs) Edna Cipriano, Rosemarie Santos and Renee dela Rosa. The NNC-NCR was warmly welcomed by Councilor Monroy in his office. He thanked NNC-NCR led by NPC Federizo for always supporting and guiding the city in their efforts in localizing the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) through efficient and effective nutrition program management. The meeting was very fruitful as they were able to discuss the results of the 2014 Operation Timbang (OPT) Plus and brainstorm on the city’s innovative nutrition projects in 2015.
The leadership and support of Mayor Tiangco as Chair of the City Nutrition Committee is a key to the improvement of nutrition program management of the city contributing to the decrease in the prevalence of undernutrition among children 0-6 years old. Since 2013, Mayor Tiangco has deepened his commitment to support the nutrition programs following the series of shepherding visits conducted by the NNC-NCR and members of the RNMG which is the technical arm of the Regional Nutrition Committee.
The NNC-NCR committed to assist the CNPCs of Navotas in preparing the concept paper of the innovative nutrition projects of the city focusing on the first 1,000 days of the child and dental nutrition. CNAO Monroy and the nutrition secretariat are optimistic that the projects will bring about continued nutrition improvement and contribute to the achievement of Mayor Tiangco’s vision of a zero-malnutrition Navotas City. (ELF/MEVF/NNC-NCR)
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Valenzuela City’s Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar (OBNS) for 2013, Ms. Aurora H. Sedorifa of Barangay Lawang Bato, was adjudged Regional OBNS for 2013 by the inter-agency Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team (RNET) of NCR. BNS Sedorifa bested nine (9) other OBNSs from Metro Manila.
The Search for the Regional OBNS was conducted by the inter-agency RNET alongside the Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation (MELLPI) from March to April 2014 in Metro Manila. The City/Municipal OBNSs were evaluated based on their accomplishments in identifying and locating target beneficiaries, delivering services, growth monitoring of children, and assistance and participation in barangay nutrition activities in 2013. They also took a written examination for OBNSs on May 13, 2014 at the DOH-NCRO Conference Room.
Read more: BNS Sedorifa of Valenzuela City is NCR’s 2013 ROBNS
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The National Nutrition Council-NCR joins the nation in the observance of Goiter Awareness Week (GAW) on January 26-30, 2015. Presidential Proclamation 1188 signed in 2006 declared every 4th week of January as Goiter Awareness Week to increase public awareness on the prevention and control of Goiter and other Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD).
The Department of Health, together with partner agencies and medical societies focusing in thyroid diseases, takes the lead in this yearly celebration. Goiter is the enlargement of thyroid gland which could be due to a deficiency in iodine or other causes such as autoimmune disease, inflammation and other medical conditions.
Goiter due to iodine deficiency can be prevented by eating foods rich in iodine such as salt water fishes, shellfishes and seaweeds and by the regular use of adequately iodized salt in the daily diet. Goiter due to other causes can be treated medically or surgically.
Iodine deficiency continues to be a nutrition challenge in the country. Widespread information and education is needed to capacitate the public about the effects of goiter and other IDDs. This year’s theme “Goiter Sugpuin, Isip Patalinuhin, Iodized Salt Gamitin” emphasizes the importance of using iodized salt as a practical way of obtaining iodine from the daily diet to prevent goiter and other conditions due to a deficiency in iodine.
Let’s prevent and control goiter due to iodine deficiency. Follow the 7th Kumainment: “Gumamit ng iodized salt”!
(TAR/MEVF/NNCNCR) Photo courtesy of Department of Health
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Parañaque City Nutrition Committee chaired by Mayor Edwin L. Olivarez together with City Nutrition Action Officer Mrs. Janet A. Olivarez hosted the 2014 Nutrition Month Regional Launch on July 1, 2014 at the city’s Session Hall. Spearheaded by the National Nutrition Council-NCR, the event was attended by around 200 participants from all over Metro Manila.
This year’s NM theme “Kalamidad paghandaan: Gutom at malnutrisyon agapan!” was explained by Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Milagros Elisa V. Federizo. “We celebrate Nutrition Month every July to create greater awareness on nutrition among Filipinos. Our theme this year focuses on Nutrition in Emergencies which aims to make the general public realize the importance of preparedness during emergencies and what should be done during nutrition emergencies to prevent death and worsening of malnutrition of the affected population groups”, NPC Federizo explained.
A video on nutrition in emergencies prepared by the NNC-NCR through its regional media group, NCR Nutrition Communication Resource Group (NCR2), was shown during the program. The video emphasizes the nutrition response during emergencies to ensure the well-being of the affected population especially the infants and young children, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, older persons and those with debilitating conditions who are most vulnerable to sickness, malnutrition and death during emergencies and disasters.
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“Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children and the nursing infants. Let the bridegroom come out of his room and the bride out of her chamber” – Joel 2:16, New American Standard Version
“It came to pass, as he said these things, a certain woman out of the multitude lifted up her voice, and said to him, "Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breasts which nursed you!"- Luke 11:27, World English Bible
These are just two verses lifted from the Holy Bible that talk about breastfeeding. Even Pope Francis supports breastfeeding in public. In the recent news, Pope Francis, in a baptism ceremony in the Sistine Chapel where he baptized thirty three (33) children, encouraged mothers to breastfeed their children as long as they want.
Pope Francis probably believes that breastfeeding can save lives of infants and young children and an effective strategy to fight hunger and malnutrition. Breastmilk is the optimal food for infants. Breastfeeding is the most natural way and the gold standard in feeding infants. Needless to say, breastfeeding is priceless.
