The Provincial Government of Pangasinan through the Provincial Health Office held the 9th annual Provincial Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) Congress on October 11 at the President’s Hotel, Lingayen.

Anchored on the theme, “Barangay Nutrition Scholar: Aktibo at patuloy sa serbisyong pang-nutrisyon para sa kalusugan ng Pangasinan, push natin to!”, this year’s congress aimed to continue and improve the health-related activities in the province.

The BNS program is a nationwide human resource development strategy which recruits, trains, deploys, and supervises volunteer workers on the barangay-level health projects. The program further mandates the improvement of life quality in the barangays.

Moreover, this program is also created to monitor the nutritional status of the barangay in order to address their community health, food production, sanitation, and family planning. However, the program’s main target are children and pregnant women.

Benefits of the program includes monthly travelling allowance, Civil Service Commission (CSC) eligibity, BNS kits, and medical assistance.

Topics during the congress are the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) First 1000 days (F1K) Program, the Regional Plan of Action on Nutrition and Barangay Nutrition Action Plan BNAP Formulation, and Universal Health Care.

Provincial Nutrition Coordinator Helen Bugaling, National Nutrition Council OIC Kendall Gatan, and Center for Health Development Planning Officer John Michael Peralta served as the resource persons during the congress.

The Provincial Barangay Nutrition Scholars Federation officers also took their oath during the congress.

/Paula Jhea Sison (Photos from PHO)