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- Category: Region 2
CITY OF ILAGAN, ISABELA--- The National Nutrition Council Region 02 together with the Balay ni IFAN Media Group planned to mobilize more local community radio station here for nutrition promotion during the last quarter Balay ni IFAN Media Group meeting.
Dr. Rogelio Matalang, station manager- DZDA Radyo Pangkaunlaran and National Chairman of the Philippine Federation of Rural Broadcasters, suggested the NNC R02 to tap lists of local community radio stations in the region for free airing of nutrition plugs, drama or announcements of the agency.
“We can always ask the help of our local community radio stations, they are very active specially for developmental and educational plugs which can boost awareness within their jurisdiction,” he added during the last quarter meeting.
The suggestion was brought up by Dr. Matalang due to limited fund for local media placement of the agency.
“At present we are already utilizing some local community radio stations in the region specially in Cagayan. With the suggestion we can explore other areas to ensure wider dissemination of nutrition information in the region,” Ms. Maria Gisela Lonzaga, Nutrition Program Coordinator, as she agreed to the suggestion.
Read more: NNC R02 to mobilize more community radio stations for nutrition promotion
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- Category: Region 2
On 18 December 2020, 10 Local Government Units (LGUs) who are the most exposed to natural and other hazards in the region completes the eLearning Course on Nutrition in Emergencies – Information Management (NIEM-IM). These LGUs were Quirino Province, cities of Tuguegarao and Cauayan, and municipalities of Echague, Roxas, and Cabagan in Isabela Province, Aparri, Camalaniugan and Sta. Praxedes in Cagayan Province, and Cabarroguis in Quirino Province with a total of 43 participants.
The usual face-to-face trainings is currently not allowed due to COVID-19 restrictions in the region; hence, the training was conducted virtually and through recorded videos. The following modules were covered with Information Management was incorporated in Module 2 as a cross-cutting concern:
Module 1: Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) and Cluster Approach
Module 2: Introduction to Nutrition in Emergencies
Module 3: Disaster Risk Reduction and Management – Health – Nutrition in Emergencies (DRRM-H-NIE)
Module 4: Simulation Exercise, Synthesis and Re-entry Plan
Read more: 10 LGUs completes the eLearning Course on NIEM-IM!
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- Category: Region 2
Emergencies such as floods, typhoons and earthquakes greatly affect the health and nutrition of the vulnerable groups especially the infants, young children, and pregnant and lactating women. Access to safe food and water and nutrition and health services are limited during emergencies. These would impose challenges in protecting, promoting and supporting the optimal infant and young child feeding.
To prevent malnutrition and ensure survival, the health and nutritional status of the members of the vulnerable groups must be protected. It is important that a child must receive the optimal nutrition during the first 1000 days of life since it affects his or her growth, learning potential and brain development. Thus, the health and nutrition of pregnant and lactating women and 0-2 years old children should not be compromised during emergencies.
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- Category: Region 2
On 17 December 2020, the Regional Nutrition Council (RNC) of Region 02 passes the RNC Resolution No. 2 – “Enjoining All Local Government Units to Strengthen the Integration of Nutrition Programs, Projects, and Activities in their 2021-2022 Annual Investment Programs to Prevent Worsening of Nutrition Situation Amid COVID-19 Pandemic” and RNC Resolution No. 3 – “A Resolution Endorsing and Supporting the Utilization of Enhanced Nutribun for Supplementary Feeding” during the 4th Quarter RNC Meeting, s. 2020. Both resolutions aim to strengthen nutrition programs and policies to prevent worsening of malnutrition amid the COVID-19 pandemic and other hazards and threats to the nutritional status of the vulnerable groups including pregnant and lactating women, preschool children, persons with disabilities, indigenous people, and other members of the marginalized sectors.
RNC Resolution No. 2 aims to “enjoin all local government units to strengthen the integration of nutrition programs, projects, and activities in their 2021-2022 annual investment programs to prevent worsening of nutrition situation amid COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring continuous delivery of nutrition services, especially for the vulnerable groups”. The resolution further aims to ensure that the nutrition status of affected population especially the most vulnerable groups will not worsen or deteriorate due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic through strengthening nutrition programs, projects, and activities at all levels since malnutrition and other comorbidities are contributing factors for complications in people with COVID-19 if the immune system is compromised.
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- Category: Region 2
The Regional Nutrition Cluster of Region 2, together with the National Nutrition Cluster and Regional Nutrition Cluster of Region 1 provided nutrition response to several municipalities in the provinces of Cagayan and Isabela affected by a major flooding starting on November 18, 2020 and is currently on-going. The team provided appropriate nutrition in services to disaster-stricken population to prevent worsening of nutritional situation. These minimum nutrition service package include Maternal Nutrition Infant and Young Child Feeding (MNIYCF) Promotion, Micronutrient Supplementation, Dietary Supplementation Program, and Philippine Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (PIMAM). These services are also provided amid the pandemic. Minimum health protocols such as physical distancing and wearing of face masks and face shields are observed in the delivery of services.
These teams had been to municipalities of Lal-lo, Aparri, Amulung, Alcala, Baggao, and Lasam in Cagayan Province, and in the municipality of Sta. Maria in Isabela Province, with 11 barangays were catered. 205 preschool children aged 0-59 months old and 114 pregnant and lactating women were provided with nutrition services. All the 205 preschool children were given infant kits containing body lotion, bath soap, and baby powder, and MNIYCF counselling. All pregnant and lactating women were also provided MNIYCF counselling to ensure their good nutrition and exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of the infant and complementary feeding from six months and beyond. Proper and good nutrition were also promoted. Teams identified three (3) Moderately Acute Malnourished (MAM) children and were given ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF). 11 pregnant women were also identified to be nutritionally-at-risk and were provided nutrition counselling. Only 16 young children were given additional dose of Vitamin A since most of the local government units were able to provide Vitamin A less than a month on the onset of the disaster.
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- Category: Region 2
By Benjie S. De Yro
Your choice: to buy a new belt for your expanding waistline or to keep it trim.
Holidays can either be boon or bane depending on one’s voracity (pardon?) to consume an endless array of food on the table. But it is the new normal. Will it affect the way we splurge on the table of fats, sea of calories or a swim into pots of indulgence?
Your choice.
Holidays are always time for treats, parties and extended vacations topped by fancy foods prepared by fancy people on a fancy kitchen floor. But again, this is your first Holidays under the new normal, for heaven’s sake.
Parties are outlawed (?) regardless of who you invite to your feast. Besides, social distancing can be irritating if you want to share a buzz on a friend. You cannot buzz two meters apart, by the way, unless you want people to engage in your little secrets.
Even if you tend to host a little party of ten or, to say the least, 20 with all those face masks and face shields and possibly gloves and boots to ensure you won’t catch the virus, you will still feel uncomfortable.
First, you don’t want a photo shoot with your shields and masks and still, the photographer says, ‘smile!, you’re live on cam.”
