In line with the Nutrition Month celebration last July 2021 with the theme “Malnutrisyon patuloy na labanan, First 1000 Days tutukan!”, the National Nutrition Council Region XII conducted a culmination event to end the month-long celebration.

The Regional Nutrition Month Culmination Activity was conducted last August 4, 2021 1:00 PM through Facebook Live. The live stream was attended by a total of 180 viewers and the video continued to reach a total of 734 viewers as of August 4, 2021 5:20 PM. Many of the viewers were participants of the different contests held by NNC XII.

The culmination activity was hosted by Danah Pearl Aurel, Nutrition Officer II, and Kristine Charl Nadela, Provincial Nutrition Focal Point. The event was opened by an inspirational message given by the NNC OIC-Nutrition Program Coordinator Annalita Mae V. Flores.

Nutrition messages from local chief executives and organization heads were shown in the event. Nutrition month celebration activities across the region were acknowledged, including streamer hanging, nutrition and health consultations, radio sessions and guesting, distribution of food packages and education materials and distribution of nutrition month shirts and masks.

Awaited by most is the announcement of winners for the regional contests. The winners for each contest are as follows:

• F1KD Feature Article Contest - Keith Brendan Zamora (1st place), John Paul Art Echavaria (2nd place), and Norhassan Maguid (3rd place);
• Complementary Food Cooking Contest - Norhassan Maguid (1st place), Marife Cambel (2nd place), and Vianza Jonn Biare (3rd place);
• 2021 Healthy Buntis Photo Contest - Joanne Quiamco (1st place), Christine Joy Lademora (2nd place), and Kimberly Echavaria (3rd place);
• Nutri-Tiktok Battle - Kusan Bugtaw Dancers (1st place), Sybil Ann Diaz (2nd place), and Jenny Landar (3rd place);
• Digital Poster Making Contest - Dominic Villegas (1st place), Naire Joyce Cervantes (2nd place), and Dohniero Lozano (3rd place); and
• Search for 2021 Nutri-Bibo Kid - Jah Zia Hinampas (1st place), Dawn Aiden Casicas (2nd place), and Amalia Mariano (3rd place).

The eight weekly E-Quiz winners were also announced, as well as the Nutri-Talino with 73 winners. The judges for the different activities were also recognized as Certificate of Appreciation will be given to them.

 At the end of the culmination activity, announcements were made on the upcoming nutrition activities including the start of Nutrition E-School this August 2021, continuation of the weekly E-Quiz, schedule of the Breastfeeding Fora and announcement of Gulayan sa Bakuran winners, and new activities of NNC XII which are the Nutri-FLEX and Nutri-Talk on Tiktok Contest.

 As the 47th Nutrition Month ended, the regional office was hopeful that the celebration reached not just the target groups, but all across the population, and became more aware of the importance of the First 1000 Days - to a brighter future of the next generation.

(KCN/AMVF)