“SPOTTED: Mommy, Mama, Inay, and Me” on 3-8 October, 2011 at the Pacific Mall, Legazpi City
The MDG-F 2030’s photo exhibit on breastfeeding will be held on 3-8 October 2011 at Atrium of Pacific Mall, Legazpi City, The same activity was held at SM City Naga last 10-13 August 2011, in time for the celebration of Breastfeeding Month. This time, the exhibit will be held in partnership with Pacific Mall, City Government of Legazpi, Canon Southern Luzon, and Rotaract Club of Legazpi Central.The activity communicates the idea that a mother can breastfeed her child anywhere and anytime, and highlights the supportive environment moms need to help ensure that their children receive proper nutrition. The exhibit has presented breastfeeding as a natural, normative, positive and healthy part of everyday life at home, in the community, and in the workplace.
Photo Exhibit in SM City Naga Event Center
The Opening Event/Ribbon cutting for the Photo Exhibit last August 10, 2011, from 2 pm to 4 pm at the Event Center where the exhibit was also being held. It was such a successful event as evidenced 
by ribbon_cutting_copythe fact that the number of participants who graced the event exceeded the target. It was also attended by all members of the Sangguniang Panglungsod ng Naga (Naga City Council), headed by Mayor John G. Bongat as well as Vice Mayor Gabriel Bordado. All of the officials who attended particularly Mayor Bongat, Vice Mayor Bordado, the Mall Manager of SM expressed their support for the event and its objective i.e. to reach out to the general public on the benefits of breastfeeding.
There were 67 participants who attended the opening event on 10 August including city officials, staff from the City Population and Nutrition Office of Naga, CHD Region V represented by Dr. Carla Orozco, the Provincial Health Team of Camarines Sur, several barangay officials of Naga City, Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) from Naga City, MNAO Pia Aquino of the municipality of Ragay, NNC Region 5 Staff led by Ms. Arlene Reario, and representatives of DOLE Camarines Sur.
Prior to the opening of the exhibit, several mall patrons were seen taking interest in the photos by themselves taking pictures of the captions and the photos; Some were also given copies of reading materials and the promotional fan made for the Nutrition Month last July.
SM Cares and SM City Naga provided the venue, sound system, lights, tables and chairs, and the photo panels used during the exhibit. Engineer Christian Wesley Villanueva, the Mall Manager of SM City Naga, not only attended the opening event and gave SM’s commitment to promote breastfeeding, but also appointed key persons to assist the team in organizing the event as well as the set up of the photo exhibit;
Ms. Arlene Reario, the RTWG Chair of MDGF 2030 in Region 5 and Mall Manager Villanueva were interviewed by local media, including the local stations of ABS CBN and GMA 7. The photo exhibit ran from August 10-13, at the Event Center, during mall hours.
Photo Exhibit
From the opening day up to the 13th of August (a Saturday), the CPNO stationed Peer Counselors in the exhibit grounds to provide counseling to breastfeeding mothers. According to Raquel Buere the Nutrition Officer of the City Population and Nutrition Office (CPNO), an average of 100 people sought counseling on a daily basis.
Accordingly, a total of 900 people have viewed the photo exhibit over the duration of four days that the exhibit were on display at the Event Center of SM City Naga, which means at least half of those who viewed the photos have been given counseling by the Peer Counselors of Naga City.
