The unprecedented global social and economic crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic poses grave risk to the nutritional status and survival of young children particularly in low income families. Of particular concern is the unforeseen increase in malnutrition especially for preschool children due to food insecurity, changes in the availability and affordability of nutritious foods, and interruptions to health, nutrition and social protection services.
In crucial and uncertain times like this, the People of Marinduque worked hand-in-hand to fight COVID-19 and its impact to the people and economy. The Provincial Government of Marinduque unceasingly planned strategies and implemented various programs to reduce present cases of malnutrition and prevent increase in prevalence. Through the Provincial Nutrition Office Headed by the Provincial Nutrition Program Coordinator Ms. Rubi C. Apiag, the distribution of complementary foods to children ages 6 to 23 months was initiated with goal to provide continuous supply of food to fill the gaps.
The Food Processing Hub has been established by the Provincial Nutrition Office long before COVID-19 surfaced. It is managed by the provincial nutrition office to cater the dietary needs of malnourished children, employees in the Provincial Government of Marinduque, and other individuals, as well as providing employment to some Marinduqueños. Dietary supplementation program (DSP) is the most commonly used intervention in the augmentation of food consumption to improve the nutrition status of the identified underweight children. In spite with the gradual decrease in the prevalence of malnutrition there is still a need to continue with the dietary supplementation to prevent further deterioration in their health and nutrition, both under emergency conditions and in response to chronic food and nutrition insecurity of the target beneficiaries.
As of today, the Marinduque Provincial Food Processing Hub has been producing complementary foods such as Marinaya Nutrimix, Champorado, Choco Oats, and Milky Oats for the 170 identified underweight and severely underweight children.
Other products being produced in the Food Processing Hub include bakery products like Nutribun, Malunggay Donut, Squash Mamon, Flavored Pandesal (Ube, Pandan, Squash and Chocolate) and other products such as Malunggay and Squash Canton and Shing –Aling. It also offers healthy juices to help boost the immune system, which include calamansi juice, camote tops and lemon grass juice, cucumber juice, carrots juice, blue ternate juice, and soy milk that is known to be rich in antioxidant isoflavones as well as cold taho.
Acts 20:35 says In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he Himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” For this, we are hopeful that these programs will greatly help our constituents to improve their nutritional requirements in this hard time of this COVID 19 pandemic. (Raymond P. Medina - PNO Marinduque)
