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- Category: Region 10
31 May 2021, Cagayan de Oro City – Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon vies for Nutrition Honor Award (NHA), the highest award given to a Local Government Unit (LGU) with sustained exemplary performance on nutrition program management.
Due to the pandemic, a virtual validation was conducted to evaluate the nutrition program implementation of Manolo Fortich for the year 2019 last 27-28 May 2021 via Zoom. The National Evaluation Team (NET) was composed of Ms. Jasmine Anne DF Tandingan, Nutrition Officer III of the National Nutrition Council (NNC) Nutrition Surveillance Division and Ms. Eleanor Lafuente, Program Manager of PHILCAN-Helen Keller International. Aside from evaluating the LGU’s performance, the 2020 COVID-19 nutrition responses were assessed to determine the LGU’s initiatives during the pandemic.
The two-day validation comprised of desk review using the Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation (MELLPI) Pro tool, learning discussion of NET with Municipal Nutrition Committee (MNC) members and presentation of key findings and recommendations.
Read more: Manolo Fortich steps closer to Nutrition Honor Award
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- Category: Region 10
31 May 2021, Cagayan de Oro City — After its activation in Bukidnon, the province of Lanao del Norte was eyed as one of the expansion areas (Phase 3) for the Tutok Kainan Dietary Supplementation Program (TK DSP) in Region 10, along with six other municipalities in the Province.
As part of the social preparation activities, the National Nutrition Council Region 10 (NNC X) through Nutrition Program Coordinator (NPC) Gladys Mae S. Fernandez and Early Childhood Care and Development – First 1000 Days Program (ECCD-F1K) Provincial Nutrition Coordinator (PNC) Stephanie C. Barrio visited the municipality of Tagoloan, Lanao del Norte last 26 May to conduct an Advocacy Meeting. The attendees were Sangguniang Bayan (SB) Members Taha T. Dagol and Norhata P. Pascan, Municipal Nutrition Action Officer (MNAO) Noraida T. Disangcopan, Department of Health – Human Resource for Health personnel Jona Dominguez (Nutritionist-Dietitian), Norwen Michael Dumago (Nurse), and Nasripa Casan (Midwife), and six (6) Barangay Health Workers of the municipality.
NPC Fernandez discussed and presented the program objectives and its priority groups, the proposed recipient LGUs in the province, the program components, considerations, and updates, and other social preparations to be done. Furthermore, PNC Barrio also discussed the roles and the support expected from the recipient LGUs.
Read more: Tutok Kainan on its way to Tagoloan, Lanao del Norte!
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- Category: Region 10
The first 1000 days of life, which starts from pregnancy until the child’s second birthday is regarded as the “golden window of opportunity” where the child’s health, optimum growth, brain development, and other vital progress are established. Fostering the child’s health, nutrition, and psychosocial development at this crucial period will have an impact for a lifetime. As parents, these responsibilities must not be limited to mothers alone. Fathers should be involved too!
A classic Filipino culture assigns most of the family-nurturing responsibilities to the mothers as the “ilaw ng tahanan”. As the “haligi ng tahanan”, fathers on the other hand take most of the duties that involve the family’s finances, overall planning, and decision-making. With this setup, mothers have to do the entire task at home including taking care of children while fathers leave home for work. As a result, fathers were not usually involved in child-rearing activities and responsibilities and most likely, the same happens during pregnancy and early stages of infancy.
Mothers play an overwhelming role during the first 1000 days starting from pregnancy, to giving birth, to breastfeeding, to the preparation of complementary foods, to taking care of the child, and the list of duties continues. On top of these are other non-baby-related responsibilities that they have to juggle every day such as work, finances, household chores, among others. The world evolved in so many aspects, including parental tasking. As more mothers are now engaged in financial and other “father-branded” duties, it is just right for fathers to cross the line and be actively involved in child-rearing and other supposed “for-mothers-only” responsibilities.
Read more: Count Fathers in! Paternal roles during the First 1000 Days
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- Category: Region 10
According to the WHO tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats faced by the world, wherein more than 8 million people die per year.
In the context of nutrition, tobacco use largely affects the body's nutrient absorption and processes. Tobacco contains nicotine- a harmful chemical that greatly affects the systems of the body and its functions. Nicotine hinders the body's ability to maintain the appropriate level of nutrients. Specifically, it diminishes vitamin and mineral absorption. The presence of nicotine in the system depletes vitamin C stores. Vitamin C prevents organ damage and has an antioxidant effect in the body.
Tobacco use was also linked to higher incidence of osteoporosis because nicotine inhibits absorption of vitamin D. This vitamin plays a vital role in protecting the bones by helping the body absorb calcium, a mineral essential in building strong and dense bones. Nicotine present in tobacco also affects a person's appetite by interacting with the brain and central nervous system to suppress it. Smoking tobacco also alters the sense of taste by the smoker's inability to detect flavor.
Read more: Implications of Tobacco in the Context of Nutrition
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- Category: Region 10
Thyroid disorders affect people of all ages and is very common worldwide. Among the large range of symptoms, the most common thyroid disorders include hyperthyroidism (abnormally increased thyroid activity), hypothyroidism (abnormally decreased thyroid activity), thyroiditis (inflammation of the thyroid gland) and thyroid cancer. All of which are often caused by iodine deficiency.
Based on the released results of the 2018 Expanded National Nutrition Survey, iodine deficiency still exists among elderly, lactating mothers and pregnant women. Iodine deficiency disorders on women of reproductive age, especially pregnant and lactating mothers, has great consequences for children during their first 1000 days of life from conception.
Hence, the World Thyroid Day was established in 2008 as part of a campaign led by the European Thyroid Association and the American Thyroid Association to emphasize the prevalence of thyroid diseases, to focus action on education and prevention programs and to intensify awareness of new treatment modalities. The International Thyroid Awareness Week is celebrated annually every 4th week of May as declared by the 11th European Congress of Endocrinology in April 2009. Creating and raising awareness of thyroid disorders is the aim of the World Thyroid Awareness Day on 25 May 2021 and the International Thyroid Awareness Week on 24 – 30 May 2021.
Read more: Creating and Raising Awareness on Thyroid Disorders
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- Category: Region 10
24 May 2021, Cagayan de Oro City – As Misamis Occidental vies for the 2nd Year Maintenance for the Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) Award, the Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team (RNET) conducted a virtual technical assistance to the Province on 20-21 May 2021.
Ms. Eva T. Pacturan of Department of Agriculture Regional Field Office 10, Nutrition Program Coordinator Gladys Mae S. Fernandez, and Nutrition Officer Sheena Marie G. Talle facilitated the two-day activity. Provincial Nutrition Action Officer Marichu G. Tijing and her staff assisted the RNET.
The technical assistance revolved over the review of documents, consolidation of observations and presentation of recommendations to further prepare the Province for the national validation visit on 1-2 June 2021.
PNAO Tijing committed to apply the recommendations the soonest and requested the NNC Region X Office to continue to assist and support the Province for the much-awaited national validation. Likewise, NPC Fernandez committed to continuously provide technical assistance to Misamis Occidental, as well as to fellow national contenders Cagayan de Oro and Manolo Fortich.
After the announcement on the resumption of monitoring and evaluation activities earlier this year, the Misamis Occidental Provincial Nutrition Action Office intensified their preparations for the national validation. (NO III Sheena Marie G. Talle)
