San Fernando, Cebu - Barangay Sangat, San Fernando pioneered the 120-day Dietary Supplementation Program in the whole municipality. This locally funded supplementation program aimed to reduce hunger, prevent micronutrient deficiency, and improve the child’s current nutrition status among children ages 6 to 59 months old.
The supplementary feeding program included the distribution of food, in addition to regular meals at home. Meals were prepared in the morning and served hot from snack to lunch time for five (5) days a week. BHWs then helped distribute the meals house to house, while mothers nearby tag their children along and lined up in the Barangay Health Center.
BNAO Hon. Ramulfo S. Sasuman, BNPC Maria Elaine T. Alerta , Councilor on Health Hannah S. Salcedo, and BNS Margarita E. Tumulak spearheaded the program. The latter prepared the commodities based on the cycle menu agreed upon during last year’s 1st quarter BNC meeting.
The feeding program which kicked off on 01 July 2021 in time for the 46th Nutrition Month and was concluded on 23 December 2021. According to BNAO Sasuman, the effort was very timely as it served as safety net for hunger among children in the barangay affected by Typhoon Odette.
Barangay Sangat’s initiative in supporting the National Nutrition Council’s commitment to end hunger and all forms of malnutrition set as a good example to neighboring barangays and other LGUs to invest in nutrition especially on the First 1000 Days interventions. // ND II Juan Viktor V. Filamor, RND
