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- Category: Region 5
Both Barangay Based-Institutions (BBIs), the Barangay Health and Emergency Response Team (BHERT) and the Barangay Nutrition Committee (BNC) have its own unique role in ensuring the well-being of the populace. The former looks at the general population and active when there is an ensuing health emergency while the latter is for children (pre-school and school children), pregnant and lactating mothers and other vulnerable groups in the barangay. These existed based on the emerging issue during the time these were created by virtue of a particular legal bases. The BHERT is to respond to a health emergency at hand while the BNC prepares the younger population so they are physically and mentally prepared for a health emergency that they will possibly face until they reach old age.
In 2003, during the multi-country Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak, BHERT by virtue of Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Memorandum Circular (MC) 2003-95 was born out of dire necessity to prevent the spread of the illness. This time, again, BHERTs were activated throughout the country thru DILG MC 2020-023 dated 06 February 2020 as one of the government’s response to control COVID 19 pandemic to further spread this in the communities.
Read more: BHERT or BNC: which has greater responsibility on averting health emergencies?
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- Category: Region 5
Tabaco City. COVID-19 pandemic has affected the health and livelihood of Filipinos. The Department of Health reminds everyone to wash their hands frequently and boost their immune system to prevent acquiring the virus. Promotion of good nutrition is most necessary during this health crisis. With this in mind, the city of Tabaco and municipality of Tiwi in the province of Albay initiated buying produce from their local farmers. The two LGUs announced earlier last week that agricultural produce only will be bought by the LGU and will distribute them to the families in the community.
In Tabaco City, hundreds of kilos of produce were bought from the farmers and are being allocated to the different sectors of the community. According to City Nutrition Program Coordinator Efleda Boboyo, 108 kilos of pechay, 320 kilos of winged beans, and 41 kilos of tomatoes will be distributed to 2,400 pregnant and lactating women in the city. As of today, the city government has provided food packs to 1,000 pregnant and lactating mothers with these fresh veggies.
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- Category: Region 5
Many people suddenly want to be healthy, taking extra vitamin C supplements, multivitamins, getting a flu vaccine, and even trying super foods like “banana” that recently have been controversial because of this so-called social media hype... Banana cha-cha! Are we just going bananas over this?
Recently, there was this video circulating online claiming that banana is apparently a super fruit that will prevent a person from getting infected with this dreadful COVID-19. So, it was no surprise that next day, the price of banana went overboard and was selling like hotcakes. From the local saba variety, up to the elegant lacatan and all the varieties available in the market, like the face mask and alcohol, bananas may just be the next out of stock fruit or the next big thing on the online market. The Department on Health had clarified and issued a statement on this wrong claim. More studies and experiments are needed to establish the role of banana in fighting against COVID-19.
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- Category: Region 5
Legazpi City. The National Nutrition Council in Bicol convened on Wednesday, 25 March the Inter-Agency members of the Regional Nutrition Cluster through video conference to discuss the Nutrition Advisory No. 1, series 2020 urging LGUs on nutrition actions to take relative to COVID-19 crisis, and the status of COVID-19 in Bicol. The advisory issued by the National Nutrition Cluster chaired by Executive Director Azucena M. Dayanghirang will guide the local government units, non-government organization, business companies and other civic-oriented organizations providing nutrition services to all areas affected by COVID-19. Meanwhile, 18 regional nutrition cluster members from different government agencies and non-government organizations participated in the online meeting. During the meeting, each nutrition advisory was tackled by the members citing the activities of government agencies and initiatives of non-government organizations. NPC Reario emphasized the need for the mothers to breastfeed exclusively (for 0-6-month-old infants) and provide complementary food (for 6 months and beyond). She also mentioned to include vegetables to the family food packs being given for the families. DSWD representative, Ms. Cristina Florendo said that the DSWD has given food packs to different local government units containing 6 kilos rice, 4 cans of sardines, 4 cans of corned beef, 6 sachets of 3-in-1 coffee which are good for 3 days. These food packs will be given to 25% of the poorest families in each LGU. Dr. Rita Ang-Bon of CHD Bicol shared that the Inter-Agency Task Force of Bicol meets regularly for the COVID-19 issues. She hopes that the nutrition commodities intended for Bicol region will soon arrive from DOH Central Office.
Read more: NNC Bicol urges LCEs to sustain response amid COVID-19 pandemic
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Legazpi City. National 
Nutrition Council Bicol attended the Closing Ceremony of the EMBRACE Project (Enhance Mother/ newborn/ child health in Remote Areas through health care and Community Engagement) of Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) held at DOH Region V today, 16 March 2020. With the ultimate goal of contributing to the reduction of Maternal and Child Mortality, Project Manager Lovely Joy Alvar presented the accomplishments of the implementation within 4 years in Calabanga, San Jose, Presentacion, and Garchitorena, Camarines Sur addressing the 3 delays model: decision to seek care, reaching care, and receiving adequate health care.
The project included nutrition-specific programs such as Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition, Infant and Young Child Feeding, Positive Deviance Hearth, and Cooking Demonstrations and nutrition-sensitive programs such as Water, Sanitation, Hygiene (WASH), Learning Through Play and Making Meal Times Matter, Kitchen Gardening, School-based Crop Museum, and Provision of Chickens for egg production. The presence of Project EMBRACE in 4 LGUs brought about the behavior change in the community in terms of health and nutrition and resulted to increase in facility-based delivery, improvement of hygiene practices, and reduction of malnutrition prevalence. (NO I Loveres/NO III Valeza)
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Legazpi City. The province of Masbate has been a recipient of NNC’s Nutriskwela Community Radio since 2017. These radio stations bridge the different sectors and the people within or in nearby communities to right information regarding community development, proper nutrition, and proper health services. Radyo Kahamugaway in in Cawayan and Radyo Kabag-uhan in Cataingan are both managed by the municipalities. SM Clint Ramirez of Cataingan shared that the people have actually clamored for the radio to be on air whenever it stops operation due to breakdown. SM Fel Monares of Cawayan said that various members of their Community Radio Council in their municipality continue to enjoy being radio broadcasters having their own time slots, with their own style of broadcasting.
Radyo Kahamugaway and Radyo Kabag-uhan have been receiving positive feed backs from their avid listeners through text messages they receive and comments on their Facebook page. However, Typhoon Tisoy damaged the radio station of Radyo Kabag-uhan so it was off-air from early December to 9 March 2020. Radio personnel of Radyo Kabag-uhan opted to do Facebook live streaming continue disseminating nutrition information and reaching the community. After the radio went on-air again, they maintained their Facebook Live Streaming to gather more audience. Info on the Facebook page was published on the official publication of Cataingan to reach more. On the other hand, Radyo Kahamugaway relies on the 100-watt transmitter which is able to reach 14 barangays of the municipality. SM Fel Monares requested assistance from the Sangguniang Bayan to increase the capacity of the transmitter so it can reach wider coverage. Vice Mayor Ester Binsol who was a former MNAO of the municipality know very well its importance. So, she promised to assist the radio in their request.
Read more: Nutriskwela Community Radio, Katabang sa Tamang Nutrisyon
