Filipino people are known for having the spirit of communal unity or “bayanihan” especially during emergency situations. As the coronavirus disease 2019 or COVID-19 strikes the country, this spirit of bayanihan once again showed up as they work together in defeating the virus. At the forefront of this battle against COVID-19 are the healthcare workers, uniformed personnel, food and utility workers and other frontliners who work day and night to ensure the safety and survival of the citizens. In return for their great hard work in serving the country, they must be provided with all the support and encouragement they need from other people.
Aside from alcohol, masks, and other protective equipments, COVID-19 frontliners must also be equipped with a healthy body and strong immune system to protect themselves from acquiring the virus. And this be achieved if they are provided with the proper nourishment through consuming a nutritious and well-balanced diet. The province of Zamboanga del Norte is one of the LGUs that showed a great example in securing their province’s COVID-19 frontliners nutrition.
Spearheaded by the Provincial Nutrition Office, the Province of Zamboanga del Norte serve healthy food packs to all Persons Under Monitoring (PUIs), personnel manning the checkpoints and healthcare workers in isolation areas within the province. Food packs preparation and distribution are done daily at the Provincial Nutrition Office led by PNAO Nenita O. Maningo who prepared a healthy 2-week cycle menu. Chicken Afritada, Eggplant salad, Kangkong Adobo, Fish Escabeche, Chopsuey, Fish paksiw, Pinakbet and fresh fruits are some of the foods/ menu listed and being prepared. Foods are being transported by the Provincial Disaster Risk Management Team who are assigned in delivering the food packs to the designated areas.
This concept of the Zamboanga del Norte province will surely serve as a good model to other Local Government Units in ensuring the health and nutrition of the COVID-19 frontliners. As the frontliners take risks serving the people, a simple act ensuring their nutrition by providing nutritious food will surely give them strength to continue serving the people battling this COVID-19 pandemic.
The National Nutrition Council Region IX commends the efforts of the Zamboanga del Norte province in this fight against COVID-19. Saludo kami sa inyo mga ka-nutrisyon!
NO I Angelica O. Pajulas
