The National Nutrition Council (NNC) R02 has expanded the membership of the ‘Balay Ni Ifan’ media task force as its linkage for a wider information and advocacy thrust.

The ‘Balay Ni Ifan’, which was organized in 2009 and composed of local media practitioners from government and private media outfits in this region, tasked to do massive education and promotion campaigns on nutrition programs.

Maria Gisela Lonzaga, OIC-nutrition program coordinator, said the team started with just a few members to include the Philippine Information Agency-Cagayan, PBS-Radyo ng Bayan, FBN-DZCV, DZYT-Sonshine Radio, RBC Cable Master, Clearview Cable Television, RPN-DZTG, and Northern Forum.

She said two Nutriskwela community radio stations in Claveria, Cagayan (Radyo Kalugaran) and Basco, Batanes (Radyo Kavayvayan) were earlier installed to further help the agency disseminate its programs and campaigns.

This year, Lonzaga and members of Balay ni IFAN agreed to expand their partnership to other radio stations in Sta Teresita, Sta Ana, Gonzaga and Aparri, Cagayan, Echague, Isabela and Bayombong Nueva Vizcaya.

“With the network’s expansion, our promotion of good nutrition will reach a wider audience,” Lonzaga said.

She also expressed her gratitude to the members of the task force for the assistance they extended to the council which resulted in the region’s achievement of numerous national nutrition awards in the past years.

The NNC R02 and Balay ni IFAN media Core Group through the suggestion of Dr. Rogelio Matalang, Professor and DWDA Station Manager, also plan to tap the higher education institutions as partners in the conduct of an assessment and evaluation of the agency’s local media placements through communication research.