Isabela, often known as the City of Isabela, is the de facto capital of the Philippine province of Basilan and a city of fourth-class components. Although Isabela, the province's former capital since the province's formation, is listed under the Zamboanga Peninsula area, the island province of Basilan is technically a part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). Regional services are provided by the Zamboanga Peninsula regional administration; however, the city is still governed by the Basilan provincial government, and provincial services are still delivered by Basilan. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, Isabela and Basilan are statistically distinct. The province administration moved the capital to Lamitan as a result of this.
Last September 21, 2022, NNC9 was led by Nutrition Officer III Mr. Elton Pelegrino with RNET members ZCMC Chief Dietitian Ms. Ma. Dolores Paredes, DTI9 Senior Trade & Industry Development Specialist Ms. Regina Madriaga, BFAR9 Fishing Regulations Officer II Ms. Rowena Jainul, Zamboanga City Schools Division Nutritionist-Dietitian Mr. Eric Bangcal of DepEd, and NNC9 PDO I Kimberly Tanador conducts the Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation Protocol (MELLPI Pro) Validation Visit to the Isabela City Nutrition Action Officer (CNAO) Ms. Jesielyn O. Puno and to their Barangay Marang-Marang Nutrition Scholar (BNS) Ms. Myra Abbas. The activity is part of the annual monitoring and evaluation activities of the region to determine the regional outstanding local nutrition focal points who excel in the performance of duties and functions in part of the Nutrition Program implementation and management based on their 2021 accomplishments.
After the evaluation, the results were presented also to the City Mayor of Isabela Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman upon a paid courtesy visit to her at Sakayan Conference Room, City Hall of Isabela.
Mayor Sitti Djalia Turabin-Hataman mentioned and talked about one of their projects called ‘’HAPIsabela TELEdukasyon” wherein, it aims to use television to help students manage their schoolwork. It started when face-to-face classes are discouraged because of the pandemic. So, Isabela City LGU and its partners agreed that lecture videos shall be seen through a local cable provider in the City. The use of modules will supplement the current alternate learning methods provided by the Department of Education. In this way, in addition to English and Filipino as the medium of instruction, students' learning is supplemented by audio-visual presentations of lectures brought by teacher presenters in six (6) different mother tongue dialects in the city, including Sama Bangingi, Sama Dilaut, Yakan, Bahasa Tausug, Yakan, Chavacano, and Sinugbuanong Binisaya.
Whit this, Mayor Hataman urged the RNET team to share Videos or Audio-Visual Presentations about Nutrition or a Healthy Lifestyle so that they can also include them on their channel to broadcast on television of Isabeleños. The NNC9 with its partner agencies promised to provide such, this is also a way to help solve the nutrition problem of the city.
Accordingly, the City Local School Board, which is presided over by Mayor Hataman, has set aside P550,000 in funds for the purchase of risograph machines for the effective production of learning modules that will be distributed in all of Isabela City City's public schools. The Local School Board agreed and budgeted an additional 4 million pesos under the city's Special Education Fund for TELEdukasyon production costs for the entire academic year.
Para sa Bata, Para sa Bayan!
PDO I Kimberly Tanador, RND
