“I don’t tell my department heads what to do. I believe in their capacity to be able to do their job well and put the interest of the people first. As the governor, I will support their plans,” said Governor Roel G. Degamo during the Negros Oriental Media Caravan held at the Governor’s Office last October 5, 2012.
Getting nutrition on the road, the National Nutrition Council Region VII led by NPC Parolita A. Mission and members of the press visited the local government unit of Negros Oriental soliciting commitments from the local chief executive to support the nutrition program specifically to designate at least one BNS per barangay, support them with training and tools (weighing scale and height boards) to further reduce the prevalence of malnourished children in the province. NPC Mission emphasized that even if Negros Oriental had reduced its prevalence rate from 8% in 2011 to 7.3% in 2012 based on the Operation Timbang results, the province is still the highest among the four provinces in the region. A critical point was for local government units to pledge in the allocation of specially dedicated budgets for nutrition program.
Provincial Nutrition Action Officer Dr. Edgardo S. Barredo and members of the Provincial Nutrition Committee, DNPC Grace B. Roman and other nutritionists were at hand to present the media.
Dovetailing the meeting with Governor Degamo was forum with the Municipal Nutrition Committee of Zamboanguita, led by Mayor Kit Marc Adanza.
Among those who joined the caravan were officers of MIND 7, President Jun P. Tagalog, VP for TV Yolanda A. Gendrauli, VP for IOs Marie Mignon A. Nillama, Auditor Daday Melgar along with members Ms. Phoebe Jen Indino and Ms. Cheryl Baldicantos of Manila Bulletin, Mr. Jaysee John Pingkian of CBSi and Ms. Nicole Saquin of John Cioncon Creative Agency.
Media from Dumaguete City were also present namely: Titus Cerina of CATV6 Tanjay and Magic FM; Maricar Aranas of CATV6, PNA and VDS; Choy Gallarde of Sky Cable; Edmund Sestoso of DYGB – FB and Jufill Mira DYWC.
In the municipality of Zamboanguita, the group also visited the Buntis (Maternity) Lodge, where expectant mothers from high land barangays can stay days before they expected date of delivery and the Nutriskwela Community Radio Station Radyo Kaigsoonan 98.5 RK where the technical inputs were given by the group specially those working on radio media.
Other areas visited were the Dairy Farmers’ Association of Dumaguete City Milk Processing Plant in Dumageute City and the Organic Farm of Mr. Danny Darong in Valencia, Negros Oriental.// DFB
