By: Bhenzar Sam

Pasko Fiesta sa Nutrisyon is one of the Nutrition Interventions conducted by the Local Government Unit of Maco through the Municipal Nutrition Committee headed by Honorable Mayor Alvera Veronica R. Rimando, MD, FPSMS, RMT, Vice Mayor Arthur Carlos Voltaire R. Rimando and all SB Members in coordination with Volters Crusade Foundation, Inc. as private partner to combat Malnutrition in the Municipality through the Public – Private Partnership Program (P4) implemented in the Municipality through a Municipal Ordinance. The program provides Nutri – Pack to families in the Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) of the locality especially the malnourished children, vulnerable groups and poorest of the poor families.

The program not only provides food commodities but also some basic health services such as flu vaccination to senior citizens, provision of multivitamins to children and maternal health kit to pregnant women and lactating mothers as well as distribution of Information Education and Communication (IEC) materials on the 10 Kumainments based on National Nutrition Council (NNC) Covid – 19 Nutrition Advisory No. 9. This is one way of bringing health services to GIDA areas by the health personnel of the Municipality. The program has been implemented for almost three years now since December 2018.

For this year, the Municipal Nutrition Committee conducted Pasko Fiesta sa Nutrisyon to the seven (7) identified GIDA and Nutritionally at Risk Barangays: Barangay Mapaang, Barangay Manipongol, Barangay Dumlan, Barangay Gubatan, Barangay Panoraon and Barangay New Leyte. Even with the presence of Covid – 19 Pandemic, the Nutrition Program is still implemented in the whole Municipality as well as other health related services.