24 February 2021, Cagayan de Oro City – For 2021, the National Nutrition Council X steps up interaction and promotion efforts using the social media. Social networks provide an avenue for reaching more audience for nutrition information and updates.

Regular informative social media cards (SMC) are being posted every week, such as May Gahum sa Nutrisyon (MGsN) and First 1000 Days Matters (F1K DM). May Gahum sa Nutrisyon, which started in 2020, gives trivia and information on things related to health and nutrition every Tuesday. At present, the current MGsN series focuses on the foods in the Filipino folk song, “Bahay Kubo”, their benefits and uses in cooking various dishes. First 1000 Days Matters, which was also launched in 2020, focuses on facts about health and nutrition during pregnancy, infancy, and toddlerhood, and even recipe ideas for complementary feeding.  The F1K DM series is being posted every Thursday. Starting February 2021, a video will be posted in addition to the regular infographics to cater frequently asked questions related to the First 1000 Days.

“Top Fans” or those users with sustained activeness and engagement with the Page are recognized every Wednesday. Such social media card is a gesture of thanks to the consistent interaction of Facebook users with NNC X.

Nutrition workers executing nutrition response against COVID-19 are also featured by NNC X through the “Pagpupugay sa Nutrition Heroes” SMCs which are drafted and posted upon receipt of photos from the LGUs.

Interactive and informative contests, all related to health and nutrition, are likewise continued for 2021.

Nutri-Quiz 2.0 asks questions on health and nutrition every Wednesday—it could be identification, true/false, fill in the blanks or multiple choice format. The answer and the winner, chosen via random picker applications, is posted every Friday. This initiative, launched approximately seven years ago, made its comeback in 2020.

Pictoword, published twice a month, posts a series of pictures or clues that when stitched altogether, equates to common nutrition or health term/s. The number of pictures is equal to the number of words of the term/s in question. Pictoword is posted every first and third Mondays of the month, with answers posted every Thursday of the same week.

Nutri-Word Search tests the familiarity of Facebook users on terms and words that are also related to health and nutrition. Words are scattered across a word pane horizontally, vertically and diagonally. Participants must find as many words as they can. Nutri-Word Search likewise comes up twice a month, specifically during the second and fourth weeks of the month, with schedule of posting of the challenge and answers similar to that of Pictoword.

Every 5^th of the month, a Nutri-BIDA challenge is posted at the NNC X Facebook Page to invite users to share their creativity, thoughts and knowledge. Challenges may range from sharing healthy Valentine’s gift ideas, to flexing healthy eating habits, and even coming up with vegetables and fruits in song lyrics. All original entries will be consolidated and posted for public viewing and voting (15^th of the month), with the monthly Nutri-BIDAs or winners posted every 25^th of the month.

Nutri-Q&A encourages Facebook users to share their ideas in response to interactive questions. The maiden run of this initiative started in 2020, but the mechanics is stepped up for the 2021 postings where the best answers and winners will be determined through the number of post reactions and shares. The schedule for the Nutri-Q&A postings is every 18^th and 27^th of the month, and 10^th of the following month, for the question, entries and winners, respectively.

For all interactive contests, winners are awarded in the form of cellphone load cards. Facebook users who intend to join must follow the contest mechanics on top of commenting or sending their answers. The mechanics instruct participants to like the NNC Region X Facebook Page, like the post, tag Facebook friends in the comment section, and share the post. By doing so, the Facebook friends of the participants will likewise be interested in the initiatives in promoting good nutrition through the digital media. Also, more people will be reached by the nutrition updates and messages being posted by NNC X. (NO III Sheena Marie G. Talle)