Cagayan Valley region has been consistently bringing home pride and honor in receiving recognition from Malacañang in the annual National Nutrition Awarding, honoring the exemplary performances of different Local Government Unit (LGUs) in maintaining good nutrition status.
Since 1997, Region 2 has already received nine Nutrition Honor Awards (NHA). This is the highest award given to a Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) awardee in maintaining exemplary performance in nutrition for three consecutive years.
Rhodora G. Maestre, Nutrition Program Coordinator, said the awarding zeroes-in on the efficiency and effectiveness of nutrition program implementation. It also aims to encourage LGU officials to strive hard to achieve zero malnutrition rates within their areas, and to continue advocate and promote good nutrition.
In 1997, Solana, Cagayan was declared the first NHA awardee of region 2 followed by Echague, Isabela in 2000, Isabela province in 2002, Dupax del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya in 2003, Tuguegarao City- 2005, Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya- 2008, Cagayan province in 2009 and Santiago City and Batanes province in 2011.
The said NHA awardees were also CROWN awardees before they were conferred the highest award. For this time, the CROWN awardees namely: Mahatao, Batanes; Lallo Cagayan and Quirino province.
Maestre further stated the region had also been producing national awardees for best Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS). BNS are part of the barangay officials who are in-charge of monitoring the nutritional status of every individual within the barangay.
In 1982, Evelyn Cariaga of Lallo, Cagayan was awarded the first BNS national awardee from the region; followed by Adelaida Martines in 1983 also from Lallo town; Margarita Padilla in 1985 from Gattaran, Cagayan; Ofelia Badua in 1987 from Gattaran also; Myrna Eligado (1999) of Ivana, Batanes-3rd placer; Mercedes Cara (2001) of Benito Soliven, Isabela - 2nd placer; Teresita Tanguilan of Tuao, Cagayan (2002) - 3rd placer; Eddie L. Ancheta of San Mateo, Isabela (2008)- the first male BNS awardee; and Marites Padilla of Maddela, Quirino (2010) - 2nd placer.
Maestre also emphasized that contenders for the said recognition have showcased not only their efforts in the implementation of nutrition and health related program but also their best practices and innovations to fight malnutrition and to address the pressing needs of their clientele.
She further stated that other municipalities are now looking forward to attain zero malnutrition and to achieve also the same award. The awards received by the mentioned municipalities served as inspirations and eye opener to other local officials to look into their constituents’ nutritional status.
“It is not really easy to maintain and sustain programs for good nutrition, especially during administration transitions wherein some chief executives do not prioritize nutrition program,” she stated.
Maestre pushed on the promotion of nutrition related activities in the grassroots to maintain the awards and to further enhance the existing programs to establish a culture of good nutrition in the society.
The Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC) which the law making body for nutrition in the region has been very active in looking into the needs of every town and city, and assisting the local officials in promoting good nutrition within their level.
Nutrition should one of the priorities of every LGU. It should not be a secondary priority only, but included supposed to be in the primary priorities at it talks about the survival status and health conditions of every human being, Maestre said.
Maestre is also optimistic that by next year there will be again champions of nutrition from the region.
