Cebu City – All three Nutriskwela Community Radio Network Programs (NCRNP) in Central Visayas attended the 10th National Virtual Conference of NCRNP held on 25-27 January 2022 via online platform. During the opening program, Assistant Secretary and NNC Executive Director Dr. Azucena M. Dayanghirang in her welcome remarks expressed how media can be a big help in the world of nutrition. She said, “Media have an important role in shaping health and nutrition-related behaviors and practices as well as in promoting socio-cultural and economic development which may contribute to improved nutritional outcome”.
The three NCRNP in Central Visayas include Radyo Kahimsug in Baili, Cebu; Radyo Kaigsoonan in Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental and Radyo Kalamposan in San Francisco, Camotes, Cebu joined the conference.
The 10th conference like the previous offerings was filled with loads of information for Nutriskwela stakeholders as it provided updates on the Nutriskwela program, shared good practices and discussed practices and concerns to improve the management and operations of the stations. Veteran broadcasters, radio personalities and NNC officials gave inputs on topics including nutrition and COVID-19, media convergence, improving Nutriskwela programming, why focus on the First 1000 Days, managing Nutriskwela radio operations, rules and regulations for community radio stations and radio broadcast: pre- and during electoral campaign period. There was also a Nutriskwela Sharing Session on how Nutriskwela responded to the pandemic, enhancing nutrition programming, positive development and support, and promoting nutrition among IPs through Nutriskwela and by select station managers. Radyo Kalamposan’s station manager Gary Muana shared the efforts of the station in responding to the needs of Camotes group of islands being a geographically isolated and disadvantaged area during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The conference was also highlighted with the Nutriskwela awards and the election of officers of the Nutriskwela Radio Broadcast Association, Incorporated.
The national gathering assembled all 50 Nutriskwela community radio stations and was attended by the station managers, program managers, radio technicians and chairs of Community Radio Councils. Having seen the active participation of the representatives of all NCRNP in the country from Batanes to Jolo in the event really show their enthusiasms in spreading accurate, relevant and up-to-date information about importance of nutrition. With the new knowledge and motivation coming from the speakers and co-participants, the desires of the conference participants to disseminate correct nutrition information to the rest of the community were fired up anew. // NO I Gab Flores, RND
