Festive mood, elated emotions, loud claps and hurrays capped the Joint Regional and City Nutrition Awarding Ceremony held on December 18, 2012 at the Santiago Mission Church, Brgy. Plaridel, Santiago City.

The annual nutrition awarding is held to pay tribute and honour the Local Government Units and community based frontline workers with exemplary performance in the implementation of local nutrition programs.

Batanes Province and Santiago City, Isabela are both Nutrition Honor Awardees (NHA), the highest national award in the exemplary and outstanding performance of the LGUs after six years of implementing programs and projects on nutrition geared towards the eradication of malnutrition and institutionalization of programs to ensure good health and nutrition in the communities.

Lallo, Cagayan and Quirino province are also both Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) awardees while Victoria Gabbac of Dagupan, San Mateo, Isabela is the 6th placer for Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar (OBNS) nationwide.

For the outstanding province, Quirino garnered the Green Banner Award and was automatically elevated into Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN).

The municipality of Sta Fe, Nueva Vizcaya successfully garnered the first place in the outstanding municipality category, followed by Sabtang, Batanes and Penablanca, Cagayan as the third place winner.

Cauayan City was proclaimed as outstanding city.

Rhodora G. Maestre, Nutrition Program Coordinator, said the awards conferred to the Local Government Units of region 2 are manifestation of the serious commitment of the local officials and their partners towards eradication of malnutrition and institutionalization of programs to further people’s good nutrition.

One of the highlights of the ceremony was the response messages given by Ms. Ma. Victoria Gabbac, Most Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar in the Region, by Honorable Teodorico P. Padilla, Jr., Mayor and MNC Chair of Sta. Fe, Nueva Vizcaya, and Honorable Amelita S. Navarro, Mayor and CNC Chair of Santiago,

Ms. Michelle R. Navarro, Breastfeeding Advocate also shared her success story in breastfeeding her kids and being a BREASTFRIEND to her community.

Certificate of Appreciation was also given to NGA’s, NGO’s, LGU’s and Market Places for establishing Lactation Station in their workplace and health facilities in compliance with R.A. 10028.